In a festive way and with the wishes of everyone for an even more upward course of the institution, the curtain closed on Saturday evening, March 23, the 39th edition of the^th Panhellenic Amateur Theatre Festival of Karditsa organized by the Union of Cultural Associations of the Prefecture in co-organization with the Region of Thessaly - Regional Unit of Karditsa, the Municipality of Karditsa, the Regional Union of Municipalities of Thessaly, the Chamber of Karditsa and with the support of the Holy Metropolis of Thessaliotis and Fanariofersalon.

This great celebration of theatre that Karditsa experienced for a decade and which was at the centre of national interest came to an end with a closing ceremony worthy of the prestige of the institution, with a special moment of the presence of the leading composer Stavros Xarchakos.

The evening began with the awards ceremony, ending the suspense of the eight competing companies.

This was followed by the greeting of the President of the Union of Cultural Associations  Manolis Stergiopoulos who gave a brief account of what this year's event included and its most special moments and thanked everyone who contributed to its success.

The expiry of 39^th The Thematic Vice-Regional Head of Culture declared the 5th Panhellenic Amateur Theatre Festival of Karditsa Sotiris Souloukos who, conveying the wishes of the regional governor of Thessaly Dimitris Kouretas, stressed that this is an institution that indeed gives the possibility of significant cultural intervention in the prefecture. "For the Region of Thessaly, culture is a key priority. I congratulate the organizers. We will all be present at the 40th Panhellenic Amateur Theatre Festival".

The baton was passed to the Greek Music Ensemble of the Karditsa Music School, under the direction of Professor Elias Pappas, presenting the first part of its programme, with the enthusiastic participation of the audience.

This was followed by the tribute to the great composer and conductor Stavros Xarchakos.

The evening concluded with the second part of the Music School's programme.

Presented by Vanessa Stylopoulou and Ritsa Tsikrika.

 

THE AWARDS

Award for the first performance

AWARDED UNANIMOUSLY:

The Theatre Workshop of the Cultural Events Organisation - Polyphonic Choir of Patras that presented the play "Ilion-Trojan War" by Nikos Goussetis

 

Award for the second performance

AWARDED UNANIMOUSLY:

To the Theatre Group "Proscenium" of Pyrgos, Ilia, which presented the play "Oedipus Tyrannus" by Sophocles

 

Award for the third performance

AWARDED BY MAJORITY VOTE:

To the theatrical group "Epekina" of Ptolemaida that presented the play "Pink Molotov" by Reppa - Papathanasiou

 

Original Performance Award

AWARDED UNANIMOUSLY:

1) The Epirus Artistic Stage SYNTHESIS that presented the play "BLACK BIRTHDAY" by Kostas Stavros for the writing and presentation of a new Greek play

2) To the Ano Liosia Theatre Group "Yperlitismenoi" which presented the play "PRANA, an energy comedy" by Yannis Galanopoulos

 

Innovative Performance Award

NOT ACCEPTED

 

A "Tasos Zographos" Art Ensemble Award

AWARDED UNANIMOUSLY:

The Theatre Workshop of the Cultural Events Organisation - Polyphonic Choir of Patras that presented the play "Ilion-Trojan War" by Nikos Goussetis

 

Prize for B ΄ Visual Ensemble

AWARDED BY MAJORITY VOTE:

To the Epirus Artistic Stage SYNTHESIS that presented the play "BLACK BIRTHDAY" by Kostas Stavros

 

Music Ensemble Award

AWARDED UNANIMOUSLY:

The Theatre Workshop of the Cultural Events Organisation - Polyphonic Choir of Patras that presented the play "Ilion-Trojan War" by Nikos Goussetis

 

Sound Investment Award

AWARDED UNANIMOUSLY:

To the Artistic Workshop "On Stage" of the Municipality of Zitsa that presented the play "Rose on the chest" by Tennessee Williams

 

BENEFITS:

1) To Studio ERGON Thessaloniki, which presented the work "NONA" by Roberto Kossa for the commendable effort to present a special work

2) The Artistic Workshop "On Stage" of the Municipality of Zitsa, which presented the play "Rose on the Chest" by Tennessee Williams for the special reading of a classic play

3) To the theatrical group "THE THEATROPHRENEIA" of Kalamaria, Thessaloniki, which presented the play "The House of Bernardo Alba" by Federico García Lorca for the passion and the courage to tackle such a great text

 

Audience Award

Awarded with a percentage of 94,04% to the Epirus Artistic Scene SYNTHESIS that presented the play "BLACK BIRTHDAY" by Kostas Stavrou

 

 

The greeting of the President of the Union of Cultural Associations Manolis Stergiopoulos

The curtain closes today on the 39th edition of 39^th Panhellenic Amateur Theatre Festival of Karditsa.

A curtain that was raised after five months of tireless effort and systematic work and in the midst of many difficulties.

Even under these circumstances, the 39^ο The Panhellenic Amateur Theatre Festival of Karditsa became a reality and was a resounding form of resistance against everything black, miserable and suffocating.

For ten days, our city put on its festive clothes to welcome this "ritual of spring".

Throughout this event, the public had the opportunity to watch either from the Municipal Cinema Hall or online, from the renewed website of the Association, (exceeding all records of viewings) a total of eight theatrical performances, honorary tributes to the actors George Konstantinou, Betty Livanou and George Souxe, while today, at the closing ceremony, we will honour the leading composer Stavros Xarchakos and then we will all enjoy the Music School of Karditsa, now an integral part of the institution.

But there was also a whole parallel world, a world that the Festival has created in recent years and that is none other than the high quality theatre seminars that are increasingly accepted by our local community.

In particular:

• professor of cultural anthropology Pavlos Kavouras, this year's holder of the New UNESCO Chair for Intangible Cultural Heritage, and the award-winning set designer Antonis Chalkias, were speakers in a fascinating seminar on "The magical element in European drama: Pouk - Prospero - Mephistopheles".

• Choreographer Callia Theodosiadis taught the famous Brazilian dance martial art as "Introduction to Afro-Brazilian cultural expression of Capoeira: a holistic actor training tool".
• The stage designer Antonis Chalkias and the professor of cultural anthropology Pavlos Kavouras met with the theatrical group of the General Lyceum of Sofades on the topic: "Directing the next performance!"

At the same time, the theatre educator and animator Sylvia Sinani organized, with the Children's Troupe, a theatrical game entitled "Fill your heart with precious treasures".

But none of this could have happened without cooperation and support.

For this I offer my sincere thanks:

To the Co-organisers:

• Region of Thessaly - Regional Unit of Karditsa
• Municipality of Karditsa
• Regional Union of Municipalities (P.E.D.) of Thessaly
• Chamber of Karditsa

As well as to the Holy Metropolis of Thessaly and Fanariofersala for its support.

To Sponsors:

• Cooperative Bank of Karditsa
• OMIROS Dairy industry
• DAMAVAND S.A. - Tomato Production Factory
• BHP - Fertilizer industry
• Natural Mineral Water THEONI
• HONDOS CENTER - Shop in Karditsa
• Psychiatric Clinic of Karditsa "KASTALIA"
• George Karamitros Winery
• Clothing store DESSANERO
• Hairdresser GLOWHAIR
• Aesthetics Centre Dora Gavaleka
• stepin by Athina Tsaxtani

To the Communication Sponsors: ERT3, ERT VOLO, ERT LARISSA

Special thanks:

• The Vice President of the Union of Cultural Associations Yannis Karantanas, the Treasurer Christos Tsialoukis, the Public Relations Officer Ritsa Tsikrika, who also made the presentation of the Festival, the Curator Fani Daskalou and the member Liana Vlachou as well as the President of the Audit Committee Yannis Glynos and the former Secretary Vassilis Agrafiotis
• To the businessman Petros Apostolou for the concession of the Municipal Cinema Theatre
• At the hotel "KIERION" for the hospitality of the competing amateur companies, the members of the Jury and the honoured persons
• The Jury Committee that undertook the task of evaluating the competing companies: the actors George Souxe and Georgia Zoi, the director Nikos Hadjipapa, the composer Panagiotis Kalatzopoulos and the choreographer Kallia Theodosiadis
• To the Project Selection Committee that undertook the difficult task of selecting the entries for the competition: the actress Demi Karditsioti, the actor-director Aky Mitsoulis and the actress-director-psychologist Antonella Chira
• Nikos Kotoulas (Thaumatropios Laboratory) for the design of the poster and the invitation
• To Vanessa Stylopoulou for the organization of the seminars and the curation of the Closing Ceremony
• To the volunteers who helped us in every possible way.
• To the media for the promotion of the Festival.
• And to all of you, the theatre-loving audience, who are the backbone of the Festival

Ladies and gentlemen, dear friends of the Festival,

With the wholehearted wish for world peace, for an end to every form of crisis that threatens us, for prosperity, social cohesion, progress and upliftment, Happy 40th Anniversary.^ο National Amateur Theatre Festival of Karditsa!!!!

 

 

The statement of the President of the Jury Committee Kallia Theodosiadis (choreographer)

On behalf of the Jury I would like to thank the Union of Cultural Associations of Karditsa and its president Manolis Stergiopoulos for the organization of the 39th edition of the competition.^th Amateur Theatre Festival. The love for the theatre together with the voluntary contribution are the main reasons for the successful maintenance of the Festival and its consolidation on a nationwide basis.

The Commission wishes to emphasise the importance of as representative a participation in the Festival as possible. On the basis of the Evaluation Regulations the Committee unanimously decided to award, for the first time this year, the collective the effort of the competing companies and not individuals.

The theatre is a field of social encounter and exchange of artistic ideas. It is a holistic art form which is based on individual arts such as literature/drama, music, dance, acting and stage design.

For the theatre, we can say that it is a place where dialogue with ourselves and with others develops. It creates a passage from the personal to the social space and makes it easier for us to understand and process ourselves and our microsociety. To see where our family, our group, our fellow human beings, our environment and others around us are. From the particular to the general, from the personal to the collective, crossing the boundaries of language, crossing the borders of the country. Man can become a conscious active being of the global event. So small and so big!

I would like to thank again, on behalf of the entire Committee, the President of the Union of Cultural Associations of Karditsa for the honorary invitation and the warm hospitality.

We hope that the next Festival, the fortieth, will be crowned with the same success and have the same warm welcome from the theatre-loving public of your city.