The festival kicks off a day before the grand opening with two original projects. On Saturday, April 20th, starting at 6 PM at the GKM Split stage, the Art Organization Punctum, T25, and KunstTeatar will present "You Can Be Anything You Want" by author and director Ivana Vuković, followed by "Euphoria" by Ksenija Zec, produced by the Zagreb Youth Theatre, at 8 PM at the Croatian National Theatre Split.
On Sunday, April 21st, alongside the festival's opening ceremony, the Marin Držić awards for new dramatic texts from the Ministry of Culture and Media will be presented, followed by the Croatian National Theatre Split ensemble performing "Red Water" by Jurica Pavičić, directed by Ivica Buljan. Until April 29th, a diverse program awaits, as curator Jelena Kovačić describes: "These performances stand out not only for their artistic and production quality but also for their willingness to take theatrical risks. The selected plays are recognized by theaters as places of social and artistic responsibility, as well as risk-taking, fostering dialogue and audience participation in contemplating their theatrical and real-life experiences. Themes range from intimate, personal, even romantic stories to critical examinations of patriarchy, patriarchal mentality, and the position of women in society, to crime plots that use their fundamental narratives as paths to social critique and collective introspection."
The performances to follow include: "Masks" by Dražen Šivak, a co-production of the Art Organization Grupa and the Dubrovnik Summer Festival, in collaboration with Scena Ribnjak and Teatar Exit (April 22nd at GKM Split); "The Case of One's Own Peril" by Kristian Novak, directed by Ivan Plazibat and performed by the Croatian National Theatre in Varaždin (April 23rd at HNK Split); "Girls" directed and dramatized by Tjaša Črnigoj, a co-production of the Art Organization Kolektiv Igralke, HNK Ivan pl. Zajc, and Zavod VIDNE in partnership with the Slovenian Youth Theatre and MASKA Ljubljana (April 24th at HNK Split); Tomislav Šoban's original project "Reality," performed by the Croatian National Theatre in Zagreb (April 25th at GKL Split). From Argentina comes "It Would Be a Pity if the Plants Died" by Ivor Martinić, produced by Apacheta Sala/Estudio Theater (April 26th at GKL Split). The Rijeka Croatian National Theatre presents the dramatization of Mani Gotovac's book "Partings," directed by Anastasija Jankovska (April 26th at HNK Split). In the Bellevue Hotel in Split on April 27th, Eurokaz in collaboration with the Serbian National Council and the Croatian Engineering Society presents the play "Symphonies / Turpitude" directed and dramatized by Rajna Racz, with the final competitive performance being "My Sad Monsters" by Mate Matišić, directed by Vito Taufer from the Zagreb City Drama Theater "Gavella" (HNK Split, April 28th).
The festival concludes on April 29th with the award ceremony and the performance of the play "Lullaby for Aleksija Rajčić" by Đorđe Kostić, directed by Jug Đorđević, presented out of competition by the Belgrade National Theatre.
The Marul Festival Jury, composed of Borna Baletić, Vesna Bulić Baketić, Trpimir Jurkić, Miona Miliša, and Stela Mišković, will award prizes for: contemporary dramatic text of the festival performance; for dramaturgy of the performance; for dramatization/adaptation/localization; for the performance as a whole; for direction; two awards for acting achievements; for artistic achievement (set design, costume design, lighting design, original music, etc.); and the audience award for the best performance, based on audience ratings. Additionally, the readers' jury of the daily newspaper "Slobodna Dalmacija" will award the prize for the best acting performance.
The accompanying program of the 34th Marulić Days, in the year commemorating the 500th anniversary of the death of the father of Croatian literature, is richer than ever before. It will feature readings of the award-winning dramatic text from the "Marin Držić" competition; the Marulianum Literary Circle Split will organize scientific, literary, and publishing events during Marulić Days; the Center for Culture and Lifelong Learning "Zlatna vrata" will host an interpretive walk and lecture titled "Walking with Marko and Darko through Split." Gorana Gita Galić, a licensed guide and deep connoisseur of Split's history, has joined the festival and will lead enthusiasts through an educational walk of the city center in a program called "My Brother Marko." "An Evening with Marulić" is a scientific-literary evening dedicated to the father of Croatian literature, with the most awarded Croatian writers, playwrights, and dramatists Dino Pešut, Ivor Martinić, Jelena Kovačić, and Ivana Vuković guiding interested parties through their first creative steps on the terrace of the Cornaro Hotel in a program called "I Am a Writer." A special pub quiz "Marul at Mario's" is organized by our esteemed director and quizmaster Mario Kovač. "In Music with Marulić" presents sheet music editions and sound carriers by academic Frane Parać, and as part of the festival, this year, the event "Ča, more, judi" showcasing children's chakavian poetry will take place on the island of Šolta. Also included is the "Zvonjava" Festival of Children's Writers and numerous other accompanying events that make this festival edition richer than ever before.