“The Polish Foundation of Performing Artists “Plac Teatralny”, together with Radio Poznań and the ZASP branch in Poznań, with funding from the “Fundusz Popierania Twórczości” of the ZAiKS Authors Association, co-creates the world’s first remotely produced radio play called “Próba” (Attempt) due to the spread of the coronavirus pandemic. Our actors record their parts remotely, while Piotr Świątkowski, the scriptwriter and director of the radio play, incorporated the reality of the epidemic into the lives of the semi-amateur music band “Kantata”. The “Plac Teatralny” Foundation supports the project’s organizational and legal aspects.

Trapped at home, the musicians of the “Kantata” band, at the encouragement of their conductor, organize online rehearsals. Each musician connects with the band’s director every day to play their part of the concert remotely. This is, in brief, the plot of “Próba”.

We aim to create an interesting radio play and also provide work for actors who found themselves in difficult financial situations – says Filip Frątczak, the chairman of the Poznań branch of ZASP. The safety of the actors is our priority. The characters communicate through online messengers, which allows us to work remotely. The script for “Próba” is being created as we go. The characters comment on real events, entertain, move, and uplift.

The musicians of “Kantata” talk about art, family issues, and unfulfilled plans – says the scriptwriter Piotr Świątkowski from Radio Poznań. The conductor combines the recorded fragments sent by the musicians and publishes them on the band’s profile. “Kantata” becomes a social phenomenon, a response of the people of culture to the fear and loneliness of the epidemic threat.

The parts performed by the musicians were composed by Andrzej Ciborski, a musician, poet, and journalist from Radio Poznań. The radio play features actors from theaters in Poznań, Kalisz, Gniezno, Gorzów Wielkopolski, and Zielona Góra.”