Jan Mikulášek

Head Director of the Na zábradlí Theatre since the 2013/2014 season.

Since 2013, he has served as the resident stage director of the Na zábradlí Theatre, where he has created a number of productions, including adaptations of literary works as well as original scripts and plays. His directorial approach is characterized by his use of editing, rhythm, musical counterpoint, and the parallel development of plot lines. He also draws significant inspiration from the visual arts, which is reflected in his emphasis on mise-en-scène, visual composition, and the use of light. In his productions, he repeatedly explores literary and philosophical themes and often reinterprets well-known texts and cultural motifs.

Before joining the Na zábradlí Theatre, he served as artistic director of the Petr Bezruč Theatre in Ostrava and previously headed the Polárka Theatre in Brno. At the same time, he collaborated for many years with the Reduta Theatre in Brno. In 2013, he resumed his collaboration with Petr Štědroň following the latter’s arrival at the Na zábradlí Theatre.

He has received numerous awards for his work. In 2011, he received the Theatre Newspaper Award for the production V+W: The Letters. The production Golden Sixties won the Alfréd Radok Award for Best Production in 2013. For the production Woodcutters, he received the Theatre Newspaper Award in 2018, and the Josef Balbín Award presented by the Prague Theatre Festival of the German Language.

In addition to the Na zábradlí Theatre, he also regularly collaborates with other Czech theatres, including the drama department of the National Theatre in Prague, where he has directed productions such as Marysha, The Cremator, and I Am a Country.

He studied drama directing at the Janáček Academy of Performing Arts in Brno but did not complete his studies.

The Na zábradlí Theatre and Me
No matter what subject matter we tackle at Na zábradlí, I can always be sure that I’ll find support in our wonderful cast. They all effortlessly transition from understated performances to expressive stylization; they embrace an authorial approach based on improvisation, while also skilfully handling classical texts. But above all, they always manage to create a wonderful, creative, and joyful atmosphere.