The first generation of the Rijeka CNT Youth Theatre Kamov participants has brought to its end a journey through the magic of the theatre art – in this season. By the production of the Wizard of Oz they surprised and thrilled the audience that followed them with loud applauses and numerous shouts of approval, having also shared their impressions with us: “A superbly done work in Oz”, “So much magic in the hearts of these young people”, “They are phenomenal performers. All those who worked with them – you can see that work as they have shown it all”, “They were brilliant, patient, precise, professional, everything was at the right level”, “I’m a parent of one of the participants. It has ben wonderful to see so much enthusiasm. She didn’t find it hard to attend rehearsals in the early morning, go to schools, again to rehearsals, doing everything with a lot of dedication.
Nowadays, when the mobile phone is of primary importance for the young, it is commendable that a way has been found to make them interested in the theatre. I think that everything has been done at a high level, as much as it was possible. These young people don’t have to become actors, we, parents, are not burdened by ambitions, but this experience has been invaluable and will definitely remain as a significant memory”, “I’m speaking from the experience – those who have something to do with the theatre as children, remain its faithful audience forever”, “Not only do they act, sing and dance well, they made us laugh and managed to genuinely move us”, “These children are a revelation, a really refreshing experience in the theatre. You can see they can fulfil the most challenging tasks and perform everything on the stage in quite a mature and convincing way. It amazes how in such a relatively short period of time they succeeded in giving such a quality performance”, “From the point of view of dramaturgy and direction it was perfect; everything was done with the feeling for the right measure in each segment”.
The Kamov youth spent 152 teaching periods of work in this season, they travelled to performances outside of Rijeka, watched performances in the Zajc Theatre, some of them also taking part in them, having encountered literally all phases of work in the process that takes right to the applause of the happy audience. It is exactly this that their mentor and director of this project, Igor Vlajnić, pointed out as the most important segment and the most significant confirmation for receiving a certificate for their successful work. After a strong and loud applause, all the twenty-six Kamov young people received their well-deserved certificates at the solemn ceremony.
Marin Blažević, the CNT Ivan pl. Zajc general manager, congratulated the first generation of the CNT Ivan pl. Zajc Youth Theatre Kamov. He singled out a few important presumptions that make a performer, congratulating them on their courage to appear on stage, speaking on stage, stage movement and inter co-operation, also togetherness. “I believe that numerous new projects are in front of you, hoping that in ten years’ time you will proudly look back at the time you became the first Zajc Kamov young people.”
Igor Vlajnić expressed his gratitude to the participants, mentors of all workshops, supporters and sponsors, to the Rijeka Youth Centre, parents and all who had supported the Kamov youth.
The Wizard of Oz staging features Nina Abramović Dimec, Karlo Agoli, Luka Babić, Nina Berdik, Matea Blažević, Valentina Bolić, Domagoj Dujmović, Leon Hasančević Matijašić, Mia Lukić, Lora Matijašić, Nika Miculinić, Ingrid Nimčević, Lucija Pedić, Nuria Ricken, Lana Rožić, Ema Sacchi, Ema Seifert, Dan Kabalin Sirotnjak, Karla Šoštarić, Alice Tabellini, Iva Ukalović, Antonio Valenčić, Leda Vujnović, Tarik Žižak, Enija Žufić and Matija Danijel Žugaj.
The authors’ team comprises the creators of set design (according to the preliminary sketch by Igor Vlajnić), the APURI (University of Rijeka Academy of Applied Arts) students Ivan Botički and Nikolina Šupraha under the mentorship of Lara Badurina, Assoc.prof., costume design, also by the APURI students under the mentorship of Barbara Bourek, Assist. prof., namely, Erika Milič, Karlo Laić, Mirna Žerjav, Lea Tabak, Ivana Barić and Mia Šalić, choreography by Vitalij Klok, lighting design by Davor Miljanović, while Andrej Babić is the music collaborator.
Put on your red shoes and come to the reruns of the amazing Wizard of Oz on Thursday 7th June at 19:30 hours and on Friday 8th June at 12 hours.