Theater
The queen
A stage portrait dedicated to actress Rūta Staliliūnaitė (Solo teatras)
About this event
Event of the cycle "THEATRE – A LIVING HISTORY"
Premiere!
THE QUEEN | A stage portrait dedicated to actress Rūta Staliliūnaitė
Play sketch
Dramaturg, director, performer – BIRUTĖ MAR
Choreographer, assistant director – SIGITA MIKALAUSKAITĖ
Set designer – INDRĖ PAČĖSAITĖ
Music selected and composed by ANTANAS KUČINSKAS
Lighting designer – AUDRIUS JANKAUSKAS
...
Rūta Staliliūnaitė (1938–2011) is a unique personality in the history of the Lithuanian stage. A legendary actress of the Kaunas Drama Theatre, a reciter, and creator of literary programs, she was once beloved by audiences across all of Lithuania, not only for her stage talent but also for her integrity. The life and work of R. Staliliūnaitė reflect the history of Lithuanian theatre and resistance in the second half of the 20th century in their own way: from the silent "metaphorical theatre" resistance to the Soviet occupation in the 1960s and 1970s (the actress performed in many of the then-scandalous productions by directors Jonas Jurašas and Jonas Vaitkus) to the breakthroughs of Lithuanian theatre during the first decade of restored independence. At that time, R. Staliliūnaitė performed a monumental task – she traveled throughout Lithuania with a group of fellow actors, presenting the legacy of exile literature, the deportee and doctor Dalia Grinkevičiūtė, and other creators brought to light.
It is interesting that it was this actress whom directors entrusted with the roles of queens, the most prominent of which was Barbora Radvilaitė in the 1972 production of Juozas Grušas' "Barbora Radvilaitė" (dir. J. Jurašas), which officials attempted to ban. However, having withstood the trials, the play was performed for a decade, and the lead actress, R. Staliliūnaitė, came to be called the "Queen of Lithuania" by the audience. The values of the vivid heroines created by the actress on stage also shaped the personality of R. Staliliūnaitė herself.
On stage, Birutė Mar will attempt to recreate a portrait of the actress she loved in her childhood: where does the uniqueness, charm, and mystery of Rūta Staliliūnaitė's personality lie? Where does that special inner power come from, thanks to which she became a queen on stage? Why, while in excellent creative form, did she make the decision to leave the Kaunas Drama Theatre after 30 years of service?
