Theater “Arbatvakariai” Performance “The Storytelling Canon”

October 1, 2026 at 5 PM in the conference hall of Utena A. and M. Miškiniai Public Library, the theater “Arbatvakariai” presents the performance “The Storytelling Canon”, dedicated to one of the most outstanding Lithuanians – Juozas Tumas-Vaižgantas (1869–1933). Screenplay author and director – Eglė Tulevičiūtė. Starring: Kristijonas Siparis (canon J. Tumas-Vaižgantas), Virginija Kuklytė (mistress Emilija). We cordially invite everyone! The project is partially funded by the Lithuanian Culture Council ~~~~~ The screenplay was created based on literary sources: “The Unforgettable Vaižgantas. Memoirs, Essays, Letters”, “Juozas Tumas-Vaižgantas Family Correspondence”, “The Cultural Path: Juozas Tumas-Vaižgantas Letters”, A. Merkelis “Juozas Tumas-Vaižgantas” as well as narratives and insights from literary scholar and museum curator Remigijus Jakulevičius. The performance “The Storytelling Canon” is dedicated to one of the most outstanding Lithuanians – Juozas Tumas-Vaižgantas (1869–1933). If the writer, literary historian, critic, public figure, pedagogue, and canon J. Tumas-Vaižgantas were to live today, he would again seek “little diamonds” – young, civically responsible, talented “pure souls” devoted to art and science. Wishing to know his nation, its people, their customs and even their flaws as well as possible, he understood that one must look not only broadly, but as deeply as possible. Tumas was a personality of incredibly broad views, who transcended his era. As a priest, he was incredibly liberal, humane, marrying couples without confession and other formalities. Because of this, he was repeatedly punished by church leadership and eventually retired ahead of time. Vaižgantas himself wrote: “I am ultra-liberal, ultra-progressive, ultra-democrat, ultra-patriotic, ultra-arrogant, ultra-lazy, ultra-individualist, completely hopeless…” So it is no wonder that such a “hopeless” personality was not comfortable for everyone. J. Tumas – a universal man, priest, writer, teacher, journalist, theater critic, public figure, who knew the world and created it through his search and charisma. Throughout his life, during the times of tsarist Russia and Poland’s dominance, Vaižgantas cultivated the Lithuanian word, distributed forbidden press while serving as a vicar in various Lithuanian parishes, drew masses of people with his inspiring sermons, and later with his own hands and personal funds restored the Vytautas Church in Kaunas. This performance transcends the boundaries of classical theater, combining documentary reality and psychology with theatrical fiction in an authentic space where most historical artifacts can be touched by hand and experienced personally.