This year the contest IDea 2020 is also open to foreign creators

The contest IDea 2020 of the National Kaunas Drama Theatre is back and awaits innovative thinking, creative, and original artists from Lithuania and abroad.

This contest that had started a few years ago already nurtured several projects that were realised on the stage: a performance based on the play When We Dead Awaken written by Henrik Ibsen that was directed by Monika Klimaitė, and motion performance Overheat (dance troupe Nuepiko). Right now, we are preparing for the premiere of play From Flesh and Blood directed by Uršulė Bartoševičiūtė that will be shown on January 29, 30 at the Small Stage of the National Kaunas Drama Theatre.

The main aim of the contest is to provide creators with the opportunity to transfer their ideas to a professional stage of the theatre. Both unknown and experienced artists that dream of leaving their mark on the world of theatre can participate in the contest: this is a wonderful platform allowing to experience all stages of the idea realization: from a sketch to the premiere.

In the first contest IDea that was held in 2016 artists selected various forms of theatre: physical, postdramatic, performative, and visual theatre. However, the majority of participants selected the path of a traditional theatre. The sketch based on play When We Dead Awaken written by Henrik Ibsen and directed by debuting director Monika Klimaitė (the premiere was held on 29 October 2016) was selected from 19 applications. The play is still successfully shown in our theatre.

Idea 2019. Earth by Juta Pranulytė and Ema Senkuvienė

In 2019, the contest IDea received an extraordinary amount of applications; thus, their analysis required more time and the selection was divided into several stages: they were assessed by the artistic board of the National Kaunas Drama Theatre, theatrologists, and group of experts. The final was reached by four projects: performance Eglė the Queen of Serpents by Radvilė Kisieliūtė, live sound and motion play Earth by Juta Pranulytė and Ema Senkuvienė, dance performance Overheat by troupe Nuepiko (Marius Paplauskas, Marius Pinigis, Andrius Stakelė), and sketch Death in a Police Truck by Uršulė Bartoševičiūtė based on a play by Eduard Limonov.

The artistic board and viewers decided that director Uršulė Bartoševičiūtė and her creative team were worthy to be titled the winners. In fact, half a year later, the creator is preparing a premiere based on play From Flesh and Blood written by Matas Vildžius. She is joined by another finalist of IDea – compositor Juta Pranulytė. In addition, the board has decided to continue the creative dialogue with the troupe Nuepiko. This collaboration has already produced results: two dance performances titled Overheat and born during the contest IDea were shown in November.

This year the contest remains open to transdisciplinarity, innovation, and search of new forms but its main axis shall be theatre based on dramaturgy. The only novelty is that this year the door is also open to foreign artists. In this way, the opportunity for them to be acknowledged with the Lithuanian theatre, introduce it to the international market and create new creative partnerships arise.  Both creative teams and individual persons can participate (up to 35 years old).

Terms and conditions of the contest:

Your vision will be reinforced financially (up to 15 000 Eur) and realized in the premises of the National Kaunas Drama Theatre with troupe actors. NKDT could help to find financing for journey expenses.

The application will be assessed by a board constituted by NKDT theatre and VMU theatrologists as well as external experts. The results of the selected applications will be announced on 26 March. Creative sketch workshops are planned for the beginning of June at NKDT. Their success will determine if the project sketch becomes a realized IDea.

Complete this form until February 16, 11.59 p.m.: bit.ly/NKDTidea2020
You can download the application form in PDF format from here:
http://dramosteatras.lt/wp-content/uploads/2020/01/application-form-for-2020.pdf

Director Uršulė Bartoševičiūtė 

Idea 2019.  Eglė the Queen of Serpents by Radvilė Kisieliūtė

Nuepiko. Overheated. Idea 2019

Death in a Police Truck by Uršulė Bartoševičiūtė

National Kaunas Drama Theatre information

Photos D. Stankevičius