Ludowy Theatre
Kraków Artists: Theatre, Cabaret and Film
A theatre in Nowa Huta at Teatralne Estate 34, operating since 3 December 1955. The building was designed by Janusz and Marta Ingarden and Jan Dąbrowski; the theatre was meant to be the chamber stage of a Nowa Huta theatre that, according to plans, was to be built on the southern side of the Central Square. It began operating with the premiere of "Krakowiacy i Górale" by Wojciech Bogusławski, and was run by Krystyna Skuszanka (director), Jerzy Krasowski (stage director) and Józef Szajna (set designer). The building is on the municipal register of monuments.
History
Teatr Ludowy (the People's Theatre) has been running in Nowa Huta since 3 December 1955. The building on the Teatralne estate was designed by Janusz and Marta Ingarden and Jan Dąbrowski. It was intended as the chamber stage of a large theatre that, according to the plans, was to stand on the south side of Central Square; during construction it was known as the Chamber Theatre. The first premiere was "Krakowiacy i Górale" ("Cracovians and Highlanders") by Wojciech Bogusławski, and the company was led by the director Krystyna Skuszanka, the stage director Jerzy Krasowski and the set designer Józef Szajna.
Before it opened, Nowa Huta had an amateur workers' theatre, Nurt, run by the writer Jan Kurczab. The company was founded in 1952, became professional in May 1953 and operated until February 1954. The new theatre quickly became popular: as early as 1956 the auditorium was 81 per cent full.
The Socialist Realist building is square in plan - half is taken up by the stage and its back-of-house areas, the other half by the auditorium with its vestibules and corridors. Above the entrance is the inscription "Teatr Ludowy", and in the foyer stands Roman Tarkowski's sculpture "Komedianci" ("The Comedians"). The interiors, with marble floors, crystal chandeliers and a mirrored wall, echo the Empire style. The auditorium seats more than 300. The theatre also performs at the Scena Pod Ratuszem stage in the Town Hall Tower on the Main Market Square and at the Scena Stolarnia stage, opened in 2004. The building is listed in the municipal register of historic monuments.
Did you know?
The theatre has a revolving stage, and its mechanism is operated by hand. The Scena Stolarnia ("Carpentry Shop Stage") owes its name to the theatre's old carpentry workshop, which used to be on this spot.