Curtains Go Up For The 19th Time At "The State Theaters - Sabancı International Adana Theater Festival"

- State Theaters Deputy General Director of Art Erdal Küçükkömürcü: “I Am Enthusiastic To Share Our Common Feelings With Our Friends Both In Our Own Language and In Their Language”

- "Sakıp Sabancı Lifelong Achievement Award" Goes To Ayten Gökçer

Organized with the cooperation of the Sabancı Foundation, Ministry of Culture and Tourism, and State Theaters, State Theaters - Sabancı International Adana Theater Festival opened its curtains for the 19th time on March 27, World Theater Day. Opening with the play ‘Giydirici (the Dresser), the opening ceremony of the festival was held with the attendance of Mersin MP Mr. Fikri Sağlar; Mr. Mustafa Yavuz, Deputy Governor of Adana; Mr. Hüseyin Sözlü, Adana Metropolitan Municipality Mayor; Ms. Zerrin Koyunsağan, Sabancı Foundation General Manager; and Mr. Necat Birecik, General Art Director of State Theaters as well as many distinguished guests.

Stating in her speech at the opening ceremony that they believe culture and art activities need to reach all segments of society, Sabancı Foundation General Manager Zerrin Koyunsağan added:“Supporting culture and art is among the priorities of our Foundation. We support these activities to integrate with the world, to speak the common language of art, and to uphold traditional values. All our activities aim to make art accessible for all and to bring art and more people together. The festival that brings all of us together today is the fruit of the dream of making Adana a city of culture and art.”

Koyunsağan said they were striving to organize a different and unique festival that transforms Adana into the capitol of theater and continued her speech: “Just like every year, we are opening the festival on March 27, World Theater Day. Our festival will last until April 30 with a rich program. Youth ensembles will bring a colorful touch to this year’s festival as well. Furthermore, workshops organized by master names will make the public a part of the festival just like in previous years.”

Remarking that he feels deep down the excitement of artists coming from many different places around the world to share common pains, sorrows and joys, State Theaters Deputy General Director of Art Erdal Küçükkömürcü added: “I am enthusiastic to share our common feelings with our friends both in our own language and in their language. All we see and hear on stage, every color, every voice, every tone, every action, in fact, come from the essence of humankind. Here, at this moment in time, if we are the whole humanity... We should bow before the unifying power of theater with respect once again before it is too late. We should realize that it is the product of all languages, of all regions, and of shared feelings before it is too late.” Congratulating everyone who contributed to making the festival come true, Küçükkömürcü thanked the Sabancı family, primarily late Sakıp Sabancı, for their invaluable contributions and the people of Adana for their interest.

“Sakıp Sabanci Lifelong Achievement Award” Goes to Ayten Gökçer

“Sakıp Sabancı 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 Ayten Gökçer this year. Serap Sağlar, an artist at State Theaters, accepted the award on behalf of Ayten Gökçer who could not attend the ceremony due to her illness.

Istanbul State Theater Deputy Director and actor Celal Kadri Kınoğlu read the World Theater Day declaration written by Prof. Dr. Merih Tangün.

Adana will be the capital of theater for a month

The longest-running theater festival of Turkey lasting for a month, the 19th International Adana Theater Festival will host a total of 21 plays, 12 from Turkey and 9 from abroad.

Ensembles from Russia, Macedonia, Spain, Italy, Georgia, Serbia and Germany will meet theater lovers in Adana at the festival that is to last until April 30. Plays “Romeo and Juliet” from Russia, “Old Clown Wanted” from Macedonia, “The GagFather” from Spain, “Log House” from Italy, “Anna and the Admiral” from Russia, “Cherry Orchard” from Georgia, and “Antigone” from Serbia will be staged throughout the festival.Joining the festival from Spain, Cia La Tal will stage ‘Carillo’, an outstanding example of street theater, at Doğal Park and present the people of Adana with an enjoyable open air show.

From Turkey, plays by local state and private theaters will offer theater lovers a great program. Istanbul State Theater will stage “the Dresser”, Izmir State Theater “Mindgame”, Diyarbakır State Theater “Three Sisters”, Ankara State Theater “Unofficial Roxelana”, Tiyatro Adam “Was There an Ivan Ivanovich or Not?”, Tiyatro Kare “Arsenic and Old Lace”, Pürtelaş Tiyatro “Constellations”, Tiyatro Platform “The Rebellion Day of Dogs”, Boğaziçi Performing Arts Ensemble “Who’s There – The Last Hamlet of Mr. Muhsin” and all these plays will meet theater lovers.

The Adana Theater Festival will continue to support young artists this year as well. Plays “The Border” by Theater 28 from Germany, and “The Fool” by Ya Da Theater, “Behind The Lie” by Tiyatro Hane and “The Button with Four Holes” by Fabrika Oyuncuları from Turkey 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: puppet and costume production with recycled materials, mask production with children, creative clay activity, physical theater and Karagöz.

Nearly 1 million spectators in 18 years

The Adana Theater Festival has hosted 94 foreign theater ensembles from 42 countries and more than 6,000 local and foreign artists over the past 18 years. The Adana Theater Festival that the people of Adana as well as theater lovers across Turkey await with great interest has reached nearly 1 million spectators until today. Including the plays by private theaters and State Theaters in Turkey, a total of 339 plays and 730 performances have been staged throughout the years.