"Theatre in High School" – a new educational project initiated by the Regina Maria Theatre

            The Iosif Vulcan Troupe of the Regina Maria Theatre launched the pilot educational project "Theatre in High School", which is aimed at high schools in Oradea and aims to establish five theater troupes, which will be coordinated by actors from the Iosif Vulcan Troupe.

            The first stage of the program took place in December 2021, when the call for applications for the project was launched. The conditions for participation imposed by the organizer were minimal: the students' desire to be part of a theater troupe and the existence of a rehearsal space within the high school.

            The proposals were not long in coming and five high schools in Oradea have already been selected to participate in the program this year: "Emanuil Gojdu" National College, "Mihai Eminescu" National College, "Iosif Vulcan" National College, "Iuliu Maniu" Greek-Catholic High School and "Traian Vuia" Technical High School.

            The next stage involves precisely establishing the composition of the five troupes, the work schedule and the rehearsal space, with a team of 10 actors from the Iosif Vulcan Troupe – 2 for each selected high school – coordinating a series of introductory workshops in performing arts between February 14 and June 8, 2022, at the end of which a dramatic text will be chosen that will form the basis for the production of a theater show, and the actual rehearsals for the shows established in each high school. The workshops and rehearsals will take place in the rooms made available by the high schools, and the theater will provide the costumes and props necessary for each show.

            The performances will be performed during the first edition of the Oradea High School Theater Gala, a section of the Oradea International Theater Festival, which will take place between June 9-19, 2022. The Regina Maria Theater will provide the performance space, the technical team and stage equipment, the advertising of the event and the video recording of the performances.

            This project model has worked in other cities in Romania with a positive impact, both for the theaters involved and for the students. Depending on the success of this first edition and the interest shown by the high schools in Oradea, the Regina Maria Theater aims to continue it in 2023, with the inclusion of five other high schools in Oradea in the program.