The beginning and after
Hristo Tzerovski in a scene of
"Romeo and Juliet"
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Hristo Tzerovski created the unusual idea. He has graduated drama staging in "Kr. Sarafov" National Academy of Drama and Film Art, in the class of the famous producer – Kirkor Azaryan. He has assisted to the greatest staging master in Bulgaria – Leon Daniel. He has brought plays on the stages in various towns of the country and abroad.
After he had left the director post in Plovdiv Drama Theatre, Hristo Tzerovski became an instructor in training theatre in "Paisiy Hilendarski" university in Plovdiv. In 1999 he agreed to participate in "Children Social Service" school project – direction "Social problems and drama". And this was the occasion, which made him form the first and greatest in Bulgaria children village drama school - "Petrovden".
The realization of the drama activity started after Hristo Tzerovski had met the children, had selected actors and had started the |
preparation for "Romeo and Juliet" by Shakespeare. The children studied various subjects: acting,
fencing, stage speech, manners, English, etc. The rehearsals took a long time but nobody looked at his/her watch. At the end of June 2000, exactly on St Peter’s day, the famous tragedy by Shakespeare was presented in the schoolyard. Starring sky, fires, rapiers clinking, horse stamping and excited audience – it is difficult to describe the huge rapture of the whole village, and the admiration of the guests from near villages, Pazardjik, Plovdiv and Sofia.
After the second premiere the schoolchildren and students embraced each other and wept with joy in a classroom. The children were not the same, their vocabulary was different, and they were in great spirits. The aggression and cynicism declined. But the magic of the theatre was still to happen.
In 2000 a project of the Drama school of |
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Performances of the "Petrovden" drama studio has numerous audience
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the Fund 2000 for youth initiatives was defended with the financial support of Debates Association, Open Society Institute – New York and Open Society Foundation – Sofia.
The torch procession from "Hamlet"
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The project was implemented together with the Primary school of the village of Bedekovchina, Republic of Croatia and "Paisiy Hilendarski" University in the town of Plovdiv. The next challenge was "The merchant from Venice".by Shakespeare. On 20th and 21st July 2001 the schoolyard was turned into a theatre stage. The alleys were painted blue and you felt like being near the Venetian canals. Bridges which a looked the same as the original ones were built. Sets were taken out and put together and later they were set apart and taken away. Children’s enthusiasm was immeasurable. After a midnight rehearsal, at dawn, they were at school again to sweep the alleys to be painted blue later. The little actors made part of the sets. Nobody was absent. Everybody was together – the children, the producer, and the |
professional actors. And after the students from Croatia had arrived for the last rehearsals, the atmosphere became even more theatrical.
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In September 2001 the Drama school visited their friends in the village of Bedekovchina. "The merchant from Venice" went on and the Croatian audience could enjoy Bulgarian as well as Croatian speech.
Just before Christmas in 2001 the people in Patalenitza became a part of the next wonder – "Romeo and Juliet – winter fairy tale". Snow, freezing cold, fires and … a theatre in the schoolyard.
A documentary "Shakespeare in a Balkan manner" was shot. And it won the prestigious prize Golden chest at XXVII international TV festival in Plovdiv in autumn 2002 and a few months later the prizes Golden eye and Bronze hero. The film successfully presents the atmosphere of Hristo Tzerovsky’s work with children when preparing a winter
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Rehears of the play "Summer night dream"
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theatre performance.
The media show great interest towards the activities of the theatrical school
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The next summer "Petrovdentzy" rehearsed the comedy "The taming of the Shrew" with a sinking heart. Their beloved teacher Hristo was seriously sick. Despite being in a bad condition he managed to come from the hospital in Sofia and attend the two premieres. In November 2002 he died. His deed was continued by his wife Inna Tzerovska, the manager of the educational theatre at "Paisiy Hilendarski" University in Plovdiv, the co-ordinator of the projects and a costume designer, the actors: Vera Mihaylova, Vyara Nacheva, Kiril Kirilov, Galina Trifonova, Hristo’s students, the theatre master Georgy Stefanov, the principal Nikola Kolev and the whole school staff. This tragic lost did not put a stop to the work of "Petrovden" Drama school. The actress Vyara Nacheva became the manager, and the |
producer was the young teacher of acting atPlovdiv University – Todor Dimitrov. At the end of July 2003 the schoolyard was full of eager viewers. They saw "Hamlet". The theatre-bridge project was realized together with the school of the village of Bedekovchina, Croatia. In May 2004 "Hamlet" was performed in Bedekovchina, Croatia.
In summer 2004 the loyal admirers of the Drama school were pleased again. With a financial support from United Dutch Foundations
"A midsummer dream" by Shakespeare was performed.
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