About the Foundation

On 17 th April, 2012, Yugoslav Drama Theatre set up the YDT Foundation as a medium for collaboration with potential donors and partners in view of fostering better conditions for the development of theatre art and encouraging other activities which would broaden and strengthen our contribution to the cultural life in general.

Ever since its inception, YDT has used both its modern and classical repertoire, continually delivering new productions while adhering to the highest artistic standards, professional dedication and perseverance as means of offering its support to brave and innovative ideas. All this has helped YDT to establish itself as one of the most important and well respected theatres in the country. This reputation has been confirmed and further enhanced through continued and very successful regional and international activities. We are very proud of a vast number of guest performances, tours, participations in some of the most important local and international theatre festivals, but we were especially proud when in 2006 Yugoslav Drama Theatre became a member of the prestigious Union of Theatres in Europe (UTE) as one of only four theatres – together with theatres from Moscow, Saint Petersburg and Israel – that do not hail from an EU member state. We were particularly honoured when on 1 st January, 2015 Belgrade became one of UTE’s headquarters.

In order to remain true to our tradition and high standards we shall continue to use the Foundation activities to support the most important and forward looking art projects and tendencies in the theatre life of the country. We believe that through the work of the Foundation we shall manage to improve the existing and create new forms of cooperation and communication with other theatres and networks in the region, Europe and the rest of the world. In addition, we intend to use the Foundation as a platform for supporting educational programmes, dedicated primarily to young artists and audience members, publication and all other off-stage activities as our response to some of the most important cultural and social needs of our community.

Activities of the Foundation

‘Branka and Mlađa Veselinović’ annual award

Two famous actors from the pantheon of Yugoslav Drama Theatre were Branka and Mlađa Veselinović, members of the first group of actors to join YDT when it was founded in 1947. In 2012 they donated funds to YDT Foundation to set up a best actor award for best performance by an actor or actress in any of the productions that opened at Yugoslav Drama Theatre during that year.

2018.

The jury comprised of Nataša Ninković, actress, Miloš Krečković, YDT resident drаmаturgue and Radovan Vujović, actor and member of YDT ensemble, decided to award the annual ‘Brаnkа and Mlаđа Veselinović’ award for 2017 to NENAD JEZDIĆ for his portrayal of Jožef Kantor in the production of The King of Betajnova by Ivan Cankar, directed by Milan Nešković. Award ceremony took place on 3 rd April – the anniversary of Yugoslav Drama Theatre.

Photograph from Yugoslav Drama Theatre archives

Photograph from Yugoslav Drama Theatre archives

2017.

The jury comprised of Goran Šušljik, actor and member of YDT ensemble, Miloš Krečković, YDT resident dramaturgue and Nikola Rakočević, actor and member of YDT ensemble, decided to award the annual ‘Brаnkа and Mlаđа Veselinović’ award for 2017 to JELISAVETA SEKA SABLIĆ for her portrayal of Lady Frola in the production of Right You Are, If You Think So by Luigi Pirandello, directed by Jagoš Marković.

Photograph from Yugoslav Drama Theatre archives

Photograph from Yugoslav Drama Theatre archives

2016.

The jury comprised of Branislav Lečić, actor and member of YDT ensemble, Vojin Ćetković, actor and member of YDT ensemble and Miloš Krečković, YDT resident dramaturgue, decided to award the annual ‘Brаnkа and Mlаđа Veselinović’ award for 2016 to NEBOJŠA GLOGOVAC for his performance in the leading role in Hamlet by William Shakespeare, directed by Aleksandar Popovski.

Photograph from Yugoslav Drama Theatre archives

2015.

The jury comprised of Nikolа Đuričko, actor and member of YDT ensemble, Miloš Krečković, YDT resident dramaturgue and Srđаn Timаrov, actor and member of YDT ensemble, decided to award the annual ‘Brаnkа and Mlаđа Veselinović’ award for 2015 to NATAŠA TAPUŠKOVIĆ for her performance in What Happened after Nora Left Her Husband; or Pillars of Society by Elfriede Jelinek, directed by Snežana Trišić.

Photograph from Yugoslav Drama Theatre archives

JURY STATEMENT: Nataša Tapušković has managed to bring to life, on the stage of Yugoslav Drama Theatre, one of the most complex and most challenging female roles both in the classical and modern repertoire. By guiding her Nora through a world of extremely vivid, grotesque, powerful and mainly male characters, supremely confident in her use of a number of demanding methods of expression, Tapušković has invested an enormous amount of precision, energy and courage in order to master the numerous artistic challenges that are contained in the poetry and the ideas of the author Elfriede Jelinek and director Snežana Trišić.

2014.

The jury comprised of Aleksandra Janković, actress and last year’s laureate, Miloš Krečković, YDT resident dramaturgue and Nataša Tapušković, actress and member of YDT ensemble, decided to award the annual ‘Branka and Mlađa Veselinović’ award for 2014 to VOJIN ĆETKOVIĆ for his performance in the production of The Journal of Čarnojević by Miloš Crnjanski, directed by Miloš Lolić.

Photograph from Yugoslav Drama Theatre archives

JURY STATEMENT: With his simple and exalted acting, controlled and strong expression, Vojin Ćetković brings together the style, the spirit and the thoughts of the author, director and the entire ensemble, the collective hero of this produciton.

2013.

The jury comprised of Mirjana Karanović (jury president), Nebojša Glogovac (last year’s laureate) and Miloš Lolić had a difficult decision to make in choosing between four productions: Betrayal by Harold Pinter, directed by Goran Šušljik, Crime and Punishment by F.M. Dostoyevsky, directed by Ana Tomović, The Woman from Sarajevo by Ivo Andrić, directed by Gorčin Stojanović and Hinkemann: May There Be What Has to Be by Vuk Bošković, directed by Andrej Nosov. The jury decided to give the award to ALEKSANDRA JANKOVIĆ for her portrayal of Old Lady Hinkemann in Hinkemann: May There Be What Has to Be by Vuk Bošković, directed by Andrej Nosov. The award ceremony took place on Friday, 27 th December, 2013 at 11am at Yugoslav Drama Theatre.

Photograph from Yugoslav Drama Theatre archives

JURY STATEMENT: Her portrayal of Old Lady Hinkemann in Hinkemann: May There Be What Has to Be, was proof that Aleksandra Janković belongs among the best stage actors in this country. Her performance is both emotionally strong and exciting. Using subtle means and adopting the ‘less is more approach’ in her acting, she manages to stir powerful emotions in the audience. In a production that imposes a very strict and reduced form, she infuses her character with an almost documentary realism. We are happy and proud to be able to give an award to such an authentic and superb theatre performance.

2012.

The first ever ‘Branka and Mlađa Veselinović’ Yugoslav Drama Theatre Foundation award in 2012, with a jury comprised of Branka Petrić, Anita Mančić, Predrag Ejdus and honorary member Ljubica Radović Đurović, went to NEBOJŠA GLOGOVAC for his performance in Suspicious Person by Branislav Nušić, directed by Jagoš Marković. The award ceremony took place on 3 rd April the anniversary of Yugoslav Drama Theatre.

Photograph from Yugoslav Drama Theatre archives

JURY STATEMENT: Nebojša Glogovac is an extremely capable actor in his ability to convey the most complex emotions, with refined expression and subtle nuance. Very early on in his career Nebojša proved to be one of the most exciting actors of his generation and soon became one of the best Serbian actors of his time. His gestures and his vocal mastery, a bubbling cauldron of emotions, his humour and irony, as well as a constant need to go the extra mile, are what makes him appear both classical and modern in his acting, in the best possible meaning of the word. Working with leading directors, playing opposite some of our best actors, Glogovac has grown into one of the best stage professionals not only at Yugoslav Drama Theatre but in our entire theatre tradition. The ‘Branka and Mlađa Veselinović’ Foundation award is the latest addition to the awards he has received for his high professional standards that are so evident in the art of Nebojša Glogovac.

‘….I love theatre, too’ project for grammar school students

The ‘….I love theatre, too’ project has been devised as an opportunity for grammer school students in Belgrade to visit Yugoslav Drama Theatre during their final year and learn about the genesis of a theatre production and the way institutions such as YDT operate. The visit includes a guided tour of the premises and students have an opportunity to see a production, talk to the actors, authors and people working at the theatre.

The main goal of this project is to acquaint the students with the process of creating a theatre production of high artistic quality, to raise awareness among the students on how to adopt a more comprehensive approach and observe, from various angles, the achievements and importance of a work of art, a contribution to their ability to appreciate artistic work and motivate them to adopt a more varied use of their free time while encouraging them to develop their creative potential.

During 2014 and 2015 the project was financed by the Ministry of Culture and Information of the Republic of Serbia.