Curtains Go Up For The 18th Time At “The State Theaters – Sabancı International Adana Theater Festival”

- General Art Director Of State Theaters Necat Birecik: “We Are, Once Again, Greeting All Our Audience With The Festival Excitement Of This Magical Atmosphere Of Theater At The State Theaters-Sabanci International Adana Theater Festival”

Organized with the cooperation of the Sabanci Foundation, Ministry of Culture and Tourism, and State Theaters, State Theaters - Sabanci International Adana Theater Festival opened its curtains for the 18th time on March 27, World Theater Day. Opening with the play ‘Hos Geldin Boyaci’ (the Decorator), the opening ceremony of the festival was held with the attendance of Assoc. Prof. Huseyin Yayman, Deputy Minister of Culture and Tourism; Mustafa Buyuk, Governor of Adana; Mr. Huseyin Sozlu, Adana Metropolitan Municipality Mayor; Ms. Guler Sabanci, Sabanci Foundation Chair of the Board of Trustees; Ms. Zerrin Koyunsagan, Sabanci Foundation General Manager; Mr. A.Necat Birecik, General Art Director of State Theatres; and artist Erdal Ozyagcilar, as well as many distinguished guests.

Delivering a speech at the opening ceremony, Sabanci Foundation Chair of the Board of Trustees Guler Sabanci stated that they believed that a society that does not nourish itself with culture and art cannot be referred to as a developed society regardless of how rich it is and she added: “As the Sabanci Foundation, we have created lasting works such as cultural centers, theater halls and museums in all regions of Turkey for 42 years. We have taken significant steps to ease the access of our society to culture and art activities. While organizing the International Adana Theater Festival, we set out from late Sakip Sabanci’s idea of reaching his dream of making Adana a culture and art city and ensuring the access of more people to theater. Sakip Sabanci cared for the development of the art of theater. He used to call the cooperation with the State Theaters a partnership. This is an 18-year old partnership.”

Stating that they were happy to bring together the people of Adana and ensembles from Turkey and abroad at the Adana Theater Festival for 18 years, Guler Sabanci added: “So far, hundreds of ensembles and more than 6 thousand artists from 42 countries participated in the Adana Theater Festival. The number of spectators reached nearly 1 million. This figure clearly demonstrates how the people of Adana embraced our festival. It also gives us enthusiasm.”

“These are difficult times; however, we all have responsibilities in keeping our hopes fresh. The best response to those who are forcing us to withdraw is to show them our devotion to life. Therefore, we attach great importance to the theater festival,” said Sabanci, touching upon the sad events happening in our country and in the world in her speech. 

In his speech at the ceremony, General Art Director of State Theaters Necat Birecik stated: “We are, once again, greeting all our audience with the festival excitement in this magical atmosphere of theater at the State Theaters - Sabanci International Adana Theater Festival.  Theater not only gathers people in halls, but it also connects the two sides of the Seyhan River like a bridge between hearts, between the past and the present, and more importantly, between generations.  To increase the number of these bridges, now, this festival unites many more stories in Adana.  I would like to congratulate all those who made this festival possible and I would like to thank the Sabanci Family, especially late Sakip Sabanci, for their valuable contributions, and our audience in Adana for their interest.

“Sakip Sabanci Lifelong Achievement Award” goes to Erdal Ozyagcilar

“Sakip Sabanci Lifetime Achievement Award” has been offered to artists since 2005 as a token of gratitude and respect for masters who have made great contributions to the development of the art of theater. The Award went to Erdal Ozyagcilar this year. The master received the Award from Sabanci Foundation Chair of the Board of Trustees Guler Sabanci. In his speech, Ozyagcilar stated that he got excited every time he was awarded and expressed that he was especially happy to receive the lifelong achievement award carrying the name of Sakip Sabanci.

The actress Berna Lacin read the declaration of March 27 World Theater Day written by Prof. Dr. Zeliha Berksoy.

Adana will be the capital of theater for a month

The longest-running theater festival of Turkey lasting for a month, the 18th International Adana Theater Festival will host a total of 23 plays, 16 from Turkey and 7 from abroad.

Ensembles from abroad will create a bridge extending from Germany, Spain, the Netherlands, Macedonia, and Georgia to Adana in the festival, lasting until April 30. Plays ‘Hotel Paradiso’ by Ensemble Familie Floz from Germany, ‘Brokers’ by Yllana Production from Spain, ‘Cabaret in a Season and out of Season’ by NY Production from the Netherlands, ‘Macbeth’ by Albanian Theater Skopje from Macedonia, and ‘The Mad Man’s Diary’ by Kote Marjanishvili State Drama Theater from Georgia will be staged in the festival. Joining the festival from Spain, Cia La Tal will stage ‘Carillo’, an outstanding example of street theater, for two consecutive days on April 22 and 23 at 15.00 at Haci Omer Sabanci Cultural Center and present the people of Adana with an enjoyable open air show.

Plays by local state and private theaters will offer theater lovers a great program. Sivas State Theater and Izmir State Theater will stage plays named ‘Tricycle’ and ‘Sacrifice’ respectively. Private theater plays; ‘the Decorator’ by Theater Martı, ‘The Man Outside’ by Yolcu Theater, ‘The Effect’bySiyah Beyaz Theater, ‘The Empire Builders’ by Hayal Perdesi, ‘The Water’s Edge’ by Talimhane Theater, ‘Phosphorous’ by Theater Kare, ‘Frankenstein’ by Sadri Alışık & Çolpan İlhan Theater, ‘The Miser’ by Sermaver Troupe, and ‘Borrowed Lives’ and ‘The Rebellious Bird’ by Ali Poyrazoğlu Theater will be staged in the festival.

Included in the International Adana Theater Festival, plays by youth ensembles, namely ‘Ben Pierre Riviere’ and ‘Trom by Seyyar Theater and ‘A House with Two Doors’ by Ekip Theater, will be staged at the Art Gallery at the General Directorate of Fine Arts. In addition, workshops will be organized throughout the festival with the following themes: Karagoz production and puppetry, playwriting, strategies of action, puppet production and puppetry, costume production with recycled materials, mask production with children, leather handicrafts, and discovering the Macbeth by body.

Nearly 1 million spectators in 17 years

The Adana Theater Festival has hosted 87 foreign theater ensembles from 42 countries and more than 6,000 local and foreign artists in the past 17 years. Including the plays by private theaters and State Theaters in Turkey, a total of 316 plays and 679 performances have been performed. The Adana Theater Festival, to which spectators flow from across Turkey, has been watched by nearly 1 million spectators to this day.