The Lithuanian National Drama Theatre is dismissing its playwright Marius Ivaškevičius, weeks after it sacked its artistic director amid public spats with the theatre’s director.
The theatre said Ivaškevičius’ position had become “redundant” with the appointment of three new artistic directors.
Ivaškevičius has commented that the decision to sack him was not unexpected, but insisted that the theatre’s director general Martynas Budraitis should step down.
“I thank Marius Ivaškevičius for his work at the theatre and I hope that we will find other formats for successful cooperation in the future,” Budraitis said in a statement on Tuesday.
“Naturally, when the artistic direction and artistic director of a theatre change, so does the creative team of the theatre,” Budraitis continued. “A new group of artistic directors takes over the helm of the theatre’s entire creative program from the tandem of Oskaras Koršunovas and Marius Ivaškevičius.”
Ivaškevičius says that he was asked to leave his job “by mutual consent”, but refused to do so and was fired.
“The director simply has a new survival plan to stay in his position, which I am not part of,” he told BNS, commenting on the reasons for his dismissal.
The playwright said he would seek changes in the National Drama Theatre, including in its management.
“The person who has caused such a crisis in the theatre should think about submitting himself to a vote of confidence,” he said.
Ivaškevičius took up the job as playwright at the National Drama Theatre in January 2021 at the invitation of Oskaras Koršunovas, the theatre’s artistic director at the time, who was fired in December.
In late January, Budraitis announced the appointment of three new artistic directors: Kamilė Gudmonaitė, Eglė Svedkauskaitė, and Antanas Obcarskas.
The theatre’s management claimed that the reason was Koršunovas’ negligence in his duties and systematic absenteeism.
Meanwhile, Koršunovas later suggested he fell victim to Budraitis’ power games, saying he was subjected to mobbing and blocked from decision making.
Koršunovas appealed his dismissal to the Labour Disputes Commission.
Newsletter
Every Friday morning.
