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A Short History of a Tiny Theatre that Grew Big
Trešnja Municipal Theatre has come a long way, starting from its amateur days to being one of the best and most prominent professional children’s theatres in Croatia. It started off as an association called Naša djeca (Our Children), whose theatre-inclined members founded a children’s theatre ensemble, and on 8 May 1954 premiered their first full-length play, Vladimir Nazor’s Little Red Riding Hood, directed by Neda Kubinek. Following the success of the production, the ensemble becomes Pionirsko amatersko kazalište (Pioneer Amateur Theatre) based at the Maksim Gorki Cultural Centre at Mošćenička Street 1, in the exact spot where the Trešnja Municipal Theatre we know today was built 30 years later. The Pioneer Amateur Theatre had been extremely successful from the get-go, and at the first Children’s Festival in Šibenik in 1958, Timpetili, grad bez roditelja received an award for the best play. The first full-lenght children’s ballet, Pinocchio, with the music commisioned from Bruno Bjelinski and choreographed by Silvija Hercigonja, who went on to raise generations of young dancers at the Trešnja Theatre. Apart from drama, the theatre housed dance and music groups, and educational aspect has remained an essential part of the Theatre’s activities to this day.
During the ten following years, what started as an ensemble continued to grow beyond the initial amateur framework, so in the 1969/70 season Malo kazalište Trešnjevka (Tiny Trešnjevka Theatre), a professional children’s theatre, was founded. The theatre opened with the premiere of a three-act grotesque, Doktor Jojboli među životinjama, directed by the Czech Jiri Jaroš. In the 70s Ivan Šebelić, the Theatre Director, worked extensively with various Czech directors, who brought “black cabinet technique” to Zagreb, a simple but effective theatre trick achieved by the movement of fluorescent elements on the black background. The Theatre kept growing and soon the building became too small for numerous shows, events and groups using the space; it was inadequate for the professional level that Tiny Trešnjevka Theatre had reached. It was about time for a permanent ensemble, which was realized in 1978 during the directorial mandate of Zlatko Madunić. During that time, Večernja scena (The Evening Theatre) was started as well, becoming a successful part of the Theatre’s programme. All of this made the need for a suitable building and stage ever more pressing. As the writer Hrvoje Hitrec became the Director in 1985, the project of the new theatre house finally commenced, bringing in the architect Andrija Mutnjaković. The 80s were generally one of the Trešnjevka theatre’s most fruitful eras. Texts were commisioned from Croatian writers, and the evening theatre peaked with the repertory based on the crime genre. In 1986 the theatre finally gets the name it carries to this day … Generations of children grew up with Trešnja Theatre’s hit shows, such as Eko-Eko, Cinderella, Dedek Kajbumščak, Bijeli jelen, Gulliver’s Travels, Alan Ford, Little Red Riding Hood, Tomislav i Adriana, Grički top, and many others. The theatre house was finally finished in 1999, and the Theatre enters the new millenium in the new space, worthy of the significance and popularity of the Trešnja Municipal Theatre.
Trešnja Municipal Theatre has continued to grow, nurturing and raising generations upon generations of children. Vlatka Vrhovšek, Roman Šušković, and Saša Anočić work as Directors. During her mandate, the current Director, Višnja Babić, has brought new young actors to the theatre and successfully restored the spirit of youthful playfulness that has been a part of the Trešnjevka theatre magic from the very beginning. For more than half a century, the theatre in Mošćenička Street has been the indispensable spot in Zagreb’s cultural scene, a place where generations of children became acquainted with the art of theatre for the very first time. The history of Trešnja has thus been infused with the joy of creation and the memorable mosaic-tiled building echoes with children’s laughter.
2018
“Naj, Naj, Naj” International Theatre Festival
Best Actor Award - Luka Bulović for the show Zora Riđokosa
2016
“Gumbekovi dani” Festival
Honorable Mention for the show Postolar i Vrag
“Naj, Naj, Naj” International Theatre Festival
Best Set Design Award — Miljenko Sekulić for the show Postolar i Vrag
2015
Croatian Association of Dramatic Artists Award
Best Actor Award in a Puppet or Youth Show — Dean Krivačić
for the role of the Devil in the show Postolar i Vrag
2014
“Naj, Naj, Naj” International Theatre Festival
Best Director Award — Ivana Čoh Šverko for the show Little Red Riding Hood
Best Supporting Actress Award — Ivana Bakarić
for the role of the Grandma in the show Little Red Riding Hood
Best Supporting Actor Award —Damir Klemenić
for the role of the Wolf in the show Little Red Riding Hood
Best Set Design Award — Stefano Katunar for the show Little Red Riding Hood
2012
Croatian Association of Dramatic Artists Award
Best Puppet or Youth Show — Rent A Friend,
by Dora Ruždjak Podolski and Saša Božić, directed by Anja Suša
5th festival of Croatian children’s drama “Mali Marulić” in Split:
Best Show Award – the show “Rent a Friend”
Best Actress Award – Aleksandra Naumov for the role in the play “Rent a Friend”
Children’s Jury Best Show– the show “Rent a Friend”
2011
Croatian Association of Dramatic Artist awards:
Best Puppet or Youth Show: the show „Veli Jože“ by V. Nazor, directed by Zoran Mužić
Best Actor Award in a Puppet or Youth Show: Jerko Marčić, for the role of Veli Jože in the show “Veli Jože”
14th professional theatres encounters HC ASSITEJ
Best Actor Award: Damir Klemenić, for the role in “Tijelo” by Ksenija Zec and Saša Božić
International festival Kotor Art
The Main Award for a Show in the children’s theatre category: “VIS Životinje”
4th festival of Croatian children’s drama “Mali Marulić” in Split
Best Show Award: “VIS Životinje”
Outstanding Achievement Award for Collective Acting: “VIS Životinje”
Best Choreography Award: Ksenija Zec for the show “VIS Životinje”
Best Choreography Award: Ksenija Zec for the show “Tijelo”
Best Music in a Play: Damir Šimunović for the show “VIS Životinje”
Best Music in a Play: Damir Šimunović for the show “Tijelo”
The show “Veli Jože” won awards in two categories at the “Naj, Naj, Naj” International Theatre Festival:
Best Director Award – Zoran Mužić for the show “Veli Jože”
Best Actor Award – Radovan Ruždijak for the role of Civette in the show “Veli Jože”
2010
The show “VIS Životinje” won an award at the “Naj, Naj, Naj” International Theatre Festival:
Best Supporting Actress: Maja posavec for the show “VIS Životinje”
Croatian Association of Dramatic Artist awards:
Nomination for the Best Actor Award: Rakan Rushaidat for the show „VIS Životinje“
2009
Croatian Association of Dramatic Artist awarded:
Award for the Best Puppet or Youth Show – DRAMA – Male performance: Saša Anočić for the part of Soldier in the show “Ne, prijatelj” by Nino D’Introna – Giacomo Ravicchi, directed by Rene Medvešek
Award for the Best Puppet or Youth Show – DRAMA: “Ne, prijatelj” ” by Nino D’Introna – Giacomo Ravicchi, directed by Rene Medvešek
33. Dani Satire awarded:
Out of five equivalent awards for actors, one went to Saša Anočić for the role of Soldier in the show “Ne, prijatelj!”
At the “Naj, Naj, Naj” International Theatre Festival, the show „Ne, prijatelj!“ won awards in two categories:
Best Show Award
Best Actor Award – Saša Anočić
2008
“Naj, Naj, Naj” 2008 International Theatre Festival was marked by Trešnja; it got 11 nominations and won awards in 8 categories:
Best Musical Award (the show „Beauty and the Beast“)
Outstanding Directorial Achievement Award OPPERETA/MUSICAL (Dora Ruždjak Podolski for the show „Beauty and the Beast“)
Best Actor Award OPPERETA/MUSICAL (Radovan Ruždjak for the role of Gaston in the show „Beauty and the Beast“)
Best Actress Award OPPERETA/MUSICAL (Renata Sabljak for the role of Belle in the show „Beauty and the Beast“)
Award for Outstanding Performance for Actors Bellow 28 Years of Age (Vanda Winter for the role of Belle in the show „Beauty and the Beast“)
Best Costume Design Award (Barbara Bourek for the show „Beauty and the Beast“)
Best Actor in a Children's Show (Sanja Hrenar for the role of Oliver Twist in the show „Oliver Twist“)
Best Actress in a Children's Show (Aleksandra Naumov for the role of Betsy in the show „Oliver Twist“)
2004
Trešnja was awarded the Zagreb City Charter for 50 years of operation.
Trešnja was awarded the Zagreb City Charter in the category Best Puppet or Youth Show.
1981
In 1981 in Denmark, at the H. C. Andersen international festival, „Trešnja“ was awarded the Golden Rose.
Croatian Association of Dramatic Artist awarded Senka Bulić the Best Actress Award for the role in the show „Andersenove priče“
Trešnja Municipal Theatre
Mošćenička 1, 10110 Zagreb, Croatia
+385 1 3638 008
Fax: +385 1 3638 380
Email: tajnistvo@kazaliste-tresnja.hr
Booking: +385 1 3638 556
tresnjatresnjevka@gmail.com
Marketing:
ana.marketing@kazaliste-tresnja.hr