The Bulgarian Role in the MEDUSA Project
Bulgaria plays a crucial role in MEDUSA – Contemporary Playwriting and Inclusive Identities in Europe, especially in relation to contemporary drama, translation, text selection and the promotion of new writing. The Bulgarian partnership includes 36 Monkeys and EURODRAM BG as beneficiary partners, together with New Bulgarian University as associated partner.
Their contribution is central to the project’s objective of creating a transnational observatory on contemporary playwriting and promoting the circulation of texts connected to identity, gender and social transformation.
36 Monkeys: Contemporary Drama and the Observatory
36 Monkeys is a women-led non-profit association based in Sofia, founded in 2007 to promote contemporary drama, theatrical innovation and translation. Its work has contributed significantly to the visibility of new dramatic writing in Bulgaria.
One of its most important initiatives is ProText, a platform dedicated to the presentation of new plays through performance-readings. Over the years, ProText has introduced many European plays to audiences in Bulgaria and beyond, creating an important space for contemporary dramaturgy and first encounters between texts and the public.
Within MEDUSA, 36 Monkeys leads the work package dedicated to the Observatory and Translation. This role includes coordinating the methodology for selecting plays, supporting the mapping of contemporary texts and ensuring that the project’s research process remains coherent across the three countries.
36 Monkeys also contributes to the Bulgarian mini-festival and to the curation and translation of texts into Bulgarian. Its long-standing experience in contemporary drama and international exchange makes it a key partner in connecting Bulgarian theatre with the broader European context.
EURODRAM BG: Translation, Selection and European Networks
EURODRAM BG is the Bulgarian committee of the European network EURODRAM, dedicated to the promotion and translation of contemporary playwriting. Established as a foundation in 2023, it builds on years of work by translators, dramaturgs and theatre professionals committed to the development and circulation of new dramatic texts.
Within MEDUSA, EURODRAM BG provides curatorial and editorial support in the selection and translation of plays. Its role ensures that the Bulgarian contribution remains connected to local dramaturgical debates while also opening contemporary Bulgarian playwriting to wider European circulation.
EURODRAM BG also contributes to the project’s broader translation strategy. By connecting MEDUSA to a wider network of translators, authors and theatre professionals, it helps strengthen the transnational reach of the selected texts.
A Long-Standing Bulgarian Collaboration
The collaboration between 36 Monkeys and EURODRAM BG is one of the strengths of the Bulgarian partnership. The two organisations share a long-term commitment to contemporary dramaturgy and theatre translation in Bulgaria.
Since 2014, 36 Monkeys has coordinated the Bulgarian Committee of the EURODRAM international network, working closely with the group of translators and dramaturgs that later founded EURODRAM BG. Through ProText and other initiatives, the two organisations have jointly curated play selections, coordinated performance-readings and developed partnerships with cultural institutions.
This collaboration allows MEDUSA to rely on a strong and coherent Bulgarian structure, capable of combining artistic selection, translation expertise, public presentation and professional networking.
New Bulgarian University: Education and Young Audiences
New Bulgarian University, through its Theatre Department, contributes to the educational and academic dimension of MEDUSA in Bulgaria. Its role is to support student engagement, critical reflection on contemporary dramaturgy and the integration of new writing into educational contexts.
This contribution is important because MEDUSA aims to involve young people not only as spectators, but also as active participants in the cultural process. Through New Bulgarian University, the project reaches students, emerging theatre practitioners and future cultural professionals.
Bulgaria as a Platform for New Dramaturgies
The Bulgarian partners bring to MEDUSA a strong commitment to the development, translation and dissemination of contemporary drama. Their work responds to a specific need: creating more spaces for new plays, supporting authors and translators, and strengthening the presence of Bulgarian dramaturgy in a European context.
Through 36 Monkeys, EURODRAM BG and New Bulgarian University, Bulgaria contributes to MEDUSA as a platform for new writing, artistic exchange and cultural dialogue. Its role helps the project build bridges between local dramaturgical practices and a wider European conversation on identity, inclusion and contemporary theatre.