Moments: real and acted – KTU Theatre Studio is 70

Successful beginning

This year, KTU Theatre Studio “44” celebrates the 70^th anniversary of its creative activities. It is the oldest academic theatre studio in Lithuania. Its origins go back to the academic drama club established by renowned theatre and television actor, director Petras Likša at Vytautas Magnus University – national university in Kaunas – in 1948. The entrance examination to the drama club took place on 13 October and the premiere of the performance “Vedybos” (“Marriage”) was presented at Kaunas Musical Theatre on 23 May 1949. In 1951, the university was reorganised into Kaunas Polytechnical Institute and the drama club continued its activities at the institute. In 1958, KPI drama club was granted the title of Theatre Studio. In 1967, KPI theatre studio was invited to the International Festival of Amateur Drama Clubs in France; however, Soviet authorities did not allow them to go and offered a trip to Georgia instead of Paris.

Poster of the first performance of the drama club of Kaunas National Vytautas Magnus University, 1949 (The original is at KTU museum)

Scene from the performance “Vedybos” (“Marriage”), 1949. (The original is in the archive of the Likšos family)

Leaflet of the first performance “Vedybos” (“Marriage”) by N. Gogol with signatures of the director and artists, 1949 (The original is at KTU museum)

Drama studio at Kaunas Polytechnical Institute, 1952. (The original is in the archive of S. Dubinskaitė-Šablinskienė)

Leaflet of the performance “Žentas” (“Son in Law”), 1958. (The original is in the archive of J. Vengraitis)

Artists of the performance “Žentas” (“Son in Law”), 1958. (The original is in the archive of J. Vengraitis)

Members of the studio at the poster of the performance “Mažoji studentė” (“Little Student”), 1959. (The original is in the archive of S. Dubinskaitė-Šablinskienė)

Head of the studio P. Likša teaches how to kiss on stage,1959. (The original is in the archive of J. Vengraitis)

Participants of the performance “Afroditės sala” (“Island of Aphrodite”), 1962. (The original is in the archive of S. Dubinskaitė-Šablinskienė)

In the make-up room, 1962. (The original is in the archive of S. Dubinskaitė-Šablinskienė)

Leaflet of the performance “Meilės laiškai” (“Love letters”), 1963. The performance for the commemoration of the 15th anniversary of the studio. (The original is in the archive of S. Dubinskaitė-Šablinskienė)

KPI theatre studio goes on tour in Lithuania, 1963. (The original is in the archive of J. Vengraitis)

Certificate of honour awarded to the member of the studio Jonas Vengraitis, 1963. (The originals are in the archive of J. Vengraitis)

Etude of the members of the studio” “Į kosmosą” (“To the Space) during their trip by the river Neris, 1963. (The original is in the archive of J. Vengraitis)

Leaflets of the performances of the studio, 1961–1963. (The originals are in the archive of J. Vengraitis)

Rehearsal of the performance “Auksinis berniukas” (“Golden Boy”), 1966. (The original is in the archive of N. Krasauskaitė)

KPI art societies, including the theatre, described in witty poems in the publication “XVI KPI Trade Union Conference”, 1966. (The original is at KTU museum)

Christening of new members, 30 September 1967 (The original is in the archive of N. Krasauskaitė)

Members of the theatre studio with head Romualdas Tumpa and director Algimantas Voščikas,1969. (The original is in the archive of N. Krasauskaitė)

Leaflets of the performances of the studio, 1968–1970. (The originals are at the Marazai family archive)

Members of the studio on a tourist trip in Caucasus, 1970.

A new year’s joke by the friends of the studio – a bogus message that artist A. Marazas was admitted to the sobering station, 1970. (The original is in the Marazai family archive)

People’s theatre

In 1972, KPI theatre drama studio was granted the title of the people’s theatre. Back then, it was led by the director of Kaunas Drama Theatre Romualdas Tumpa and actor Algimantas Voščikas. KPI theatre was located in the basement of Chamber III where a small hall for the audience was equipped with the help of Jonas Vengraitis and other members; the number of its seats for viewers was 44, now this number is included in the title of the studio. In 1979, actor Leonardas Zelčius because the head of KPI theatre. KPI people’s theatre was awarded the “GRAND PRIX” for “Baltaragio malūnas” (“The Mill of Baltaragis”) directed by director Vytautas Grigolis at the 7^th Amateur Theatre Festival of the Baltic and Belarus Republics in Viljandi (Estonia) on 13 July 1986. Besides its leaders, directors-educators Birutė Raubaitė, Danutė Juronytė, Vytautas Grigolis, Vida Savičiūnaitė, Arvydas Lebeliūnas, Audrius Baniūnas also worked with KPI theatre.

Fragment of the performance “Daltonikai” (“Daltonics”), 1974. (The original is at KTU museum)

After the premiere of the performance, 1974. (The original is in the archive of R. Vingelienė)

Fragment of the performance “Prarastoji melodija” (“Lost Melody”), 1975.

Booklet for the 15th anniversary of the studio, 1797. (The original is in the archive of S. Dubinskaitė-Šablinskienė)

KPI people’s theatre with its head L. Zelčius, 1986. (The original is at KTU museum)

Orders for a new member of the theatre, 1986. (The original is in the Lukošiūnai family archive)

During the tour in Aukštaitija, 17 October 1987. (The original is in the Lukošiūnai family archive)

During the tour in Aukštaitija, 1988. (The original is in the Lukošiūnai archive)

Leaflet of the performance “Baltaragio malūnas” (“The Mill of Baltaragis”) in the Estonian language, KPI people’s theatre was awarded the “GRAND PRIX” at the 7th Amateur Theatre Festival of the Baltic and Belarus Republics in Viljandi (Estonia) 1986. (The original is in the Lukošiūnai family archive)

Poster of the performance “Baltaragio malūnas” (“The Mill of Baltaragis”), 1986. (The original is in the Lukošiūnai family archive)

Fragment of the performance “Blinkuva”, 1988. (The original is in the Lukošiūnai family archive)

A request by the head of KPI Student Culture Club to the vice-rector to permit the students to take their examinations in advance, 1988. (The original is in the Lukošiūnai archive)

The list of the members of KPI student people’s theatre supporting the Reform Movement of Lithuania, 1 July 1988. (The original is in Kaunas Regional Archive)

After independence

On 31 October 1990, Kaunas Polytechnical Institute was renamed Kaunas University of Technology. At the beginning of the regained independence, the studio was having a difficult period with frequent changes of its leaders; however, the situation got better later on. In 1998, the studio celebrated the 50^th anniversary of its activities. Later, KTU theatre studio was led by actors Robertas Vaidotas and Ridas Žirgulis, now its head is director Aleksandr Špilevoj. KTU theatre studio “44” is a member of the International University Theatre Association.

On the occasion of the anniversary, KTU Museum organised a virtual exhibition “Real and Acted Moments: KTU Theatre Studio is 70” exhibiting photographs, leaflets and posters of the performances, documents from the archives of KTU Museum, members of the studio and Kaunas Regional State Archive. The photographs capture the fragments of the studio’s performances, moments of the tours, traditions and free time.

Moments: real and acted – KTU Theatre Studio is 70