site.btaActor Yavor Milushev Receives Ikar Award for Exceptional Service to Bulgarian Theatre

Actor Yavor Milushev receives the Ikar Award for Exceptional Service to Bulgarian Theatre, the Union of Bulgarian Actors said Wednesday. The nominations were announced during a ceremony in the Sredets Hall of the Culture Ministry.

In remarks on the occasion, Deputy Culture Minister Kalin Velyov said the Ministry is honoured to be a partner of the Sofia Theatre Salon for long years and to host the nomination event. 

Union of Bulgarian Actors Chair Hristo Mutafchiev said that "the young are coming forward in Bulgarian theatre and this makes me very happy". 

Jury member Prof. Nikolai Yordanov said that the list is not "the absolute choice" and it is the aggregate of the personal decisions of the people in the jury. He also said, "We have to accept that Sofia is the place where theatrical life is centred. Sofia is the natural centre where talent flocks."

Theatre critic Dr. Albena Tagareva, also a jury member, said that "what stands out are the plays focusing on serious socio-political issues, in Bulgaria and across Europe". 

Actor Svetoslav Dobrev of the jury said that what he was looking for in picking the nominations for the acting awards was "that extraordinary step that the actors took forward to throw a bridge in the theatre hall, to bring the audience closer, open new doors and make the audience go back to the theatre". "I believe there was plenty to choose from," he added.

Following is the list of nominations in the main categories:

Debut

• Angela Kaneva, Viktoria Vladova, Maria Kariloska, Dimitar Vasilev, Dimitar Biserov (How Wonderfully Badly We Lived, directed by Vanya Borisova, Atelier 313 Theatre);
• Vanina Yordanova (Love as a Commodity, directed by Damyan Tenev, Geo Milev Drama Theatre – Stara Zagora);
• Ivana Keranova (Bifem, directed by Rostislav Georgiev, Sava Ognyanov Drama Theatre – Ruse);
• Preslav Tarpanov (Slingshot by Nikolai Kolyada, directed by Yordan Slaveikov, Art Office Foundation).

Leading male role

• Mak Marinov (Public Enemy,directed by Kris Sharkov, Small City Theatre Behind the Canal);
• Samuel Finzi (The Merchant of Venice, directed by Yavor Gardev, Ivan Vazov National Theatre);
• Simeon Damyanov (Tribes by Nina Raine, directed by Zafir Rajab, Bulgarian Army Theatre).

Leading female role

• Albena Pavlova (Mother Courage and Her Children, directed by Stoyan Radev, Aleko Konstantinov Theatre of Satire);
• Nevena Kaludova (Intractable Woman by Stefano Massini, directed by Nadya Pancheva, Orenda Art Center, Toplocentrala Center for Contemporary Arts);
• Radina Kardzhilova (Medea, directed by Declan Donnellan, Ivan Vazov National Theatre).

Supporting male role

• Ivaylo Gandev (The Beauty Queen of Leenane by Martin McDonagh, directed by Boil Banov, Adriana Budevska Drama Theatre – Burgas);
• Iriney Konstantinov (Cat on a Hot Tin Roof, directed by Staiko Murdjev, Sofia Theatre);
• Leonid Yovchev (Public Enemy, directed by Kris Sharkov, Small City Theatre Behind the Canal).

Supporting female role

• Bilyana Georgieva (XXL, directed by Boyan Kracholov, Conclave Association, Toplocentrala Center for Contemporary Arts);
• Nikol Georgieva (Mother Courage and Her Children, directed by Stoyan Radev, Aleko Konstantinov Theatre of Satire);
• Simona Zdravkova (XXL directed by Boyan Kracholov, Conclave Association, Toplocentrala Center for Contemporary Arts).

Direction

• Zafir Rajab (Tribes by Nina Raine, Bulgarian Army Theatre);
• Stoyan Radev (Mother Courage and Her Children, Aleko Konstantinov Theatre of Satire);
• Yavor Gardev (The Merchant of Venice, Ivan Vazov National Theatre).

Puppet Show

• The Canterville Ghost by Oscar Wilde, adaptation and direction by Elitsa Petkova, State Puppet Theatre – Plovdiv;
• We Play Romeo and Juliet, directed by Stoyan Radev, Sofia Puppet Theatre;
• Three Jolly Fellows by Eno Raud, directed by Yordan Tinkov, Nikolay Binev Youth Theatre.

Contemporary Dance and Performance

• Aleksandar Georgiev for Atrás and Anal Body/Anal Politics, Toplocentrala Centre for Contemporary Arts;
• Galina Borisova for Hypothetical, Ivan Vazov National Theatre;
• Ivo Dimchev for METCH, an interactive solo performance, Toplocentrala Centre for Contemporary Arts.