The RCI Digital Stage Presents: “Lottery Tickets”

As part of a partnership with The National Theater of Bucharest (TNB), we are proud to present in our Digital Stage series one of the best productions of recent years, LOTTERY TICKETS, an adaptation of a famous short story by Romania’s iconic playwright, I.L. Caragiale. Directed by influential Alexandru Dabija, the humorous story of a ridiculous clerk hitting the jackpot at the lottery acquires dark, expressionistic notes, which keep the viewers at the edge of their seats. A cautionary tale for the modern times, about the evanescent nature of luck and the destructive power of self-illusions. 

With a special message from director ALEXANDRU DABIJA.

The show will be available ONE TIME ONLY, as live streaming, on TNB's YouTube channel and shared on our Facebook page on June 27, at 8 p.m. New York & Toronto time / 5 p.m. Los Angeles & Vancouver time. (Please follow one of the links to watch.)

LOTTERY TICKETS

After I.L. Caragiale

In Romanian with English subtitles

Director: Alexandru Dabija

Decor: Helmuth Stürmer, Andrada Chiriac (assistant)

Costumes: Liliana Cenean, Irina Moscu (assistant)

Soundtrack: Alexandru Dabija

Assistant Director: Patricia Katona

Stage Movement: Florin Fieroiu

Premiere: 2012

Duration: 1 hour

The subtitled broadcast is made possible by a partnership between the Romanian Cultural Institute in New York and The National Theater of Bucharest.

CAST:

Gipsy women: Ana Ciontea, Corina Moise, Eliza Păuna

Mrs. Popescu: Valentina Zaharia

Mr. Lefter Popescu: Gavril Pătru

Storyteller: Marius Manole

Captain Pandele: Mădălin Mandin

Commissioner Turtureanu: Daniel Hara

Mr Georgescu - The boss: Mihai Munteniţă

Mitica, The Attendant: Eduard Mihai Cîrlan

Newsboy: Ionuț Toader

The Banker: Dragoş Dumitru

Police executioner: Marcel Bălănescu

About the play:

"Lottery Tickets is swirlingly staged by Alexandru Dabija, this master of contemporary direction, who is quartered in the essence of essences. Although joyful, the work is profoundly tragic. It's an urban Scourge." (Dinu Grigorescu)

"...a symphonical theatrical jewel about the whims of luck (a protruding theme in Caragiale’s writing), a theatrical symphony exemplarily directed, with a care for the pace of scenic exposure, rarely seen lately in Romanian theatre." (Mircea Morariu)

"Alexandru Dabija…created a show that produces a strong impression on the audience…Destiny, good luck, bad luck, misfortune, disaster... In Lottery Tickets, luck induces euphoria and the misfortune creates compassion on one hand and horror on the other." (Maria Sârbu)