Witkacy Theater
Today, for ten years, the most famous building located at Chramcówki is the Witkacy Theater, known in Poland and abroad (Chramcówki 15), which adapted the theater hall of the former Chramca Institute. Getting to the theater can be confusing, but only the first time. Halfway down the street, on the left, going from Nowotarska, right next to the great rounded body of the new church, you have to turn between the blocks, which in years 60. could have passed for modern. You are walking along a not very wide sidewalk, on the right side with the church wall first, then the beautiful wooden villa Under the Mother of God, with balconies decorated with arcades. Behind it, a tall and impressive building, unusually for Zakopane, flows out, which was once the Hydrotherapeutic Institute of Dr. Chramca.
The impressive building was built after 1910 r. on the spot of the offside, wooden house and was still used as a hydrotherapy facility. Due to financial problems in 1916 r. the building was taken over by the Polish Red Cross, by arranging a sanatorium for the army. In the interwar years, civilian patients were also treated, and during the last war, the Germans operated here. After the war, the building housed various sanatoriums, and in years 70. the whole thing was taken over by the Ministry of Health as a rest house. Today, the former plant looks like a wreck of a luxury ship. It houses the Chałubiński hotel.
Then you have to go along the asphalt road, running among the greenery of the former park, turn left, pass the gazebo with 1903 r. and the entrance to the theater cafe. You have to go to the end of the building and turn right around the corner. Next to the garages with graffiti painted on the doors, straight from Witkacy's vision, you have to turn right again. There are stairs at the back of the building, terrace and three doors – entrance to the theater. You can also follow the black and white signs.
Theater
Zakopane has always been lucky with theater actors, who came on vacation. Such names appeared in Zakopane registration books, like Modrzejewska, Solscy, Węgrzyn, easterwa, Ćwiklińska, Zelwerowicz, Ordonówna, Sempoliński. It was a little less lucky with professional theaters.
The Zakopane stage was located in Morskie Oko at Krupówki. There, created in 1925 r. The Theater Society staged Witkacy's plays directed by him, but there was a problem with the lack of a rehearsal room. For many years, apart from folk-themed arts, legendary and robber, nothing ambitious happened.
Only the Stanisław Ignacy Witkiewicz Theater – first permanent and professional – he proved, that Zakopane can have a real stage and repertoire. It is one of the most ambitious, original and inspiring theaters in Poland. Since its inception, in 1985 r. presented himself in law 30 Polish cities, and also in Russia, Czechia, in Slovakia, Hungary, in Germany and France. It was created by a group of enthusiasts, graduates of Krakow's art schools in the old interiors of the former sanatorium, full of antiques, black, plush and candles. There is no final division of roles – the actors distribute tea before the performance, tickets are breaking, high school girls help sew curtains before the premiere. People are drawn here not only to performances, but also for "being" in an artistic atmosphere. It is a fantastic actors' habit, that they look after the audience with care and kindness. They treat them like nice, desired guests. The repertoire varies – Gombrowicz, Ionesco, Dostoevsky, Cooney i inni – but the basis is, of course, Witkacy's dramas. One could talk about the performances for a long time, that they are original, innovative, unusual and crazy. But the most important thing is this, that they are not boring, they pull you to that extent, that sometimes after the curtain has fallen it's hard to see, what reality you are in. Art exhibitions complement the professional activity of the Stanisław Ignacy Witkiewicz Theater (m.in. Jonah Stern, Jerzy Nowosielski, Tadeusz Brzozowski) and music concerts (Mark Grechuta, Stanislaw Sojka, Kora, Michal Bajor). Noteworthy is the smaller Stage of Atanazy Bazakbala in the theater cafe. There are people like that, who come to Zakopane especially for the Witkiewicz Theater.
Tickets can be purchased at the theater headquarters an hour before the performance or at the ticket office at the Tourist House (open Tue-Sat. in hours. 10.00-14.00).
The entrance to the theater cafe is located in front of the historic gazebo (open from Tue. do nd. in hours. 17.00-1.00). Not so much drinks can put you in a fantastic mood, what the names of the menu items:
Father Hieronim Wyprztyka's drink – mineral water;
King Richard II – vodka + tomato juice;
Pleasantly Tadzio – one Marlboro cigarette etc..
After leaving the theater, drowning in lush greenery, after repeating the route next to the Villa Under the Mother of God, you will come out more or less to the middle of ul. Chramcówki. Taking up the march up (5 min), you will get to the vicinity of the train station and bus station, to the intersection of Chramcówek, Jagiellońska and Kościuszko.
Z ul. Chramcówki you will come to the streets: Nowotarska, Kasprowicz, To the Samkos, Gymnasium, Kościuszko and Jagiellonian.