The Princely Serbian Theatre () is the oldest Serbian theatre. It is based in Kragujevac, Serbia. The theatre was founded in 1835 by Miloš Obrenović, Prince of Serbia. In the time when theatre was founded, Kragujevac was the first capital of the Principality of Serbia.History of the City of Kragujevac
History
Joakim Vujić (1772–1847), writer, translator, foreign languages teacher, theater producer, Director of Knjaževsko Srbski Teatar, the first Serbian Court Theater director in Kragujevac 1835/36.
Report on the performance of the first secular play Krestalica in the Theater Rondella in August 1813 in Budapest that translated and organized Joakim Vujić. This performance marked the beginning of the Serbian secular theater.
August von Kotzebue (1761–1819) one of the most fruitful German writers seemed to be Vujić favorite playwright for he translated seven Kotzebue's plays.
Renewed after World War II, the theater became an open cultural institution of the City spreading its influences. The stage of this theater gave rise to skilled artists who marked the history of theater in the country.
Theater in City of Kragujevac that bears the name of the father of first Serbian theater Joakim Vujić has developed its repertoire and staged performances and turned into modern contemporary theater.
First theater performances are staged in 1825 by the teacher Djordje Evgenijevic and his pupils. During his second visit to Kragujevac Joakim Vujić worked together with them.
In the autumn of 1834 at the invitation of Grand Duke Miloš, Joakim Vujić, best known and highly esteemed person for his theater work, came to Kragujevac with large experience and repertoire. He was very soon appointed Director of the Theater with the task to organize theater work.
Knjazesko Srbski Teatar – First Serbian Court Theater was placed within the adapted premises of typography and it was a building with the stage, boxes and ground floor. The repertoire of the theater consisted mainly of his plays while the theater ensemble beside Vujić as a leading actor and director consisted of secondary school pupils and adult amateurs.
First performances were staged in the period of February 2–4, 1935 when the so-called Sretenje (the Visitation of the Virgin) Assembly sessions were held. These were mostly Vujić's plays performed for the Grand Duke and his family and the representatives of the people i.e. members of Assembly; the music was composed by Jozef Slezinger.
Repertoire
Season 2009/2010 – the selection: Story about the late emperor daughter by Nikolai Koljada and directed by Boško Dimitrijević, Pinocchio by Carlo Collodi, director and scene designer Dušan Bajin, The liar and the archiliar by Jovan Sterija Popović, director and scene designer Dragan Jakovljević, Le ultime lune by Furio Bordon and directed by Massimo Luconi, Maids by Jean Genet and directed by Ivona Šijaković, The diary of a madman by Nikolai Gogol and played by Ivan Vidosavljević, D ale carnevalului by Ion Luca Caragiale and directed by Matei Varodi, Migrations by Miloš Crnjanski and directed by Pierre Walter Politz, Pirates by Miloš Janoušek and directed by Jan Čani, Thesis by Gerry Dukes, Paul Meade, David Parnell and directed by Dan Tudor, Cabinet Minister's wife by Branislav Nušić and directed by Jovan Grujić, Pioneers in Ingolstadt by Marieluise Flaisser and directed by Ivana Vujić, Club new world order by Harold Pinter, Hainer Muller, Plato, directed by Aleksandar Dunđerović, The devil and the little lady by Đorđe Milosavljević and directed by Žanko Tomić, Night in the pub Titanik by Nebojša Bradić and directed by Nebojša Bradić, The Beauty Queen of Leenane by Martin McDonagh and directed by Milić Jovanović, One man two guvnors by Richard Bean, directed by Nebojša Bradić, Twelve Angry Men by Reginald Rose and directed by Neil Fleckman.Knjaževsko-srpski teatar, Repertoire
Ansamble Ivan Vidosavljević Nenad Vulević Jasmina Dimitrijević Katarina Janković Mladen Knežević Miloš Krstović Saša Pilipović Sanja Matejić Čedomir Štajn Avram Cvetković Aleksandar Milojević Bogdan Milojević Isidora Rajković Marija Rakočević Nikola Milojević Marina Stojanović Miodrag Pejković Dragan Stokić Dušan Stanikić Ana Kolanđeli Nadežda Jakovljević Milica Majstorović Књажевско-српски театар, Ансамбл, Приступљено 18.1.2021.
Publishing
Descendants of Joakim – Monograph Branka Petrić - Anchor and Sand, editor Tatjana Nježić, (2025) Andras Urban - On the Paths of Freedom, author and editor Ana Tasić, (2025) Renata Ulmanski - Njegovo veličanstvo: Slučaj, author Marko Misirača (2023) Boro Drašković, Dictionary of the profession (2011) Miodrag Tabački, Automonograph (2010) Mirko Babić, always and everywhere, author Dragana Bošković (2009) Biljana Srbljanović family and other tales, author Slobodan Savić (2008) Vojislav Voki Kostić, author Miodrag Stojilović (2007) Descendants of Joakim, author Feliks Pašić (2006)
Premiere Night in the pub Titanik by Nebojša Bradić and directed by Nebojša Bradić (2011) The devil and the little lady by Đorđe Milosavljević and directed by Žanko Tomić (2011) Club new world order by Harold Pinter, Hainer Muller, Plato, directed by Aleksandar Dunđerović (2009) Pioniere in Ingolstadt by Marieluise Flaisser and directed by Ivana Vujić (2009)
Theatre Day On February 15, the Theatre day, the oldest Serbian theatre, delivers to the most eminent Serbian theatre writers, actors, directors, scenographers, composers, The Statuette of Joakim Vujić, The Ring with figure of Joakim Vujić and the Annual award of the Knjazevsko-srpski teatar.
Statuette of Joakim Vujić
Creator of the Statuette of Joakim Vujić is Nikola Koka Janković (was born in Kragujevac in 1926), sculptor and a regular member of the Serbian Academy of Sciences and Arts.
1985 – National Theatre in Belgrade, Ljuba Tadić, Mija Aleksić, Mira Stupica and Bora Glišić 1986 – Mira Banjac and Miroslav Belović 1987 – Dusan Kovačević and Miloš Žutić 1988 – Mira Trailović and Ljubomir Kovačević 1989 – Ljiljana Krstić and Dejan Mijač 1990 – Danilo Stojković and Jovan Ćirilov 1991 – Aleksandar Popović and Ljubomir Ubavkić Pendula 1992 – Branko Pleša and Branislav Ciga Jerinić 1993 – Not awarded 1994 – Stevo Žigon and Petar Kralj 1995 – Sava Barackov, Museum of Theatrical Arts of Serbia, Serbian National Theatre, Svetlana Bojković and Dejan Penčić Poljanski 1996 – Lazar Ristovski and Miloslav Buca Mirković 1997 – Bora Todorović and Festival – Days of Comedy in Jagodina 1998 – Stevan Šalajić 1999 – Ružica Sokić 2000 – Olivera Marković and Ljubomir Simović 2001 – Vida Ognjenović 2002 – Mileva Žikić 2003 – Belgrade Drama Theatre 2004 – Predrag Ejdus 2005 – Rade Marković and Egon Savin 2006 – Voki Kostić 2007 – Biljana Srbljanović 2008 – National Theatre in Niš 2009 – Mirko Babić 2010 – Miodrag Tabački 2011 – Boro Drašković 2012 – Vlastimir Đuza Stojiljković 2013 – Milena Dravić 2014 – Andraš Urban 2015 – Dara Džokić and Faculty of Dramatic arts 2016 – Nada Jurišić 2017 – Renata Ulmanski 2018 - Mihailo Janketić 2019 - Geroslav Zarić 2020 – Milanka Berberović 2021. - Svetozar Rapajićjoakimvujic.com”, 8.2.2021. 2022. - Branka Petrić 2023. - Radomir Putnik 2024. - Vojislav Brajović 2025 - Gorica Popović and BITEF 2026 - Department of Dramatic Arts, Academy of Arts, Novi Sad
Ring with Figure of Joakim Vujić
2002 – Ljubomir Ubavkić Pendula 2003 – Marko Nikolić and Miodrag Marić 2004 – Mirko Babić and Jug Radivojević 2005 – Pierre Walter Politz 2006 – Miloš Krstović 2007 – Vladan Živković 2008 – Nebojša Bradić 2009 – Sebastian Tudor 2010 – Dragana Bošković 2011 – Dragan Jakovljević 2012 – Gorica Popović 2013 – Nada Jurišić 2014 - Milan Rus 2015 - Snežana Kovačević 2016 - Ivana Vujić 2017 - Marina Stojanović 2018 - Bratislav Slavković 2019 - Miodrag Pejković 2020 - Jelena Janjatović 2021 - Anđelka Nikolićjoakimvujic.com 8.2.2021. 2022 - Vladanka Pavlović 2023 - Milić Jovanović 2024 - Ivan Vidosavljević 2025 - Aleksandar Milosavljević 2026 - Aleksandar Lukač
Theatre Today In 1965 this theatre also initiated Meetings of professional Theatres Joakim Vujic of Serbia (in central Serbia) and they were held every year in May in one of ten different towns.
Since 2006, the Theatre became the regular host of Joakimfest, International Theatre Festival.
Being the institution of special significance to Serbian culture and art, the Theatre endeavours to develop other activities besides showing plays. Since 2005 the Theatre started grandiose publishing business with the Journal Joakim), founded the Gallery Joakim,Gallery Joakim ordered monographies of all the winners of the Statuette of Joakim Vujic, 2009 published the first edition book Premiere, started to research and publish drama heritage of Kragujevac. Plays are shown on Stage Joakim Vujic and Stage Ljuba Tadic, Teatroteka is also active, and from February 2007, will start to work the Stage Mija Aleksic. That is the reason why City of Kragujevac should bear the name of Teatropolis, which was proclaimed in 2005, on the 170th anniversary of foundation of the oldest theatre in renewed Serbia. Since 2010 Knjazevsko-srpski teatar is a member of the World Theater Network Interact.World Theatre Network InterAct
On February the 14th 2007, at the proposal of the Managing Board of the Theatre Joakim Vujic, Kragujevac City Assembly brought the decision by which the oldest Serbian theatre is being given back its original name, Knjaževsko-srpski teatar.
Gallery
See also
List of theatres in Serbia
References
Sources Kragujevačko pozorište 1835–1951 Author: Rajko Stojadinović 1975 Kragujevačko pozorište 1951–1984 Author: Rajko Stojadinović 2005,
External links
Knjaževsko-srpski teatar Knjaževsko-srpski teatar, Video City of Kragujevac