The beginning
Referring to the traditions of theatrical explorations conducted in 1959-1964 in Opole by Jerzy Grotowski and the 13 Rzędów (13 Rows) Theatre, the JK Opole Theatre a new theatrical space called Modelatornia, intended for innovative and experimental artistic projects. In order to enable the creators open access to Modelatornia, the JK Opole Theatre established a Competition for a Theatrical Project, within the framework of the Modelatornia programme. The intention of the Competition’s originators was to, in the modern cultural, social, political and artistic context, initiate and conduct explorations related creatively to the professional experimental theatre formula proposed by Grotowski.
By announcing the Competition, we do not want to refer directly to the aesthetics and creative methods elaborated by the 13 Rzędów Theatre and the Laboratorium (Laboratory) Theatre, although we are, of course, interested in the actions inspired by them. Pointing to the link with the tradition of Grotowski’s team, we refer to, above all, to his Opole period. The 13 Rzędów Theatre used creatively the achievements and proposals of the European theatrical and artistic avant-garde, trying out opportunities inherent in them and expanding the original theatrical language.
At the same time, it faced with the elements of the European and Polish cultural heritage important for young artists, recognising their contemporary significance and values in the theatrical action. As a result, the theatre of an experimental art form, undertaking the fundamental ideological issues and confronting the audience with their original stage approach was founded.
In hope of finding and enabling the implementation of similar projects, we announce the annual Competition for a Theatrical Project within the framework of the Modelatornia programme. The aim of its particular editions is to identify at last one project funded by the JK Opole Theatre, implemented on the stage of Modelatornia while including the Theatre’s team members into cooperation.
Competition Committee composed of:
Norbert Rakowski, chairman
General Manager and Artistic Director at Jan Kochanowski Theatre in Opole, director,
Łukasz Drewniak
theatre critic, editor, author of the cycle „Kołonotatnik”,
Dariusz Kosiński
theatrologist, professor at Jagielloński University in Kraków,
Piotr Ratajczak
director, programme cosultant at Jan Kochanowski Theatre in Opole,
Zuzanna Bućko
artistic assistant at Jan Kochanowski Theatre in Opole
after getting acquainted with the submitted works and conducting interviews with the selected finalists, decided to award and direct to realization project:
"Black skin, white masks"
by Wiktor Bagiński (a graduate of the Directing Department, Stanisław Wyspiański Academy of Theater Arts in Krakow).
The author of the project will create at the JK Theatre a spectacle, that will reveal traces of Polish blackness. This unknown, historical, which roots date back to the seventeenth and eighteenth centuries and to our contemporary. Premiere in the first half of the 2019/2020 season.
We thank you for all your entries and we invite you to participate in the next edition of the Modelatornia Competition.
3RD EDITION
See more about the 3rd edition
2ND EDITION
See the results of 2nd edition
1ST EDITION
See the results of 1st edition
The Project "Modelatornia Theater Project Competition - Third Edition" was co-financed by the Ministry of Culture and National Heritage from the Culture Promotion Fund and from the budget of the Opolskie Voivodeship.
