Anniversary season – about the theater that creates happiness
The new season will be accompanied by the slogan – “More theater – more happiness.” This slogan reminds us that art, of which theater is an inseparable part, provides an invaluable sense of life’s value and satisfaction. Theater expands the possibilities of understanding the world, provokes, excites, encourages thinking and embracing the diversity of life. In the theater, we share our doubts, loneliness, and hope. This makes us happier.
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“This slogan is not just a catchy metaphor. The connection between art and the feeling of happiness is scientifically proven, based on sociological and medical research. The phrase ‘More theater – more happiness’ was born after a meeting with cultural sociologist Dr. Tadas Šarūnas at the ‘Theater Club,’ where he presented the latest research proving a direct link between participation in art events and the feeling of life satisfaction. Unfortunately, this is not talked about enough in our society. This season, we invite you to look at theater more broadly – not only as an artistic event or a way to spend leisure time but also as a meaningful way of human existence or even a concern for the quality of your life.
By going to the theater, we accumulate new experiences, broaden our horizons, develop empathy, get to know ourselves and others better, and the shared cultural experience creates a connection between people. Theater not only tells or depicts stories – it helps to listen, hear oneself, raise questions, discuss, and grow. The ability to think, reflect, and philosophically summarize is an integral part of the feeling of happiness. Theater nurtures all this. In other words, theater is worth choosing as an investment in a happier inner world,” says theater director Nomeda Šatkauskienė.
“More theater” also means more meetings, more dialogue, more community, and more experiences. This season, the theater aims to be more open to different audiences, expand the activities of the “Theater Club,” present chamber productions and works by young creators. Audiences will be invited not only to watch performances but also to talk about them.
Premieres telling the stories of the city and its people
This direction is also reflected in the repertoire of the first half of the season. The premieres continue the creative line consistently developed by the theater in recent years – bringing the city’s memory, local identity, and people’s experiences to the stage, while seeking new theatrical forms and language for different audiences. Alongside major stage works, the new season will also feature chamber plays and performative productions, opening space for young creators and experiments.
By going to the theater, we accumulate new experiences, broaden our horizons, develop empathy, get to know ourselves and others better.
“Oval” – a documentary drama about the Šiauliai rugby phenomenon
The anniversary season will begin on September 24–25 with the documentary drama about rugby “Oval,” created by playwright Rimantas Kmita, already known to audiences from the plays “Remyga” and “Dance, Edita, Dance.” The premiere is directed by one of the most prominent Latvian theater creators, Valters Sīlis, who has repeatedly explored the intersections of sports and theater in his work.
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“Oval” takes us back to the 1990s – a time when Šiauliai became the rugby capital of Lithuania. The play, based on interviews with rugby players, press publications, and historical events, tells the story of people for whom sport was more than a game – it was a question of life’s meaning, community, and identity. It is a story about dedication, choices, the cost of victories, and what often remains beyond the visible triumph.
“Lonely Evenings” – from readings to premiere
In November, the repertoire of the Small Hall will be supplemented by Martin McDonagh’s tragicomedy “Lonely Evenings.” The play was born from this year’s spring “Theater Club” initiative “Play Readings and Sketches,” during which the reading of the play received great audience interest and favorable reviews. Taking into account the public’s reaction, the theater decided to develop this work further. Directed by actor and director Rolandas Dovydaitis, “Lonely Evenings” is a tragicomic story about two brothers living in a small Irish town. Their constant conflicts become a narrative about loneliness, violence, alienation, and human fragility.
“Wipe My Ass” – the language of the young generation theater
Another November premiere is the performative object theater play “Wipe My Ass” by young actor and creator of the State Šiauliai Drama Theater, Tautvydas Galkauskas. First presented this year at the performing arts festival “Teatrodromas” as a creative sketch, it will become a full-length production in the new season. Provocative, absurd, and visual, this object theater work is aimed at a young audience and viewers who enjoy unconventional contemporary theater forms.
Anniversary – an opportunity to look back at theater history
The anniversary season will also be marked by another significant cultural event – the opening of an exhibition dedicated to the memory of one of Šiauliai’s most prominent cultural figures, Gerardas Bagdonavičius. A graphic artist, set designer, teacher, and one of the pioneers of Lithuanian ex-libris, Gerardas Bagdonavičius left a strong mark on the history of professional Šiauliai theater – in the 1940s and 1950s, he created stage designs and costumes for theater productions, designing such performances as Molière’s “Tartuffe,” Friedrich Schiller’s “Intrigue and Love,” and others. Throughout his creative career, the artist worked on about thirty productions in theaters in Šiauliai, Kaunas, and Klaipėda.
The exhibition is organized by the theater together with the Šiauliai “Aušra” Museum. For the first time, original costume sketches by Gerardas Bagdonavičius will be presented in theater spaces, allowing a look into one of the earliest stages of professional Šiauliai theater history and rediscovering the artist’s contribution to the development of Lithuanian theater art.
The anniversary season becomes not only an opportunity to look back at the 95-year journey but also a chance to once again answer the question of why theater is necessary for people today. It is an invitation to create a future where theater is not only a stage but also a meeting place, a space for dialogue, part of the city community, and an experience enriching the inner world of a person.
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