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26.03.2023
Celebrating International Theater Day, stage director Gytis Padegimas was awarded the Golden Cross of the Stage for Lifetime Achievement. The wording "For the connection of history and the present in creative and pedagogical activities" successfully frames not only the 70th anniversary mentioned last year, but also the upcoming 50th anniversary of creative activity. The premiere of his first performance - the musical based on Astrid Lindgren (adapted for the stage by Mikk Mikiver) "Karlson is joking again" took place at the Kaunas Drama Theater in November 4, 1973 (set designer Vitalijus Mazūras, composer Arne Oit).
03.11.2022
On 3,4 of November 2022, the Naisiai Summer Theatre invited to the premiere "Crimes and Crimes" by August Strindberg, staged for the first time in Lithuania and performed at the Šiauliai State Drama Theatre. This play differs from Strindberg's other dramas, because it reverses the author's usual principles of construction, and the catastrophe occurs not at the end, but at the beginning, steadily approaching a relatively happy ending. By this, the play resembles a kind of psychological detective, which analyzes responsibility not only for a person’s actions, but also for intentions, because the mechanism of hatred also works, when you wish harm to people. From the point of view of director Gytis Padegimas, a performance without didactics and specific recipes quides us think not about destruction or chaos, but about how to curb the demons of our subconscious. It reminds you, that everything comes back like a boomerang: what you do good, you do for yourself, what you do bad, you also do for yourself... The stage and costume designer of the performance - Birute Ukrinaite.
18.09.2022
On 18 of September 2022, at the stadium of the gymnasium of Rygiškiu Jonas in Marijampolė, a musical mystery "Tracking the Suduvians" was shown, dedicated to the 600th anniversary of the signing the Melnas Peace and the celebration of the year of Suduva. On this occasion, the cultural community of the entire Suduva region gathered, which showed how rich Suduva is in its history and culture. More than 300 amateur performers from the Suduva region, together with soloists Liudas Mikalauskas, Egidijus Bavikinas, Jurgis Jarašius (all three students of prof. Sabina Martinaitytė), Neringa Nekrašiūte, Henrikas Savickis and the State Choir “Vilnius”, presented the audience with an impressive artistic performance - a dramatic oratorio, the plot of which covers the entire historical period of Suduva: the mention of the name in historical sources, the struggle of the LDK with the crusaders, the years of serfdom, uprisings, pre-war, interwar, Soviet times and today. The director of the event – Gytis Padegimas, the author of the libretto – Herkus Kunčius, the composer – Jievaras Jasinskis, the stage designer – Birutė Ukrinaitė.
https://www.lrt.lt/mediateka/irasas/2000246346/teatralizuota-misterija-suduviu-pedsakais
25.02.2022
On 25-27 of February 2022, the premiere of Antonín Dvorak's opera “Rusalka” (meaning The Water Nymph) took place in the Klaipėda Fisherman's Palace. The performance became a double celebration, - on the second day of the premiere the stage director Gytis Padegimas celebrated the 70th anniversary. "I'm glad that my birthday often coincides with the celebration of the premiere, that I can share my personal celebration with performers, staff, and the audience," - he said. The director emphasized, that although "Rusalka" was created in the 1900s, it mentions words that we repeat today as a discovery: "people turned away from nature, cut off his roots". The fact that ecological problems were relevant even for those who lived 100 years ago, resulted in the main idea of "Rusalka", which is based on the development of the plot, scenography and the actions of the soloists on stage. Gytis Padegimas also shared another pleasant coincidence and one more reason to rejoice: on February 25, at the Vilnius Book Fair, the presentation of his trilogy of dramas is scheduled, which tells about cultural figures of our country: Juozapas Albinas Herbačiauskas, president of Lithuania Kazys Grinius and stage director Juozas Vaičkus.
https://www.lrt.lt/mediateka/irasas/2000225710/antonin-dvorak-opera-undine
25.02.2022
On 25 of February2022, the book "Trailblazers: three plays on the Lithuania of Kaunas" was presented at the Vilnius book fair. The title of the trilogy includes the definition "Lithuania of Kaunas" - a clear reference to the phenomenal interwar Kaunas breakthrough. Although Kaunas is rightfully proud of the uniqueness of modernist architecture, it is nevertheless primarily determined by the art of the spirit building. The book presents three personalities, whose talent, activity and dedication significantly joined the ranks of the trailblazers, who created the state of Lithuania. The play "JAH", named as an "almost biographical play", introduces Juozapas Albinas Herbačiauskas, the pioneer of modernism in Lithuanian literature (his initials were coded by the author in the title of the play). The drama "Alksniškiai" reveals the unique personality of the third president of Lithuania Kazys Grinius. The final part of the trilogy "Trailblazers" introduces the creators of professional Lithuanian theatre, among whom the monumental figure of stage director Juozas Vaičkaus, the father of Lithuanian drama, stands out.
Gytis Padegimas not only wrote these plays, but also successfully staged them: "JAH" (2011) and “Trailblazers" (2020) at the National Kaunas Drama Theatre, "Alksniškiai" (2017) at the Kaunas City Chamber Theatre. In this way, he managed not only to reveal, but also to visually "materialize" his heroes. Watching of these performances of GytisPadegimas have been repeatedly compared to reading an encyclopedia, which, despite the wealth of information presented, arouses the desire to delve even deeper into everything. Acquaintance with this book published by the Institute of Lithuanian Literature and Folklore provides a unique opportunity to compare the texts of the plays with their stage expression, to discover what could not be transferred to the stage, because shortenings are always inevitable when directing. This is another opportunity to arouse in yourself the instinct of a culture and theatre researcher.
https://www.15min.lt/tavoroma/video/15min-forumas-gycio-padegimo-knygos-pirmeiviai-trys-kauno-lietuvos-pjeses-pristatymas-216776
21.08.2020
On 21 of August 2020 the first premiere of the jubilee season took place on the Grand Stage of National Kaunas Drama Theatre - the comic drama “Trailblazers” written and directed by Gytis Padegimas, dedicated to the century of Lithuanian theatre. This is the third part of the trilogy he created, following the documentary phantasmagoria "JAH", which introduced the writer and pioneer of modernist literature in Lithuania Juozapas Albinas Herbačiauskas (2011), and "Alksniškės", which reveals the personality of the third Lithuanian President Kazys Grinius (2014). "Trailblazers" tells about the creators of Lithuanian professional theater – stage director Juozas Vaičkus, playwright PetrasVaičiūnas, actresses Teofilė Dragūnaitė-Vaičiūnienė, Ona Kurmytė, Polė Tendžiulytė, their colleagues Juozas Stanulis and Petras Kubertavičius. Introduces Vaičkus' wife, opera singer Morta Grikštaitė-Vaičkienė, in a new light shows “primo uomo” of the opera Kipras Petrauskas, reminds artists Vladas Didžiokas and his wife Varvara (Barbora) Didžiokienė. With the help of all these characters, the author tries to reveal the circumstances of the birth of the first performance - Hermann Sudermann's "Fires of St. John” - which opened the Drama Theatre on the 19 of December 1920.
https://dramosteatras.lt/lt/teatro-uzkulisiai/teatras-onl1ne-rezisieriaus-gycio-padegimo-rezisuotas-spektaklis-jah/
11.22.2019
On 22 and 24 of November 2019 the premiere of the Klaipeda State Musical Theater - opera ""The Excursion to Tilsit" by Eduardas Balsys, based on a story by the German writer and playwright Hermann Sudermann (1857-1928), took place at Klaipėda Fishermen's Culture House. The first and still only premiere of this opera was in 1980 and took place in Vilnius, Opera and Ballet Theater. After almost four decades the opera was brought to life by stage director Gytis Padegimas, set designer Birutė Ukrinaitė, choreographer Edita Stundytė, video projection artist Linartas Urniežis, conductor Tomas Ambrozaitis, soloists Rita Petrauskaitė, Agnė Stančikaitė, Rapolas Baranauskas, Mindaugas Zimkus, Jovita Vaškevičiūtė, Gabrielė Kuzmickaitė and many others. The musical material of the opera was edited by Eduardas Balsys' pupil, composer Giedrius Kuprevičius. This performance completed a series of events, dedicated to the centenary of the birth of the Lithuanian music classic of the 20th century Eduardas Balsys (1919-1984).
07, 09,23.12.2018
07, 09 and 23 of December 2018 the premiere of Algirdas Landsbergis' play „The Wind in the Willows“ was held in the Long Hall of the National Kaunas Drama Theater. Stage director Gytis Padegimas dedicated the performance to the 30th anniversary of Lithuanian Drama Festival "Atgaiva" (1988), organized by the Šiauliai Drama Theater. The play takes us to the Livonian border of the 16th century, where the Polish-Lithuanian army is waiting for the battle for Livonia with a much larger Russian army. King Sigismund Augustus, immersed in the deep sadness of Queen Barbora's death, intends to withdraw from the battlefield without fighting. To strengthen the king's spirit and make it a worthy miracle of victory, Angel and Saint Casimir land on the earth. Here they are interested not only in the king's fate ...
"This play is very close to Thornton Wilder‘s creation, because, like in "Our town" or in "Long Christmas dinner", it speaks about fates of ordinary people, strangely interwoven to the obvious of war.
„I think this play is very topical now, by the reason, that we feel strong geopolitical tensions. In addition, Algirdas Landsbergis' texts are like strengthening the immunity of Lithuanian consciousness“ – is convinced the director of the performance.
Stage director - Gytis Padegimas, set and costume designer - Birutė Ukrinaitė, composer - Raimundas Martinkėnas, choreographer - Indrė Puišytė. Cast: Arnas Ašmonas, Andrius Gaučas, Jurgis Jarašius, Karolina Elžbieta Mikolajūnaitė, Dovydas Pabarčius, Henrikas Savickis, Artūras Sužiedėlis, Dainius Svobonas, Milė Šablauskaitė, Ugne Žirgulė.
16-18, 23.03.2018
On 16-18 of March 2018 at the Kaunas Central Bookstore and on 23 of March at the Kaunas County Public Library was premiered mono performance “Nocturne” by American playwright Adam Rapp. For the announcement of the play, which crossed the borders of the traditional theatre space, stage director Gytis Padegimas used the note by ??the French writer Romain Gary: "The only thing that can not be forgiven - unforgiveness." The performance of Kaunas Chamber Theater, solved by the stage director as a presentation of the book, will be played in different spaces of the largest bookstores and libraries of Lithuania in order to intensify its therapeutic effect. Stage and costume designer - Birutė Ukrinaitė. Starring actor - Dovydas Stončius, actor Albinas Budnikas.
06.01-04.2017
On the 1-4 of June 2017 the 20th International Strindberg Conference Strindberg and the Western Canon took place at Jagiellonian university in Krakow. Stage director Gytis Padegimas presented report „Impact of August Strindberg on the Value Formation of Young Theatre Artist in the Soviet Times“.
12.10.2017
On 12 of October 2017 the premiere of Brian Friel's play "Philadelphia, Here I Come!" was directed by Gytis Padegimas in Alytus City Theatre. Although the author originally conveys the experiences of a young person leaving his native Ireland, the play is not just about emigration. With the help of a sub-secretary, revealing a contradiction between the internal personality experiences and their external expression, the author emphasizes the unreality of the character's expectations, the gap between his fantasies and possibilities. The director looks at the provocative duality of the situation by gently ironizing and invites rather to try to create a "Philadelphia" in the present circumstances, along with dear people.
Stage and costume designer - Birutė Ukrinaitė, composer - Raimundas Martinkenas, choreographer - Indrė Puišytė. Cast: Arnis Aleinikovas, Vaidas Praspaliauskas, Ona Gudaitytė, Eglė Juškaitė, Andra Kavaliauskaitė, Jonas Gaižauskas, Eugenijus Rakauskas, Vidas Vaškius, Tomas Kunčinas, Lukas Alsys.
21.11.2017
On 21 of November 2017 at the Lithuanian Russian Drama Theatre in Vilnius and on 12 of December at the Kaunas National Drama Theatre the Theses opera "Luther's Doors" by the composer Giedrius Kuprevičius was premiered on the occasion of the 500th anniversary of the Reformation. The opera by the libretto of Herkus Kunčius was staged by Gytis Padegimas with the help of his faithful creative associates - stage and costume designer Birutė Ukrinaitė and choreographer Indrė Puišytė.
"We are not a Protestant country, but we are a tolerant country. Therefore, I want that after this performance, many people who go to the Catholic Church and are Christians, reflect on what Luther and Protestantism added to our faith and mentality", - said stage director G. Padegimas.
The opera "Luther's door" was played with a small instrumental ensemble of modern composition (guitar, accordion, cello, keyboards, percussion). The main roles are performed by: Liudas Mikalauskas (Martin Luther), Viktorija Miškūnaitė (Catherine von Bora), Rafailas Karpis (Tetzel, seller of indulgences), Eugenijus Chrebtovas (Black monk), Tomas Pavilionis (Brown monk), Vilija Mikštaitė (Townswoman), Žygimantas Jasiūnas (Lord of Saxon) and others. The initiator of the project - the professional choir "Vilnius" (musical director and conductor Arturas Dambrauskas).
02.16.2017.
On February 16, the Independence Day of Lithuania, an exclusive premiere took place in the Kaunas Chamber Theater - Gytis Padegimas wrote and produced a documentary play "Alksniškės", revealing the Lithuanian President’s Kazys Grinius personality. Prior to that, on 17 of December, the birthday of President K. Grinius, the Historical Presidency hosted a reading of this play, produced by the director and actors of the Kaunas Chamber Theater.
The theme and structure of the play “Alksniškės” is close to the documentary phantasmagoria "JAH” (initials of Juozas Albinas Herbačiauskas), which Gytis Padegimas wrote and staged at the Kaunas National Drama Theater (2011) - both plays represents outstanding personalities, relies on their documentary heritage. Nevertheless, "Alksniškės" is closer to the documentary play as by circumstances - the action covers the period when K. Grinius for the protest against the extermination of Jews was deported from Kaunas to his native village, and by literary language, based mainly on the authentic texts of K. Grinius. 2016 was announced the year of Kazys Grinius and the attempt of the performance creators to turn to one of the most democratic presidents of Lithuania certainly has great meaning.
03/12/2016
After a successful debut on the Small Stage of Kaunas Chamber Theatre with the play “Stones in his pockets” by Marie Jones, Gytis Padegimas intensively extended this collaboration. On 3 of December 2016, in the Main Stage of this theatre he staged a triptych of the one-act plays "Rivers Under the Earth" by his favorite playwright Thornton Wilder. His plays "Infancy", "Childhood" and "Rivers Under the Earth " from the cycle of lyrical comedies "Seven Ages of Man” combined in the performance the stories of three families honoring the human connection.
In 2016 Gytis Padegimas wrote two educational books: "Teaching of Michael Chekhov’s creative method" and "The History of Directing", issued by Klaipeda University.
During his studies at GITIS (now Russian Academy of Theatre Arts) Gytis Padegimas discovered Michael Chekhov's creative method and started to apply it to his work and pedagogy. Now Gytis Padegimas is a participant of numerous international creative workshops, conferences and symposiums, presenting his self-imposed methodology. The book describes the exercises created during the development activities of different periods of M. Chekhov’s practical and theoretical insights and focuses on all, who in theory and practice related to this method.
Educational book "The History of Directing" reveals the particular evolution of profession of stage director, gives a classification of important theatrical events and methodology, emphasizes the possibilities of individual assessment of culture. Discusses the most prominent personalities, who have formed the schools and styles of directing, refers to the distinctive features of various directors' schools, points out the specific theoretical and practical discoveries of different directors, able to help young artists to learn and master the complex profession of stage director.
19/20,21/02.2016.
After the opening of Klaipeda drama theater with impressive historical drama by Arvydas Juozaitis "Queen Louise”, stage director Gytis Padegimas debuted at Kaunas Chamber Theatre. On the Small stage he realised a comedy of contemporary Irish playwright Marie Jones' “Stones in his pockets", which was in his plans for eleven years. The play is interesting not only by relevant and developing topic of friendship, but also by the directing solution - all 15 characters are played by two actors. Director - Gytis Padegimas, set designer - Sergėjus Bocullo, composer - Raimundas Martinkėnas choreographer - Indre Puišytė. Starring – Jonas Baranauskas and Vytautas Gasiliūnas.
04/12/2015.
"Queen Louise" by Arvydas Juozaitis directed by Gytis Padegimas became the first premier of the reconstructed Klaipėda State Drama Theatre. The play provides an overview of Klaipeda royal era - 1807-1808, when the port city was the temporary capital of Prussia. Then the royal family - the Prussian King Frederick William III and Queen Louise with their children, hiding from Napoleon Bonaparte, settled in the former Memel.
Stage director - Gytis Padegimas, choreographer - Agnija Šeiko, composer - Gintaras Kizevičius, scenographer - Birute Ukrinaitė. Queen Louise party plays actress Inga Jankauskaitė.
18,19.09.2014
Alytus City Theatre greeted 25th season with the premiere of musical "Battue of Fire", which took place on 18 and 19 of September in 2014. This musical of National Award Winner composer Giedrius Kuprevičius, based on libretto by Saulius Šaltenis and Leonidas Jacinevičius, is one of the Lithuanian gold fund works. The musical for the third time was realized by stage director Gytis Padegimas. Scenographer - Birutė Ukrinaitė, choreographer - Indre Puišytė. Performance gathered a team of young artists - students of Vytautas Magnus University, the Academy of Music and other high schools. According to the director of the performance Gytis Padegimas, the younger generation of artists will be a major contribution to the renewal of the play, because the music of Giedrius Kuprevičius is eternal and remains relevant. Gytis Padegimass staged the musical "Battue of Fire" at the "Pergalė" Cinema Theatre in Vilnius (2004) and at the Vilnius “Domino” Theatre (2008).
5-7.06.2014.
On the 5-7 of June 2014 the 19th International Strindberg Conference Strindberg across borders took place in Rome (The organizer - the Istituto Italiano di Studi Germanicus). Gytis Padegimas made a presentation "Vakhtangov's and Chekhov's work on Strindberg's “Erik XIV”' as a borderline between the Stanislavsky system and their own discovery's”.
12, 13.10.2013
On October 12 and 13 in Chamber stage of Lithuanian National Drama Theatre was premiered the play “Offside”, written by the Icelandic playwright Sigurdur Pallson . The author identified the play as the world of two voices, born between dream and watch. The director saw it as an opportunity to discover and explore acting process: " Sigurdur Pálsson’s play , applying outside of the normal directorial concept of theater, seems to me a very suitable material for the consideration of this much- neglected and forgotten in our theater matter as acting. I really want to invite two actresses, explore their creativity and see what today is able to create an actor, if the director is focusing his efforts on excitation of actor’s creative impulse and maximum openness. And, finally , he "dies in the actor " ... Actresses Neringa Bulotaitė and Diana Anevičiūtė, who started their rehearsals at secluded Gytis Padegimas’ homestead in Dzukija, infused into the roles their entire life experience, claiming and proving that they really are not outsiders of theatrical life. Stage designer - Birutė Ukrinaitė, composer - Gintaras Kizevičius, choreographer - Agnija Šeiko.
25,26.01.2013
On January 25 and 26 in Fishermen’s palace took place the first 2013 premiere of Klaipeda drama theater: was shown drama "Top Girls" by Caryl Churchill. As usual, this play of innovative and imaginative English dramatist has become a challenging task for creators and even for viewers, who only during the course of performance realized the true definition of "Top Girls" and the director's sense of aspiration. Stage director Gytis Padegimas proposed to consider the woman’s survive in the world of men and what it means to measure its value only by male success standards. He brings together Klaipeda drama theater actress: Alina Mikitavičiūtė, Juratė Jankauskaitė, Regina Šaltenytė, Jolanta Puodėnaitė, Renata Idzelytė, Eglė Barauskaitė, Eglė Jackaitė, Simona Šakinytė. Set designer – Birutė Ukrinaitė, composer – Gintaras Kizevičius, choreographer – Agnija Šeiko.
2012.05.31-06.03 2012
On the 31 of May -3 of June 2012 the 18th International Strindberg Conference "The Strindberg Legacy“ took place at Stockholm University. Stage director Gytis Padegimas presented report "Staging A. Strindberg in two Eras’’ (in English) about 8 Strindberg’s plays staged by himself during more than 40 years his creative activity.
24/05/2012
On the 24 and 26 of May 2012 at the Fishermen's Palace in Klaipeda was shown premiere of Klaipeda State Drama Theatre - British playwright’s Richard Everett’s drama "Demons", directed by Gytis Padegimas. Pieces of this author have not yet been built in Lithuania, so it was the opportunity for viewers finally to have access to the playwright's works. The performance analyzes the spiritual clarification of the heroes, their difficult and meaningful path toward forgiveness, the complexity and significance of that way. Working with multiple artists configurations, the director produced two separate - senior and junior – actors’ performances. It reminded once elicited a great success by August Strindberg’s "Creditors" version, marketed in 1981 in Kaunas State Drama Theatre, when the two configurations with multiple artists became two different and artistically equivalent events. Stage and costume designer - Birutė Ukrinaitė, composer - Gintaras Kizevičius. Starring cast: Eglė Barauskaitė, Renata Idzelytė, Igoris Reklaitis, Arnoldas Eisimantas, Vaidas Jočys, Edvardas Brazys, Linas Lukošius, Kazimieras Žvinklys, Kęstutis Macijauskas.
17/02/2012
On the 17, 18 and 19 of February 2012 at the Kaunas State Drama Theatre, Ruth Hall was the premiere for the 60th anniversary of stage director Gytis Padegimas. For this Jubilee he staged Brian Friel's play "Wonderful Tennessee”, started showing on his birth date (February 17). Director for the second time selects the author's play, - in 2001 at the National Drama Theatre in Vilnius, he staged the memorable "Dancing at Lughaza’’. In "Wonderful Tennessee” Gytis Padegimas again extended his favorite topic about time in human life, have touched even on 1982, at the Kaunas Drama Theatre in Thornton Wilder’s "Our Town." Stage and costume designer - Birutė Ukrinaitė, composer-arranger - Raimundas Martinkėnas. Starring cast: Egidijus Bavikinas, Aušra Keliuotytė, Arnas Mikalkėnas (jazz musician), Inesa Paliulytė, Kęstutis Povilaitis, Giedrė Ramanauskaitė, Henrikas Savickis, Ugnė Žirgulė.
03/12/2011
On the 3,4 of December 2011 Šiauliai State Drama Theater hosted the premiere – Gytis Padegimas directed Tennessee Williams' drama "The Night of Iguana", have not yet been built in Lithuania. Organizing the creative team, he called his regular collaborators – stage designer Birutė Ukrinaitė, that created an original and meaningful set design, and composer Gintaras Kizevičius. Gytis Padegimas, returned again to Šiauliai Drama Theater, in order to zoom out the audience from the present realities of everyday life, immersed them at oasis of night in the jungle. Birutė Ukrinaitė constructed a set design, consisting of small pieces of the puzzle. It's like suggesting, that depending on effort and ability of the heroes to listen to each other, combines their relationship and fate mosaic. Starring cast: Nomeda Bėčiūtė, Vladas Baranauskas, Juozas Bindokas, Lina Bocytė, Irena Liutikaitė, Aidas Matutis, Nijole Mirončikaitė, Eduardas Pauliukonis, Aurimas Pintulis, Silvija Povilaitytė, Monika Šaltytė and others.
06/28/2011
On the 28 of June 2011, celebrating Maironis Lithuanian Literature Museum 75th anniversary, the exhibition "Fragments of the Museum’s History" was opened. After this the environment performance "Public (un) Scientific Conference in Maironis Garden” took place in the open area. It has been shown in acting, singing and music compositions and in the form of theatrical conference, where the question of literature existence and other important things were discussed. Director and moderator of the conference – Gytis Padegimas, composer - Giedrius Kuprevičius, designer – Birute Ukrinaite, participants - the actors of Kaunas theatres.
03.04.2011
On the 2nd and 3th of April in the State Theatre of Kaunas the premier of documentury phantasmagorial play “JAH“ directed by Gytis Padegimas was presented to viewers. The unique personality Juozapas Albinas Herbačiauskas (whose initial JAH serves as well as a code for the name of the play and the performance) was chosen as the main hero for the 100th performance of director Gytis Padegimas. JAH was a writer and the progenetor of Modernistic literature in Lithuania. This stage work is composed of authentic texts, literature memoir, periodical and other documents of J. A. Herbačiauskas. Here, in the performance the boundary between reality and fantasy , the writer‘s visions and topicality of those days disappears as it does in the oeuvre of J. A. Herbačiauskas. „To be the Legend for people“ was named as credo by J. A. Herbačiauskas himself. His eccentric behaviour, scandalous speeches earned him a fame of a weirdo, upstart and mistic personality. The author of the play and director of performance Gytis Padegimas in the personality of J. A. Herbačiauskas has discovered Lithuanian Don Quixote, who tirelessly and principledly struggled for his ideals, and the future herald, who proclaimed the threat of Soviet Russia J. A. Herbačiauskas‘ critics towards the Goverment and society of Lithuania of that time and his words used by Gytis Padegimas in the solemn commemoration of Lithuania Indepence Reinstatement even today have the incredible relevance. Could it be coincidence that in the premier of “JAH“ performance the prime ministrer showed up? It is obviously that Juozapas Albinas Herbačiauskas who was the persona non grata in interwar period Lithuania today is discovered one more time. The very well known personalities as Juozas Keliuotis, Sofija Kymantaite-Čiurlionienė, Juozas Tumas Vaižgantas, Vincas Krėvė-Mickevičius, Balys Sruoga and Adomas Jakštas-Dambrauskas could be found among the characters in this play. Their disputes and discussions with J. A. Herbačiauskas reveal unexpected attitude towards plenty problems and among them the view of State Theatre of that time. The play action is concentrated in Cracow Cabaret “The Green Balloon“ and Kaunas cafe “Konradas“. This action has additional scenes of improvisation performed by actors and connected with the video-installations. The role of the young J. A. Herbačiauskas is performed by Mikalojus Urbonas, and the elder – by Sigitas Šidlauskas. Giedrius Kuprevičius – the living legend of Kaunas as well as the composer of this play has the role of Leiba Hofmekler. Birutė Ukrinaitė the artist and the abiding co-worker of the director is the author of scenography and the costume design; choreography - Andrius Kurienius; video-installiations - Simonas Glinskis. The actors: Albinas Budnikas, Saulius Čiučelis, Aušra Keliuotytė, Aleksandras Kleinas, Inga Mikutavičiūtė, Audronė Paškonytė, Algirdas Pintukas, Henrikas Savickis, Egidijus Stancikas, Artūras Sužiedėlis, Ričardas Vitkaitis, Ugnė Žirgulė, Ridas Žirgulis and others.
August 10, 2010
From the 24th to the 2nd of June 2010 in the theatre of „Moscow School of Drama Art“the seminar named „The Meeting of Commonwealth Theatres took place. This year it was dedicated to the studies of Michael Chekhov‘s creative method: „Michael Chekhov‘s method: actor‘s „I“ and artistic image“. The master classes were conducted by Lenard Petit (USA), Marjolein Baars (Netherlands),Viačeslav Kokorin (Russia), Marina Daksburi-Aleksandrovskaja (Russia), Elena Kuzina (Russia) and Lithuanian representative – director Gytis Padegimas. He has studied and touched above mentioned method for many years and this time described the topic of sessions as „The Research of the Creative Powers of Imagination Seeking for the Real Inspiration“. The techniques of Michael Chekhov‘s method and the possibilities of its different elements were studied with the purpose to acquire the imagination and to make it sensitive, alive and flexible, as well as to help to reach the goal of the creator. During the director‘s master class the exercises which were used by Michael Chekhov in Lithuania (Kaunas) have been invoked. After the seminar the pleased audience and organizers expressed the gratitude which reflected even in SMS sent to Gytis Padegimas: „One more time I would like to thank you for that light, love and inspiration, which You gave as a gift for us! <...> now we all are going to continue our work in this spirit! <...> I know that emotions very soon will fade and calm down, but that have happened to me for the first time. I haven‘t only watched or perceived information with the admiration, I was the part of that information by myself, I have immersed in it fully. I also have found the spiritual answers, which were not even connected with the theater. The catharsis! Thank You for being! Take care about yourself and your higher “I“! Shine and spread this light! (Eugenia Sheshneva, 03.06.2010).
„I would like to thank you for the nice lecture-sermon, which had impressed me a lot, and I will think about the „Life line“and the star of the artist. Many participants are grateful for your master class. I really believe in our future communication...“ (Elena Kuzina, 04.06.2010).
„Your last lecture which was for sure not only the lecture, but sort of magic, performance, sermon had impressed me a lot. You created such an atmosphere, that it could be sliced by knife...“ (Andrej Kirilov, 07.06.2010).
April 10, 2010
On the 20th-21th of March in 2010 the admirers of opera had attained the special opening of the opera for children in 2 acts „The Tiny Lingonberry“, which was created in the National Opera and Ballet Theatre. Feeling the lack of such sort of performances the above mentioned theatre together with the Ministry of Culture and Union of Composers declared the contest, which was won by the composer Jonas Tamulionis. For his work the composer have used the mythological fairy-tale by the same name (libretto by Milda Brėdikytė). This opening was also special to the director Gytis Padegimas, who for the first have entered the door of this theatre not as lover of opera, but as the director. „This fairy-tale is special of its variety of the creatures of the forest: hags, pixies, brownies, pucks, berries, imps, devilkins, etc. The purpose of mine as the director is to let the kids to believe all these magical characters. Nowadays the kids recede from the world of fairy-tales more and more and loose their ability and wish to use the imagination and fantasize... Creating this opera I have imagined how I hold kid‘s hand and lead him to the space of fantasy and beauty“, - told Gytis Padegimas. Creating this opera the director pointed to theatricality, picturesque and flamboyant beauty of the costumes, which were created by the talented designer Birutė Ukrinaitė. The energy and eloquent expression was added to the performance by choreographer Agnija Šeiko – also the permanent co-worker of the director. Music director and conductor – Robertas Šervenikas. Using the reconstructed fit-up of the theatre, the action of the performance took place both as on the ground as well as in the underground worlds convincing the kids and grown-ups of the necessity and miraculous of the fairy-tale.
January 10, 2010
On the 10th-11th of December in 2009 the one part performance „Bona Sforza. Farewell“(by the play of Liucija Armonaitė) directed by Gytis Padegimas was showed in Kaunas Artists House. By this performance the prominent women of the Renaissance - Bona Sforza (1494-1557) was presented to the audience. She was the Grand Duchess of Lithuania, the queen of Poland the apprehensive and determined politician and a person of very dramatic life. Bona Sforza came from very famous and powerful Medici family and became the wife of Grand Duke of Lithuania Sigismund the Old and the mother of Grand Duke Sigismund August. Her merits for Lithuania also include the spreading here culture, art and science of the Renaissance and the development of economy of the country. By the comprehensive, attentive presentation of this personality the creators of this performance revealed many unknown facts of the queen’s life and tried to break the myth of her which had been describing Bona Sforza as a poisoner of Barbora Radvilaitė.
The opening performances in Vilnius Museum of Art (The Old Arsenal) let the audience to feel the historical surrounding and spirit which become even stronger because of the exhibition (“The Union of Lublin and it’s epoch in Jan Mateika’s creative works”) presented at that time in the museum: Sigismund August, Barbora Radvilaitė and Bona Sforza by herself were looking from the pictures hanging on the walls. “Nowadays the women became more and more active in the leading positions in the whole Europe. So, very naturally that on the occasion of celebrating the Millennium of Lithuania name we turned our looks forward Bona Sforza”, - had said Gytis Padegimas, - and very symbolic that the year of Millennium is escorted by this performance.” The actress Olita Dautartaitė who created the role of Bona Sforza presented her heroine to the audience of the USA as well. The music of the performance was created by Gintaras Kazevičius, scenography – by Skaidra Žeižytė and the costume design by Jūratė Maurušaitienė.
July 01, 2009
According to the ultimate data of LLKC (Lietuvos liaudies kultūros centras - The Center of Lithuanian Folk Culture), the organizer of the feast Lietuvos tūkstantmečio Dainų šventė Amžių sutartinė (The Glee of Centuries), this event have rallied around 42 thousand participants: 25 thousand of kids and youth teams, about 1 thousand Lithuanians from sixteen countries from all over the world and many amateur folk art teams of Lithuania national minorities.
The director of the first and the last festival days Gytis Padegimas have assured that Dainų šventė is the unique event not only for Vilnius and Lithuania but for whole Europe as well. This kind of festival can’t be seen in any of the Capitals of Culture. Inviting everyone to participate in the solemnity opening “Čia tūkstantį metų dabar” he also have elucidated that whole event was based on Pope’s John Paul II approach towards culture which defines culture as dissemination of life, but not death. The director Gytis Padegimas giving thanks to all kids from Žagarė to LA who made thousands paper birds also have highlighted the theme of dream and flowers. This subject has the reflection in many fest events: the flower rain instead of the fireworks in Vilnius Old town, the flower plaits (decorations) on the bridges of Vilnelė river, sculptures as well the fire and air shows. The director also thinks that the outstanding and new musical works of Lithuanian composers Bronius Kutavičius, Algirdas Martinaitis, etc. performed in the churches of Bernardines and St. John, the night concert of the fest opening “Pasveikinkime vieni kitus” (“Welcome each other”) in Vilnius Cathedral square, the projections (from the movie “Unseen Lithuania”) shown on Valdovų Rūmai walls and all the events from the 1st to the 6th of July have represented Dainų šventė as a successful visiting-card of the country which is and will be prosperous for thousand years.
June 01, 2009
The inique opening took place in the Musical teatre of Klaipėda: impressionistic opera created by Claude Debussy in 1905 ( after play „Pelėjas ir Melisanda“ of Maurice Maeterlinck) was shown in several sets for the first time in Lithuania. On the 8th of March the opened rehearsal took place and the main-key scenes were shown (the performers were dressed up and several scenography elements were used as well).
On the 9th of April the second set of staging was implemented - separate scenes were unified to the completeness. The director Gytis Padegimas choosing the art peace which represents the fixing the fragile moments of beauty has taken a risk to bring spectator into the mysterious travel through the impressionistic world of rocks, springs and fog. The director has invited us to stop for a moment in our busy lives, to look back, contemplate and listen to each other. Opera which is performed in Lithuanian (translated by Ramute Skučaite) and its scenography (made by Birute Ukrinaite) made the delicate view. The whole opera is going to be finished in 2010.
April 01, 2009
The premiere of performance „Velykos“ ( „All Soul‘s Day“ after the famous play of A.Strinberg) took place in Šiauliai drama Theatre) on the 28th-29th of March. Gytis Padegimas is the director of it. The mystery-play written in 1900 has emphasized the theme of the justice and court and the director especially underlined the issue of forgiveness. The themes of spiritual nurture, impassiveness for surrounding people and egocentricity were shown in this performance. It could be the reason why the bishop of Šiauliai Eugenijus Bartulis was so affected by it that he personally gave his thanks to the creators of “Vėlinės“. The work on this performance was done by the group of artists who usally helps the director: the scenography was created by Birutė Ukrinaitė, the music was composed by Gintaras Kazevičius. The actors team: Jūratė Budriūnaitė, Dalius Jančiauskas, Sigitas Jakubauskas, Irena Liutikaitė, Povilas Liubinas, Teresė Maliukevičiūtė, Monika Šaltytė, Juozas Žibūda.
January 15, 2009
A new production by Gytis Padegimas – “Children in Palace of Amber” by Algirdas Landsbergis was staged by his four-year students, future theatre directors, at the Klaipėda University’s Faculty of Arts.
January 15, 2009
“Battue of Fire”, a Soviet-era musical by Giedrius Kuprevičius, Leonidas Jacinevičius and Saulius Šaltenis, has just been staged for the third time. Following its 1976 production, which was directed by Dalia Tamulevičiūtė at the State Youth Theatre of Vilnius, the musical was put on stage twice in recent years by Gytis Padegimas. His first interpretation of “Battue of Fire” was presented to Vilnius audiences in 2004 at the Pergalė cinema theatre, where the director took full advantage of both the interior and the exterior of the building and some authentic Soviet-era attributes and architectural features: the drab cafeteria, the VIP box of the Secretary of the Central Committee of the Communist Party, etc. Padegimas's second creative version of the musical, which made the participants of the previous production compete with themselves, was staged at the Vilnius Domino Theatre in 2008. Both times the director was assisted by stage designer Birutė Ukrinaitė, choreographer Agnija Šeiko, and lead singers Egidijus Bavikinas, Ona Kolobovaitė, Mindaugas Zimkus, and Indrė Valantinaitė. The singers' ranks have been successfully joined by Romualdas Baranauskas, Simas Buziliauskas, Tautrimas Rupulevičius (Onsa) and others. The popularity of this third reincarnation of the first ever Lithuanian musical has exceeded all expectations of its creative and production team, and is currently touring the whole country with great success.
July 03, 2008
The Vilnius Domino Theatre has invited Gytis Padegimas to direct a new version of the rock musical "Battue of Fire" (written by Giedrius Kuprevičius, Saulius Šaltenis and Leonidas Jacinevičius). This production will open its new theatrical season.
May 31, 2008
On May 31, in the Klaipėda Musical Theatre, the audiences of this major Lithuanian port-city saw the first-night performance of Vladimir Konstantinov's opera for a whole family "Whatever Grandpa Does Will Turn Out Fine" based on a fairy-tale by Christian Andersen (libretto by Sigitas Geda) and staged by Gytis Padegimas. In order to convey the wisdom of this rather non-childish tale, the director chose a vigorous rhythm appealing to the youthful viewers, and underscored it with dynamic choir interludes. The scenographer Birutė Ukrinaitė created a vivid, colourful set and ingenious costumes which define every character with bang-on precision, and make various impersonated animals easily recognizable. The choreographer Agnija Šeiko made a lively contribution with her expressive movement compositions which represent not just specific characters' moves but their moods and reactions to events as well.
March 16, 2008
On March 14 and 15, in Saint Catherine's Church of Vilnius, an opera-zarzuella production "DaliGala", directed by Gytis Padegimas, was presented to theatre-goers of the Lithuanian capital. The music was composed by Giedrius Kuprevičius, the libretto was written by Herkus Kunčius, and the set was designed by Birutė Ukrinaitė. The production was staged with participation of the Vilnius Municipal Choir "Jauna Muzika" ("Young Music"). This is already a third project in which Gytis Padegimas teams up with composer Giedrius Kuprevičius the previous two were musicals "Battue of Fire" and "Kipras, Fyodor and Others".
January 10, 2008
On January 9, Marina Carr's "The Mai", directed by Gytis Padegimas, premiered in the Klaipėda Musical Theatre. The rehearsals took place under extreme conditions in a condemned drama theatre building which was closed down for renovation. Nevertheless, the director has managed to prepare two full casts for this production a rare case in theatre nowadays. "The Mai" drew much applause at the annual Spring of Lithuanian Theatres festival in Kaunas, and actress Valentina Leonavičiūtė received the national Golden Stage Cross award for her supporting role of Grandma Froachlan in this play.
October 25, 2007
On October 24 a new production by Gytis Padegimas -"The City" was staged with his third-year students, future theatre directors, at the Klaipėda University's Faculty of Arts. Although this unique study, based on architectural motifs and performed by a young creative team, focuses exclusively on certain Old Klaipėda buildings, its acting and directorial improvisations acquire wide-ranging social dimensions after all, in every city of every land there is a central post office, a cinema, and a jail. While relating the stories of their chosen buildings and populating them with live inhabitants and even house pets, the young performers ingeniously recreate and poignantly underline not only the distinctive features of a passing age, but also transformations of their characters and their historical background. In this they largely rely on their sense of humour poking fun and provoking the audience, and captivating it with their youthful emotions, zest, and wit. Recently the production has been gaining in popularity and recognition: it has successfully toured Telšiai and Mažeikiai, has been shown at the Performing-Arts Student Theatre Festival in Šiauliai and the Spring of Lithuanian Theatres festival in Kaunas.
September 22, 2007
In the new season of Klaipeda Drama Theatre director Gytis Padegimas will continue the rehearsal work on May the play written by Marina Carr. Seven women and only one man is the impetus of this performance. It is also a nice occasion for the audience to see plenty of prominent Klaipeda Drama Theatre actresses: Eglė Barauskaitė, Elena Gaigalaitė, Valentina Leonavičiūtė, Nelė Savičenko, Regina Šaltenytė, etc. The director permanent creative co-workers as scenographer Birutė Ukrinaitė and composer Gintaras Kizevičius (who created music for many Gytis Padegimas performances) will help in the creation of this performance as well.
September 10, 2007
On the 24th 29th of September (2007) Gytis Padegimas is invited to participate in the international conference which will take place in Paris. This conference is dedicated to the life and work of Michael Chekhov - the outstanding innovator of theatre. The conference title- Michael Chekhov / From Moscow to Holywood / From Stage to Screen. This conference includes the creative laboratory (from 24th to 26th of September) and theoretic part (from 27th to 29th). Such prominent personalities of theatre theory and practice as Anatolij Smelianskij (Russia), Liisa Byckling (Finland), Lisa Dalton (USA), Jean-Loup Bourget, Jean-Francois Dusigne (France), Graham Dixon, Rose Whyman (Great Britain), Oksana Bulgakova (Germany) and many others from all over the world are going to participate in this conference.
September 10, 2007
In the program Thetrical Meetings-2007of famous international festival "SLAVIANSKIJ BAZAR" (Vitebsk, Belorus) the performance Master Class (after the play of Terrence McNally) directed by Gytis Padegimas was shown on the 10th of June. This performance took place on the stage named after Jakub Kolas (Actors: Nijolė Narmontaitė, Ona Kolobovaitė, Justas Šervenikas, Merūnas Vitulskis, Gytis Padegimas) and surpassed the expectations as of the audience as well the organizers of this festival.The role of maria Callas was performed by actress Nijole Narmontaite also participated in the group The fans of Vitebskand the performance Master Classwas invited to be shown in Minsk, Grodno and also in Moscow. The first show already took place in the famous theatre festival "BELAJA VEŽA" in Brest on the 10th of September.
On the 20th of May (2007) near by Kaunas Castle (Lithuania) the premiere of musical Undine(Mermaid) (the performance is after the same name novella written by Friedrich de la Motte Fouque)) took place. It is a performance of Zita Bružaite (composer), Gytis Padegimas (director) Ramute Skučaite (author of libreto), Danguolė Beinarytė (conductor), Birutė Ukrinaitė (scenographer) and Rasa Butrimavičiūtė (choreographer). Performers: Vida Miknevičiūtė (Mermaid) (Switzerland)); Mindaugas Zimkus (Knight), Rita Preikšaitė (Maiden), Giedrius Prunskus (White Man, Rill), Raimondas Baranauskas (Fisherman), Jovita Vaškevičiūtė (Noble Lady, Fishermans wife), Tomas Ladiga (Priest). The Č. Sasnauskas Chamber Choir (directed by Mindaugas Radzevičius) from Vilkaviškis (Lithuania) Christian Cultural Centre also participated in this performance. Other patricipans: The Kaunas String Quartet; Wind Instruments Group; The Academic KTU Choir (Kaunas) Jaunyste, etc. The audience of this performance reached the number over 10000 and became the bright accent closing Kaunas Days of 2007.
July 02, 2007
The research on theatre innovator Michael Chekhovs creative method and its embodiment in the field of business and management have recently become one of the aspects of director Gytis Padegimas work. The participants of teaching seminars cycle The Creative Laboratory of Gytis Padegimas have studied to master the elements of Michael Chekhovs method, to get acquainted with psychology of acting person and to adapt this knowledge in every day activities. These studies have become very popular; during these practice students have got knowledge and its adjustment skills; they also have learned to concentrate and operate their attention. The creative imagination has been trained as well. This aspect helps to find the optimal decisions in difficult circumstances. These practices also teach to relax and master a body as well as to find your own artistic expression creating personal image. Mala Powers who was Michael Chekhovs student and the researcher of his creative method and work determined: Michael Chekhovs acting technique is also the technique of the life. Nowadays the world of business ascertains it more and more.
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