The Adriana Budevska Drama Theatre is located in the city of Burgas and bears the name of one of the most renowned Bulgarian stage actresses. As one of the city’s most striking symbols and an inseparable part of its cultural identity, throughout its long history the theatre has given Bulgaria an invaluable constellation of distinguished directors, actors and set designers.

History and founding

Theatrical life in Burgas dates back to the last quarter of the 19th century, when local teachers began staging plays such as “Lost Stanka,” “The Bishop of Lovech” and “The Long-Suffering Genoveva.” The tradition of this “school theatre” continued even after the Liberation.

At the end of the 19th century the first Sofia troupes began to tour the city, and the educational societies (“Miloserdie,” “Zarya,” “Otechestvo” and “Napredak”) became a natural hub for theatrical activity. Their performances outlined a serious interest in repertoire by authors such as Ivan Vazov, Leo Tolstoy, Gerhart Hauptmann and Henrik Ibsen, which led to the planning of year-round theatre seasons.

1914 – The municipality resolved to establish a subsidized, permanently operating theatre.
Autumn 1918 – The first acting troupe was formed.
1 February 1919 – The first performance was staged: “Krechinsky’s Wedding” by Alexander Sukhovo-Kobylin.

Among the founders of the theatre were Anton Popov, Trayko Antonov, Lyubomir Kerekov, Atanas Hristov, Nadya Stanislavska, Mara and Ivan Penkovi, and others.

Creative legacy and notable names

The skillful blending of classical and contemporary repertoire, innovative direction and vivid acting established the Burgas theatre as a benchmark for theatrical art in Bulgaria. Burgas audiences had the privilege of enjoying titans such as Krastyo Sarafov, Konstantin Kisimov and Sava Ognyanov.

On the theatre’s stage, their most significant productions and roles were created by:

Directors: Vili Tsankov, Leon Daniel, Yuliya Ognyanova, Metodi Andonov, Asen Shopov, Krasimir Spasov, Ivan Dobchev, Mladen Kiselov, Lyudmil Staykov, Grisha Ostrovski, Tacho Tanev and Yordan Sarivanov.

Actors: Naum Shopov, Itzhak Fintzi, Yosif Sarchadzhiev, Ani Bakalova, Plamena Getova, Georgi Popov, Milka Tuykova, Stoyan Stoev, Sava Hashamov and Tseno Kandov.

Set designers: Mladen Mladenov, Todor Stanilov and Vecheslav Parapanov.

Facilities and infrastructure

In 2011 the theatre building underwent a major renovation — the electrical and plumbing systems were replaced and a new heating system was installed.

Before the renovation, the theatre had a single auditorium with 400 seats. Today it welcomes its audiences in two modernized halls:

Main stage: 298 seats

Apostol Karamitev chamber hall: 105 seats

Seasons and festivals

In theory, the active theatre season in Burgas runs from October to May, but in practice cultural life does not stop throughout the year. In summer, much of the activity moves to the resort centers along the Black Sea coast. Guest performances are also often staged in the halls of the Garrison Military Club and the Neftohimik Cultural Centre.