Juozas Miltinis drama theatre (Panevėžys)

1

Context and volume

The Panevėžys Drama Theater, founded in 1940, only a year later got the premises of Stanislovas Montvila Theatre assigned to it. This was a former yeast and distillery workshop, rebuilt in the early 20th century to include a theatre hall. These premises were small and cramped, and there was a constant urge to reconstruct them, but ever without success. After the Second World War, the plans for the construction of a new theatre palace began.

The land lot was was not chosen immediately, but it was decided that the most suitable place to build the new theatre palace was the corner of Lenin (now Laisvės) Square and Elektros Street. This decision was made due to the fact that this place was in the city centre and it was easy to reach from various spots of the city. A closed competition for the construction of the building was announced at the Kaunas branch of the LSSR Urban Construction Design Institute and won by the architect Algimantas Mikėnas.

However, gaining permission to build a drama theatre was not easy. At that time, the construction of similar objects was strictly prohibited in the Soviet Union, so the decision was taken to start the construction under the excuse of Panevėžys needing a good palace of culture. Even then, though, construction began in a different way – the main building was ‘an annex’ to the clubhouse, for which construction funding was officially approved. The new palace was opened in 1968 and was the first newly built theatre in Soviet Lithuania.

Here is what architect V. J. Dičius said about the new building of Panevėžys Drama Theater immediately after its opening: „If in the past many believed that architecturally a theatre is characterized by a colonnade, powerful pediments, many elements of decor, then today its architecture is primarily determined by function. The main elements of the theatre – the stage, the lobbies – have become the most important elements of the architectural expression of the building.”

The building of Panevėžys Drama Theater is considered to be a striking example of modernist architecture: with its strict, ascetic forms, lack of symmetry, with horizontal continuous glass strips on the façades, the decoration a moderate monochrome – grey granite plaster. The side façade is decorated with a metal relief by the sculptor Juozas Kėdainis.

2

Function and internal structure

The functional strength of the Juozas Miltinis Drama Theatre building is that it was designed for the purposeful activities of the drama theatre (despite the fact that it had to be covered with the purpose of building the palace of culture). With the building’s design, director Juozas Miltinis’ close collaboration with architect Algimantas Mikėnas began. The latter was given the opportunity to feel the pulse and spirit of the theatre, to get to know it as an insider – the architect was offered to create the scenography for several of J. Miltinis’ theatre pieces.

The building of Panevėžys Drama Theater was planned to be of 3–4 floors with a 600-seat auditorium. However, the project was revised several times, and J. Miltinis himself was actively correcting the project during its construction.
Stanislovas Juodikis, head of construction works, remembers that “Juozas Miltinis and Vaclovas Blėdis had hundreds of unexpected architectural planning solutions. It looked like this: “You, Vacys, go to Stasys. This partition needs to be moved right there, and this here needs to be left for storage. Tell him that Mikėnas agrees.” Vacys would go to Stasys, and Stasys would move the partition. J. Miltinis and V. Blėdis knew how to read the designs.”

The current building of the Panevėžys Drama Theater consists of two parts: the main building and the extension for production and auxiliary premises built a few years later. However, it can be assumed that the design of both parts proceeded consistently as a continuous process. This is evidenced by the dates of the prepared drawings and the fact that the building contains all the premises necessary for the operation of the theatre with well-thought-out functional connections between them.

The building has a wide range of facilities: both public spaces accessible to spectators (for example the box office, lobby, cloakroom, the big and small hall) and theatre administration premises, as well as auxiliary premises closed to the public (for example, actors’ make-up rooms, a prop room, decoration workshops and warehouses, a costume shop, laundry room, a shoemaker’s and even accommodation for visiting actors etc.). Over time, the functionality of the building has undergone only a few minor reconstructions, and all the basic needs of the theatre have been met to this day.

3

The great lobby and the big hall

Every guest of the Juozas Miltinis Drama Theatre is first greeted by a tambour with the box office, which leads to the lobby with a cloakroom. It still preserves authentic mosaic concrete (terazzo) floors and stained glass by Ludvikas Pocius. The lobby looks small, but the architect Algimantas Mikėnas himself thought that its area was sufficient; after all, the audience does not gather to the theatre all at once, but individually or in small groups. At the end of the play, they can spread out both in the lobby and in the foyer as these spaces are connected.

The lobby is bright, spacious, with concrete, even rigid shapes, surrounded by a second-floor gallery and a cantilever staircase. Unfortunately, the authentic interior decoration of the lobby has not survived. At that time, the ceiling here was decorated with a composition of chandeliers, which were created especially for the Panevėžys Theatre. Now the lamps have been replaced by a decorative staircase composition, symbolizing the actor’s rise to fame (author Juras Pilkauskas). The wall of the hall-lobby was decorated with veneered wooden panels, the same materiality repeated in the handrails of the stairs and gallery. This finish was later replaced by a more aesthetically pleasing and almost sterile material, glass. Smooth light wall planes have also undergone various transformations: at first of a  rich blue, now a more moderate – grey colour was chosen. Previously, the windows in the lobby were covered with curtains.

However, the interior of the big hall was and still is particularly refined. It is important to mention that J. Miltinis himself paid special attention to its materiality and colour. He wanted the colour of the wall boards to be like of oak soaked in water for 20 years – this was finally realized; these siding boards are still authentic to this day. J. Miltinis also pointed out that the stage arch must be black, not distracting, highlighting the action on stage itself. An accurate commentary about the interior of the big hall of the Panevėžys Drama Theater was made by architect Vytautas Jurgis Dičius: “The intimate, cozy volume of the hall makes the viewer zoom in, prepares him for what he will see on stage; it’s kind of an overture for the performance.”

4

The great stage

One of the pre-design proposals of architect Algimantas Mikėnas in terms of the great stage was similar to the then modern and rapidly gaining popularity in the Western world ‘Black Box theatre hall’. The architect suggested director J. Miltinis to move the stage to the middle of the hall and abandon the stage box. In that case, the role of the proscenium arch separating the stage from the hall would vanish. Nevertheless, the director J. Miltinis, actively involved in the design of the Panevėžys Drama Theater himself, challenged this idea by saying: “Everything that happens on stage is a reflection of the human spirit, which cannot exist entirely openly. It’s like a secret that, when hidden – the curtain closes, and the spectator again remains surrounded by the real, everyday world. If the theatre stage is moved to the middle of the hall, it is as if the spectator would be participating in the performance, and here he would be watching a surgery of the human soul as if in an operation room.”

So it was decided to design and install a classic, arch-separated scene: comfortable – with wings on the sides and an arrière-scene at the back; spacious enough – larger than the auditorium, meanwhile the avant-scene was planned to be further expanded by covering the orchestra pit with floor panels. However, the technical stage equipment was chosen to be particularly modern: the stage wheel was modelled after the Tartu Theater – with five speed levels; fitted with hydraulic lifts, various traps; equipped with a remote-controlled lighting system. Another unusual solution, which still remains present in today’s theatre, is the horizontal view as in a semicircle. The way the rear stage drapery was installed created a more convincing perspective and further improved the acoustics.

During the reconstruction in 2018–2020, all the equipment on the great stage was substantially upgraded and automated, applying today’s advanced technologies, which were designed and installed together with specialists from the Netherlands.

5

The small hall

In the initial proposals of architect Algimantas Mikėnas, the Southwestern part of the Panevėžys Drama Theatre building was planned as a club. It had a separate entrance with a spacious lobby, a so-called circle-dance and games room on the ground floor, and a foyer and dance hall on the second floor. However, in the time of J. Miltinis, this part of the building was used for theatre purposes – the second floor hall held rehearsals and Tuesday post-performance discussions (also called „Black” or „Laundry” Tuesdays, as the actors received criticism from the director).

Eventually, the small hall began being used not only for rehearsals, but also for performances. However, it lacked a convenient adaptation: the small hall did not have closed backstage space to accommodate a make-up room, prop and sanitary facilities. It was also tricky to play long performances as the actors entered the hall through the same entrance as the spectators. The shortcomings were eliminated during the reconstruction in 2009: a full-fledged backstage and a separate entrance for the actors was planned.

The interior of the small lobby is not very representative – it is likely that this got to be historically. As long as there were only rehearsals in the small hall, there was no functional need for a lobby room. However, later, when performances began taking place in this hall, spectators were directed to this part of the building through the main lobby and the corridor leading through the administrative premises. However, the lobby of the small hall could even function independently – if the entrance of the spectators would be organized to be through the second entrance door on the ground floor from the side of the Laisvės Square.

Small chamber plays and plays for children take place in the current small hall of the Juozas Miltinis Drama Theatre. The hall is partially prepared and adapted according to the idea of the performance staged by the director, and the spectators’ chairs are arranged accordingly.

6

Miltinis laboratory

In 2018, when the main stage of the Juozas Miltinis Drama Theatre was closed for reconstruction, the Miltinis Laboratory was established in the premises of the decoration workshop. This is another – the third theatre hall dedicated to showcasing performances. The emergence of this hall was not planned and it was meant to be founded for the theatre to not suspend its activities during the reconstruction of the grand stage. However, the Miltinis Laboratory has taken root in the theatre and performances are still being made there.

It is an alternative, non-traditional, Black box type theatre hall. The former decoration workshop is now a spacious dark room with black walls and ceilings, as well as black flat floors. The Miltinis Laboratory does not have any stationary elements that are common to the classical theatre scene: it has no stage, no backstage, no proscenium arch, and no permanent auditorium space. Therefore, for each new stage creation, this space is re-planned and re-adapted.

The Miltinis Laboratory can be accessed through the right side of the main hall – through a door more than 8 meters high, which was previously used to move the decorations to the stage. This hall does not have its own lobby, but there is a direct exit to the inner courtyard. Although this courtyard could be described as more technical than representative, it is used as an open-air lobby during breaks in between plays. In addition, it has been used even more creatively as an additional space for the performance: once, the action outside was filmed and watched while the audience was still in the hall.

In general, due to its nature and exceptional aura, Miltinis Laboratory is very suitable for presenting experimental, contemporary theatre, as well as performances and other creative experiments.

7

The theater’s cafeteria and Miltinis’ coffee

An integral part of the social process of every theatre is a café. Previously, Bronė Končiuvienė – a barista, worked in the café of the Panevėžys Drama Theater for many years, and she also brewed coffee in the buffet of the old theater. According to the people of the theatre, this was one of the first places in the city where coffee became available, and most importantly – real coffee. How true this story is, it’s hard to tell; especially since J. Miltinis himself allowed the legend to live on, as if to add even more mysteries surrounding the theatre. 

Another living legend – the coffee brewed by J. Miltinis himself. The director would serve the drink only to the people he liked, and he never revealed the recipe to anyone. The ritual of making this coffee remained known only to him: the director himself roasted and grounded the coffee beans. It is said that the coffee prepared by J. Miltinis was so thick, that the copper teaspoon would hold upright in the cup for some time, then would slowly swing, reaching the edge of the cup. By the way, „Miltinis’ coffee” can now be tried in one of the cafes in the city centre.

In the drama theatre itself, the café is located on the second floor of the lobby. Both its place and function are unchanged; however, the interior of the cafe has been changed several times. Authentic furniture has not survived – neither the bar nor the tables with chairs. The best option is still being sought: during the renovation, not only the decoration of the bar was changed, but also its place, which impacted both the layout of the tables and the trajectories of the movement of the people. There were also plans to adapt the lobby to a wider range of events: cultural, educational, social; and at the same time make the café work not only before the events. These plans have not been implemented.

In addition to the café in the lobby of the theatre, which is now open only during performances, there is a public café on the ground floor of the south-west wing of the building, which works independently from the theatre. For a while, it even bore the name „Theatre Café” (now a pizzeria). Although this cafe has such an integral place, it has not become a favourite place for the theatre’s visitors to continue communication after a play.

8

Hotel “Nevėžis“

J.Miltinis’ famous plays attracted a lot of interest even just after the war. Panevėžys Drama Theatre has become famous not only in Lithuania, but also far beyond. The performances were attended by spectators as well as theatre and film professionals from Riga, Tallinn, Leningrad, Moscow, not to mention spectators from neighbouring cities and districts.

Apparently, the low tide of notoriety and high theatre attendance was not expected, because only after the start of the construction of the new building of the Panevėžys Drama Theatre, the design of the new Panevėžys hotel project appeared next year. A little later the hotel was actually built. It is accurately said that „Miltinis not only built the Panevėžys Drama Theatre, but also the city of Panevėžys.”

The new Panevėžys Hotel, named „Nevėžis” (later renamed „Panevėžys”), was designed by architect Alfredas Paulauskas. The construction of the hotel was completed in 1972; at that time, it was one of the highest hotel buildings in Lithuania.

The architecture of the modernist high-rise building was created by combining two volumes: vertical and horizontal, in keeping with the international functional type of the period. The composition of the upper part of the building consists of a combination of plain walls, windows and balconies, the main façade is slightly curved towards the inside. Advanced for those times monolithic constructions were used.

The hotel was built directly in front of the drama theater building – on the other side of Laisvės Square – and became an important object in the formation of the new Panevėžys center. Although the high-rise architecture is minimalist, its size seems to have taken over the entire surrounding space and has become a major vertical accent to the entire city. At that time, the construction of high-rise buildings in the historical space became a characteristic feature of the time (to be built in the centers of many major Lithuanian cities), but it was often assessed negatively due to the contrast the building would bring. In this case, the thirteen-floor object contrasts strongly with the old churches, the height dominants of the city.

Nevertheless, the back in time the newly completed hotel Nevėžis constantly represented the city in Soviet-era photo albums; today it is almost unused and is vanishing.

9

Public center "Girstupis" in Kaunas

J. Miltinis is undoubtedly a phenomenal theater director, but his influence covers a much wider field. As if he were an architect, he was actively involved in the design and construction of the new building of his Panevėžys Drama Theater. Also, the quality of his performances and the large number of spectators influenced the growth of Panevėžys and determined the construction of a new hotel. However, J. Miltinis’ „architectural achievements” extended even to Kaunas! For the public center „Girstupis” (now called „Girstutis”) built in Kaunas part of the Panevėžys theater building project was adapted.

The design for the Public center „Girstupis” in Kaunas, near current Kovo 11-osios and Chemijos streets, started in 1966. The complex consists of two large buildings, which were developed as two independent objects: a shopping center and a recreational complex for a synthetic fiber factory. The project assignment for these objects was prepared by the architect Algimantas Lėckas and completed by the architect Vytautas Jurgis Dičius.

A 600-seat factory club, a gym, a swimming pool and a café were planned as part of the recreational leisure complex building. However, coordinating the project task, it was already assumed that the complex would be intended to be open not only for the factory workers, but also for the people of Kaunas. Thus, a new volume was agreed upon: instead of a club, to design a theater-type 600-seat auditorium with a stage, backstage and artists’ and other auxiliary premises. The project was in rush, so the initial project of the Panevėžys Drama Theater stage and its equipment was used for this part of the building.

During the Soviet era, it was a widespread practice to build objects according to typical projects. However, the cases of Panevėžys Drama Theater and “Girstupis” are slightly different. In Kaunas, only a part of the Panevėžys Theater building project was used (i.e. only the stage) – other premises and interior decoration were designed without copying the Panevėžys Theater Palace. Still, the volumetric composition of the two buildings is very similar, perhaps because the modernist architecture of the time was characterized by minimalism and purely functional aesthetics.