Rogaland Teater - Rogaland Teater

Rogaland Teater

Rogaland Teater opened 9 September 1947. A working committee had been established in 1946, and after subscription for shares and financial support from Rogaland county administration and several of the municipalities in Rogaland, the theatre was established 6 June 1947. Its first theatre director was Øistein Børke, being its leader from 1947 to 1949. Later directors were Jens Bolling from 1949 to 1951 and Kjell Stormoen from 1951 to 1952. Claes Gill was theatre director from 1952 to 1956, and during his period the theatre got a new profile, with lower ticket prices and a new marketing strategy. His interpretation of the role figure "Jeppe" in Holberg's Jeppe på Bjerget became part of Norwegian theatre history.

Gisle Straume was theatre director from 1956 to 1958. During his period the theatre staged Andreas Jacobsen's (artist name "Ajax") play De' smedle på Skansen, and Liv Ullmann had her breakthrough as "Anne" in Anne Franks dagbok. During Straume's period the children's theatre (Norwegian: Barneteatret) was established, initiated by Bjørn Endreson, with children playing the leaing roles. Bjørn Endreson was director from 1960 to 1970, and he established the small stage "Mandagsteatret" which staged plays by contemporary dramatists, such as Eugène Ionesco and Samuel Beckett, and was a forerunner of "Intimscenen" from 1974. Arne Thomas Olsen directed the theatre from 1970 to 1976.

Kjetil Bang-Hansen was theatre director from 1976 to 1982. During this period the theatre became one of the most central theatres in Norway. His adaption of Ibsen's verse play Peer Gynt received much acclaim, and it was also played at the Belgrade International Theatre Festival, giving Bang-Hansen international recognition. He also staged a theatre adaption of Lev Tolstoj's story The Story of a Horse.

Later directors have been Alf Nordvang (1982–1986 and 1990–1991), Bentein Baardson from 1986 to 1989, Hans Rosenquist from 1989 to 1990, Ketil Egge from 1991 to 1994, Ola B. Johannessen from 1994 to 1997, Eirik Stubø from 1997 to 2000, Ingjerd Egeberg from 2000 to 2004, and Hanne Tømta from 2005 to 2008. Arne Nøst is theatre director from 2009. The theatre often performs plays by local dramatists, such as Alexander Kielland, Arne Garborg, Alfred Hauge and Jon Fosse.