The Arcadia troupe of the Regina Maria Theatre announces a story season, in which they will stage shows by some of the most appreciated animation theatre directors in the country of the moment. The first premiere brings back to the stage a sensitive, playful story, which has the gift of returning us to cardinal human values: "A ray of sunshine" by Al.T. Popescu, directed by Toma Hogea.

Toma Hogea is a complex creator: a puppeteer gifted with the joy of creating, who has performed hundreds of roles in numerous shows from different registers over time, an artistic director with a repertoire of high-quality shows that he has staged all over the country, author of essential volumes on the art of puppetry and professor at the University of Arts in Iași, a personality of the animation theater, rewarded over time with numerous national and international awards for his artistic activity. He stages for the first time at the Arcadia Troupe, but he is no stranger to the Oradea puppet theater, to which he was indirectly linked through the artist Maria Mierluț.

The text "A Ray of Sun" fascinated him from the moment he discovered it and, 27 years after he staged it at the "Luceafărul" Theater in Iași, where it had a long life, he finds it to be just as current and perhaps even more relevant, because it explores fundamental human values that risk being diluted, but through the beauty and playfulness of theater, they can be passed on to children and reminded to adults.

„"A ray of sunshine", text written by Al.T. Popescu, is a story that is addressed, predominantly, to children (preschoolers and young schoolchildren). It is a story full of candor, lyricism, emotion, sometimes even suspense, having as its fundamental theme the theme of FRIENDSHIP! The dramatization and lyrics, the set design (Oana Cernea), the original music (Cári Tibor) bring to the fore a puppet show, which involves different types of handling (bibabo, bunraku, marionette), in a play space that is unique to animation theater, but specific to drama theater. This happy association between the play space, the delicacy and fragility of the characters/puppets, gives originality and emotion... so necessary to the show for children. The theme of FRIENDSHIP is seconded, in our case, by the theme of SACRIFICE (for fellow human beings, even more so for a friend) in a natural way, with sensitivity, candor, playfulness, humor and the joy of the game, everything being well supported by the ACTORS dedicated to the stage, the character, the audience, Toma Hogea confesses.

The creative team also includes Cári Tibor, a UNITER award-winning composer, who signs the show's original music and with whom director Toma Hogea has a long and beautiful collaboration.

Cári Tibor is the composer who understands me and responds to me completely. He has my feeling, my structure, understanding all my thoughts and stage aspirations. I have worked with him in all the productions in the country and he brilliantly copes with any text – whether dramatic or for children, adds director Toma Hogea.

Scenography, vital element in a children's show and in theaters intended for them, is signed by Oana Cernea, whom the Iași director says is a set designer with great potential, with whom he would like to meet again.

The cast of the show consists of the actors: Florian Silaghi (the mouse Muf), Consuela Egyed (the ballerina Pitt) and Igor Lungu (the Cat).

The show will premiere on October 19, at 11:00, at the Arcadia Hall, and the next performance is scheduled for October 26. All tickets for both performances scheduled for the general public in October are already sold out. The show will also be performed during the "School Differently" Week organized especially for kindergartens and schools.

We look forward to seeing you at the theater!