Jubilee 75th season of the Terazije Theater

With these words of Radivoj Lola Đukić, the founder of the Theater in Terazije, the history of the only musical theater in the region begins.

Founded as the Humorist Theater on December 23, 1949, the theater started working in improvised circumstances as a tenant of the "Belgrade" cinema, and the first premiere was Nušić's comedy Dr (1951). The newly founded theater was created based on the enthusiasm of its members and with the favor of the then government. Inadequate working conditions (primarily in terms of space) were less of a problem when you take into account the attitude of the professional public and critics who had an ignorant attitude towards what they called "light theater genre".

In the period of reconstruction after the Second World War, numerous new institutions in the fields of culture, education and science were born in our country. At that time, there was a real explosion of theatrical life, and the acting profession had an almost cult status.

Despite this, operetta performances almost always met with criticism, even the wrath of theater critics. And later, when the monitoring of the theater by critics became established, "double standards" often appeared: those who were musically inclined often did not have enough knowledge about the theater, and drama critics rarely managed to penetrate the musical score.

During the first twenty years of work, the repertoire consisted mainly of comedies and operettas. One of the more popular plays from that time is Dragutin Dobričanin's comedy Shared apartment (first performed on January 29, 1954) directed by Marko Fotez. Due to the topicality of the topic and effective humor, it was shown as many as 269 times, which was a record in Belgrade's post-war theater life. With Miodrag Petrović Čkalja in the lead role, the play has been played for more than a decade and always in front of packed halls.

A few years after its establishment, the ambition emerged that this theater would not only be a comedy theater, but also a theater with serious artistic ambitions. Thus, in 1954, it changed its name to Belgrade Comedy and turned its repertoire course towards titles from world comedy. By merging with the Belgrade Drama Theater in 1959, the Contemporary Theater was created with two stages - on Terazije and Red Cross. Overcoming all the problems that this merger produced, plays were staged that can be considered transitional forms on the way to the great American musical. Oklahoma (1966) represents a turning point in the Terasian repertoire, and the premieres that followed - A story from the west end (1968) and Kiss Me, Kate (1969) - only confirmed the tendency to turn towards musical theatre. The term musical had not yet been established in our genre classification, yet the audience enthusiastically accepted each subsequent premiere. Today's repertoire course of the Terazije Theater, the only musical theater in the region, was born in this period.

photo: theater archives

During his visit to Belgrade, an American impresario wanted to take a look A story from the west end. After the performance, he said: "The ensemble on Broadway has better working conditions. But what they don't have, and you have, is temperament and emotion!". It is interesting that for actor Dragan Nikolić, the role of a gang member in this play was his first appearance on the stage in general.

In March 1975, the Terazije Theater became independent under the name it still bears today.

Due to the thorough reconstruction of the building, since 1991, plays have been performed on the stage of UK "Vuk Karadžić", and in 2005 the theater returned home.

The repertoire policy, dominant since 2000, brought to Belgrade the biggest world-class titles: A Chorus line, Chicago, Brilliant, Gypsies fly into the sky, Kabare, Producers, Mamma Mia!, Phantom of the Opera, Flashdance, Women on the verge of a nervous breakdown... Along with this, the production of domestic musicals is intensively developing (Marathoners run a lap of honor, Crazy head., Zamfirova zone, On the other side of the pillow, Mister Dollar…

With an average attendance per season (95%), the Theater on Terazije is one of the favorite places of both locals and audiences in the region. Many plays have been in the repertoire for more than a decade (Zamfirova zone, Chicago), some more than 20 years (Gypsies fly into the sky), and the longest-running musical in the repertoire is Some like it hot - 34 years old! Despite such a long repertoire experience, the interest of the audience does not wane. The cast is often changed to keep the title alive for generations to come.

After seven and a half decades and more than 290 premieres, the Terazije Theater acquired its own identity and became an institution of high potential and artistic achievements, and the Terazije ensemble, with many efforts, profiled itself as the only one in the region that continuously engages in musical theater. The Terazije Theater welcomes its jubilee 75th season with great ambitions and potential, ready to confirm its status with each subsequent premiere - that it is a theater of spectacle!

TITO CHANGED EVERYTHING

(from the memories of actress Branka Mitić, Theater Monograph 2009)

"In difficult technical conditions: cramped stage space, polluted air after cinema shows, humidity (mushrooms on the walls), leaks, rats, performances and time-limited rehearsals were held. The worst was certainly the most numerous musical ensemble and the most demanding. We were sad when we returned from guest appearances at real theaters, where our plays received a completely different image, and our official public did not, ironically and offensively. How long!? Until the moment when President Tito wanted to see an operetta and a comedy. News about the excellent financial performance of the theater reached him (money was even returned to the city annually, while other theaters constantly asked for an increase in donations). It was certainly not true (as was said in other theaters and in the public) that the audience was cheaply flattered, because it was the audience itself, who denied it: academics, university professors, doctors, writers, group visits of students, complete families, ambassadors... Tito came, Tito changed everything! The theater is recognized. Why not! Who could deny the president's taste! His invitation for the theater to visit Brioni for three days with Shared apartment he established the status of the theater and everything took a different path."