The building of “Elpis” Theatre was opened on 20 December 1898. The building was built following the project of the French architect L. Piver. The contractor I.Vlahopoulos was of Greek origin. It is the single festivities hall from Constanţa city, the most beautiful, with parquet floor, with large mirrors, covering the sidewalls with balconies in the form of Π.
Here were held the most shows and concerts that used to come on tour in Constanţa, during the first half of the century, and where started its activity even the State Drama Theatre, until its equipping with a new hall.
On its stage played big bands and Greek and Romanian actors. Here performed several times the great composer George Enescu. Guest of the Theatre was also the great historian Nicolae Iorga.
In the building of Elpis Theatre has operated since 1900 the Puppets Theatre
Since 1910, when Al. Davila inaugurated the summery theatrical seasons of Constanţa Casino, on the poster of performances have been included, for many summers in a row, puppets performances, played by theater groups especially brought from the “Grand Guignol” Theater from Paris, as then, during IIIrd and IV th decades -, puppet or puppet groups have toured, which were playing in the capital.
During the summer of 1956 was established the band and they started to prepare the first performances. Rehearsals were held within the enclosure of Drama Theatre and simultaneously one passed to the arrangement of the performance hall in the foyer from the balcony of the building. The inaugural performance was held on 14 December, with an adaptation by Pushkin, “The golden fish”, completed with an original short play, “The first lesson”.
The first years of activity were marked by the staging of plays dramatized by fairy tales and stories famous in universal literature: Puss in Boots, Little Red Riding Hood, Little Muck, Snow White, Happenings of the brave Haerache etc., or in our literature: Two money purse, Fram, polar bear.
The Puppet Theatre from Constanţa undertook numerous tours, participated to national and international festivals in Croatia, Bulgaria, Belgium, France, Italy, Poland, Russia, Turkey, Hungary and Moldova, enjoying great success and achieving 54 awards.
Since 2000, the actor Licã Gherghilescu becomes head of department and artistic manager of Ovidius Theatre. He will succeed to fulfill an old dream of puppeteers from Constanţa, which is to have a theater of their own and not just a section of Ovidius Theatre.
In 2003 on the structure of puppets section, was founded the theater for children and youth having as main objective to widen the repertory range of performances and hence the audience to whom they are addressed.
Thus, in addition to puppet performances, the theatre repertory includes performances by actors, with puppets, dance, movement, mime performances, that address a diverse audience from children to teenagers and even grandparents.
Of the Theatre for Children and Youth achievements we remind: Cinderella, Turandot, Alladin, Stone from the House, The Snow Queen, A journey with surprises, Old woman’s daughter and old man’s daughter, Olympus Legends, Goat with three kids, etc.
