“IT IS VERY IMPORTANT TO TELL THE STORIES OF OUR LAND”
Karadağlı said, “Taking advantage of the fact that I come from the private sector, we went for a more human-oriented poster design. Perhaps many of our actor friends will not be able to see themselves in the posters. Our posters were a bit classic. Now we are trying to find the most beautiful, most human-oriented expressions. The posters attracted attention and benefited from it.” “We saw it. Theater is an interactive work, it is live. Videos were very useful for us to use social media visually.” said.
Stating that the recently staged play Devlet Ana, directed by Ayşe Emel Mesci and adapted from Kemal Tahir’s novel, was a success, Karadağlı said, “We will make a balance among the works in the new art season. We will have works and classics adapted from the novel. We also attach importance to local writers and balance this balance.” “It is very important to tell the stories of our land. We will have classics, and there will be stories of our land.” he said.
“TODAY, WE PLAY ALL OUR GAMES FOR FREE”
Karadağlı continued his words as follows:
“I congratulate both my colleagues and our audience on March 27 World Theater Day. Today, we are performing all our plays for free. During the epidemic period, State Theaters opened their stages to private theaters, and we will continue to do so. State Theaters are the largest artistic institution in Turkey, patronage in one place We also have a duty. Of course, we will help, we will open our stages on our days off. But we cannot open our stages all the time, it is necessary to establish a balance. We reserved our 75th Anniversary Stage in Kızılay only for allocations. We will continue to open the doors of our other stages to private theaters on the days when we are not playing. “
Stating that he works with a very good team, that he has been running around and making an effort since the day he arrived, Karadağlı said that they want to take games everywhere. Stating that State Theaters offer ticket prices at very affordable prices compared to private theaters, Karadağlı said:
“When you go to London or New York and want to watch a musical, if the tickets are sold out, tickets are bought on the black market and are very expensive. Since we are a non-profit institution, we keep ticket prices very low. The important thing for us is to be able to spread art and theater to our people. The 2023-2024 art season starts Since October, 4 thousand 84 performances have been held with 201 plays. 1 million 247 thousand 601 spectators have been reached. There is a 10 percent increase in the number of our spectators compared to last year. This is a happy figure. This means that there is a difference in our posters, promotional videos and repertoire. Our people show their kindness.”
REHEARSALS OF THE JOINT ROMEO AND JULIET PLAY WITH GREECE CONTINUE
Sharing his evaluations about the use of artificial intelligence in DT’s game writing, Karadağlı said, “Since we are human-oriented, will we write an artificial intelligence game? I don’t think so. At least not in the near future. Maybe it can be tried later, it will be experimental.” said.
Providing information about the work on the Romeo and Juliet play, a co-production between Turkey and Greece, Karadağlı said that the rehearsals of the play, which will be staged for the first time, are continuing in Greece and that they will stage it together with the Greek Piraeus City Theatre. Stating that he will visit Greece next week and watch the rehearsals, Karadağlı pointed out that the play is an indicator of the cultural and economic rapprochement with Greece in recent years.
Stating that they will carry out such projects with different countries, Karadağlı said:
“We are obliged to promote our own theatre, our national theatre, abroad, and at the same time, we need to be in very close contact with abroad. We organize a lot of festivals every year. We invite dozens of theaters from abroad. We host them in the best way possible. This cultural exchange is gradually increasing. I believe that this should be a great benefit, because it is of great benefit in relations between countries. The fact that the cultural relations between countries are so close can actually eliminate many problems. Because art is such a thing, it adds beauty, peace, and brings countries closer. We are planning new studies with the Turkish world countries of the State Theaters. .”
“I learned that State Theaters do not tour to the USA and England”
Explaining his projects regarding staging Turkish theater abroad, Karadağlı said that he learned that the State Theaters did not tour to the USA and England until now.
Tamer Karadağlı, “One of my biggest dreams is to stage a Turkish musical on Broadway in America for 3 or 4 days. To be able to hang our posters throughout the apartment building, to be able to go on stage there and to show the State Theater there, too. I hope it will be next year and will coincide with the 75th anniversary of the State Theatre. “If there is a play, a musical, where we can tell the story of our own land in the best way, there can be nothing more beautiful than this, with its dance, songs and games,” he said. Emphasizing that it takes time to prepare such big projects, Karadağlı said that in 2025, the 75th anniversary of the founding of DT will be celebrated. He stated that they could also benefit from sister institutions such as the State Opera and Ballet and the General Directorate of Fine Arts for this project, which they want to implement in its 10th year.
“WE CAN INCREASE THE NUMBER OF PLAYS, BUT THE NUMBER OF STAGES IS NOT ENOUGH”
DT General Manager Karadağlı stated that the preparations for the new art season have started and that they want to increase the number of plays and performances every year, and said, “We are also opening new stages. We have opened 4 stages since my arrival. We send our best plays to these theaters and ensure that they become established. We can increase the number of plays, but we can increase the number of plays on stage.” “Our number is not enough. We need to act within these limits. Düzce State Theater will open its curtains soon.” said.
On the other hand, regarding his taking part in plays, Karadağlı said, “I should strive for the theater now. Later, maybe in the second year, the system will be well established and I can act in plays, too. Right now, I am working for the theater for my friends.” he said.
