Renovation

Historical building situated by the main street of Kielce Sienkiewicza 32, which has been a seat of the Theatre for 141 years is prepared for realization of the investment named “Rebuilding, extension and super elevation of historical object of Stefan Żeromski Theatre in Kielce”, which means modernization of the building, adapting it for the needs of disabled persons, implementing the new scenic technology, opening the chamber scene open to the backyard and reconstruction of antique elements, such as sculptures of four muses at front façade.

The investment is planned to be completed in 2023.

The Theatre will join forces with the National Theatre of Iceland

photo Piotr Polak

On 27th October 2021 the director of the theatre, Michał Kotasiński, signed a contract with the director of the National Theatre of Iceland, Magnús Geir Þórðarson. This partnership started several years of cooperation with the biggest and the most important theatre in Iceland. A new chapter has also started in the history of Stefan Żeromski Theatre, as a place open to artistic and cultural diversity. We believe that what builds a community is most of all shared work, which is why the Kielce ensemble visited Reykjavík as part of the partnership, participating in workshops with local artists and presenting a play from its repertoire at the National Theatre of Iceland. Another outcome of this cooperation will also be a play examining the life of Polish emigrants in Iceland – and their strategies for becoming part of a new community. The performance based on the play will have its world premiere on the 145th anniversary of Stefan Żeromski Theatre in February 2024 on the new Kameralna Stage.

The cooperation will culminate with the Polish premiere of a contemporary play by an Icelandic author, a visit to Kielce of the ensemble of the National Theatre of Iceland, and their performance on the renovated historic stage at Sienkiewicza Street. Can two ends of Europe – isolated because of the pandemic and polarized by cultural wars – meet and find a shared language? In Stefan Żeromski Theatre we believe that it is possible and that the hope for our continent lies in the cooperation of smaller, local institutions, above the “big” politics. The partnership is part of the “Renovation of the historic Stefan Żeromski Theatre in Kielce in order to maintain the cultural heritage and widen the cultural and educational activity” (pl. project financed by the EEA and Norway Grants 2014–2021.

Extending the scope of the renovation

The task titled „Extending the scope of the renovation of Stefan Żeromski Theatre in Kielce to include the adjacent tenement building at 32 A Sienkiewicza Street” was co-financed from the funds of the Minister of Culture and National Heritage.

In November 2021, the Theatre became the owner of the adjacent lot and tenement building at 32 A Sienkiewicza Street. This purchase was necessary to achieve the plan of extending the scope of the investment. The renovation includes creating three two-level stage traps, one wing, and a fly loft enabling hoisting elements of scenery on motorised battens. So far, the Theatre reconstruction project made the most of the possibilities of the existing context of the historical building. Yet, it required making some compromises due to the limited space. The building extension will significantly increase the staging possibilities, i.a. thanks to quicker scene shifts. Another advantage might be the possibility of stage acting in three directions. Broadening the scope of the investment will give the Theatre technological and staging possibilities equal to global standards for contemporary dramatic and musical theatres. The investment is funded by the Ministry of Culture and National Heritage, in the amount of 4 000 000 zlotys. The total value of the task is 4 080 783,54 zlotys.

The implementation of the task consisting of expanding the investment to include the adjoining tenement building at 32 A Sienkiewicza Street (plot 203, area 0016) began in the fourth week of November 2022. It has been possible thanks to acquiring funding from the Ministry of Culture and National Heritage and the Marshal Office of the Świętokrzyskie Voivodeship. In October 2022, we received an additional 4 655 000 zlotys from the Ministry of Culture and National Heritage to achieve this task. It’s the closing of a certain process; it’s been exactly a year since the Theatre came into possession of the tenement house thanks to the support of the governing authorities. We also received a positive decision from the Świętokrzyskie Voivodeship Conservator of Monuments, and on 4th November 2022, we were granted a construction permit. We are also in possession of full documentation prepared by the WXCA company, the author of the Theatre renovation design. It is worth mentioning that the Theatre was able to prepare for this investment very quickly, in less than twelve months.

The investment expansion is conducted by Anna-Bud – the contractor for the entire operation. A contract between the Theatre and the local company was signed on 21st November during a press conference on the construction site, in the presence of the Marshal of the Świętokrzyskie Voivodeship and Krzysztof Lipiec, MP.

The aim of the task is to expand the investment to include the building of the adjoining tenement house, which will significantly increase the practicality level of the stage and its technological possibilities. The task includes creating a backstage wing, a fly loft enabling hoisting elements of scenery on motorised battens, a two-level system of stage traps, a service lift from the Sienkiewicza Street, stage storages on stage level and in the understage.

The extension will enable: making use of the deep stage layout, including the shaping of the wings’ floor and the possibility to hoist scenery as high as 500 cm; quick scene shifts thanks to the possibility of moving the scenery to both wings on stage trolleys; the possibility of hiding the scenery moved from the forestage or mounted in the wing, and moving it to the understage; finding the necessary space at stage level for on hand storages for stage tech equipment and props; creating a scenery storage allowing for frequents repertoire changes thanks to the possibility of storing already assembled scenery; the possibility of efficient unloading of decorations from vehicles that can’t access the courtyard because of their size.

The completion of the task is scheduled for the fourth quarter of 2023.

Photo Report (12.02.2021)

The Discovery of the Polichromy

The first building works and advanced demolition works are being done at the construction site in 32 Sienkiewicza street. Installation and freight elevator were deconstructed. Disassembly of window frames and doors is taking place, as well as demolition of some partition walls and lining. Liquidation holes are being immured and walls are being strengthened. The ceilings in the main building are also being prepared for demolition.

During the opencast works of the stairway some polychromies from the XIX century were discovered.

The paintings were covered by wood paneling hitherto, in brown and grey colors, they have character of a frame. They were to imitate paneled wooden paneling, until it was replaced by the real wood paneling.

The conservator stated that the lining is not coherent with the system of cast-iron stairs’ run mounted in the stairway. It can show that they had been painted before the stairs were installed (The description in “Kielce Newspaper” from 1878 claims that the stairway was equipped with cast-iron stairs). There is a possibility that inconsistence of polychrome with the run of stairs after their installation induced the owner to cover the wall with the wood paneling.

There was also an examination of the exposure in the upper parts of the stairway (above the midsection of the wooden panels), where the conservator laid open a fragment of painting with the ornament in olive green color. There is blue color appearing under that layer (which shows that olive green paintings were secondary). These parts will be further examined i.a. in order to define the primary colors and chronology of creation of particular elements.

The examination above the scene unveiled the further secrets. The gildings on the caryatids were discovered. In the joist of lintel there was a Latin citation from Horace: Omne tulit punctum, qui miscuit utile dulci (He gains universal applause who mingles the useful with the agreeable). The inscription was encrusted, and behind it there used to hang the coat of arms of City of Kielce.

Photo Report (19.05.2021)

Konferencja prasowa z udziałem Wojewody Świętokrzyskiego Zbigniewa Koniusza (3.02.2022)

Wizyta Marszałka Województwa Świętokrzyskiego Andrzeja Bętkowskiego (17.03.2022)

Niezwykłe znalezisko (kwiecień 2022)

Budowlańcy znaleźli na placu przebudowy zabytkowej siedziby Teatru przy Sienkiewicza 32 cegłę. Nie byłoby w tym nic dziwnego, gdyby nie fakt, że materiał ma w środku wypalony pokaźny napis STUMPF, czyli nazwisko inicjatora i głównego fundatora kieleckiego teatru. Cegła pochodzi najprawdopodobniej z 1877 roku, kiedy to ruszyła budowa gmachu jedynego w regionie budynku teatralnego. Na niezwykłe znalezisko napotkano w podziemiach, u wejścia do dawnej kawiarni Dziurka.