1989

Poland’s first hip-hop musical – the story of the fall of communism told by the real heroes and heroines of those times

Juliusz Słowacki Theatre in Kraków

directed by: Katarzyna Szyngiera, idea: Marcin Napiórkowski, music: Andrzej „Webber” Mikosz, script: Marcin Napiórkowski, Katarzyna Szyngiera, Mirosław Wlekły, lyrics and vocal lines drafts: Marcin Napiórkowski, rap edition and lyrics of „Debata” and „Porozmawiajmy”: Patryk „Bober” Bobrek, lyrics of „Olo, gamechanger”: Patryk „Bober” Bobrek, Antoni Sztaba, lyrics of: „A co, jeśli wygramy”: Adam „Łona” Zieliński, vocal parts: Mateusz Bieryt, choreography: Barbara Olech, set design: Milena Czarnik, costumes: Arek Ślesiński, lights: Paulina Góral, assistant to the director and choreographer, vocal preparation: Wojciech Dolatowski, assistant to the costume designer: Daria Stefania Krawczyk, vocal consultation: Klaudia Rabiega, stunt effects: Tadeusz Widomski, stage manager and assistant to the director: Bartłomiej Oskarbski, producers: Izabella Oleś, Melania Szymerowska

cast
Karolina Kazoń: Danusia (Danuta Wałęsa), Rafał Szumera: Lechu (Lech Wałęsa), Katarzyna Zawiślak-Dolny/Agnieszka Kościelniak: Krysia (Krystyna Frasyniuk), Mateusz Bieryt: Władek (Władysław Frasyniuk), Magdalena Osińska: Gaja (Grażyna Kuroń), Marcin Czarnik: Jacek (Jacek Kuroń), Daniel Malchar: Bogdan (Bogdan Borusewicz), Karolina Kamińska: Alina (Alina Pieńkowska), Dominika Feiglewicz: Henryka (Henryka Krzywonos), Małgosia Majerska**: Anna (Anna Walentynowicz), Julia Latosińska: Zofia (Zofia Romaszewska/Danuta Kuroń), Topola, Władek’s Daughter, Rafał Dziwisz: The General (Wojciech Jaruzelski), The Nazist (Erich Koch), Dominik Stroka: The Prime Minister (Mieczysław Jagielski), The Party Secretary (Tadeusz Fiszbach), The Minister (Czesław Kiszczak), Antek Sztaba**: Aram (Aram Rybicki), Aleksander (Aleksander Kwaśniewski), A Crow (Erich Honecker), Wojciech Dolatowski**: Jerzy (Jerzy Borowczak), A Crow (Nicolae Ceaușescu), The Union Leader (Alfred Miodowicz), The Professor (Janusz Reykowski), Bartosz Bandura**: A Crow (Leonid Brezhnev/Todor Zhivkov), The Professor (Bronisław Geremek), Paulina Narożnik**, Dasza Melekh**
**the dancers

musicians
keys: Piotr Bolanowski, bass: Jan Kusek, electronics: Jarosław Pakuszyński, percusssion, musical direction: Wojciech Długosz

producer for the festival: Marta Dzwonkowska

“1989”, the first hip-hop musical in Poland, tells the story of the fall of communism from a new perspective. – We need a positive myth. We can’t ignore the best things in our history – said Krzysztof Głuchowski, director of the Juliusz Słowacki Theatre in Krakow.

Events known from newsreels and history textbooks come to life on stage. We watch them through the eyes of three fascinating couples: the Frasyniuks, Wałęsas and Kurońs.

The fight against communism – like any fight – has its history, myths and heroes. Great ideas compete with love, enthusiasm clashes with the weight of history, and heroism interweaves with family tragedies.

We watch the heroes in iconic moments, during the strikes in the Gdańsk shipyard and at the Round Table.
But also in most private moments of joy and grief, experienced in the solitude of their apartments or prison cells.

The musical “1989” was co-produced by Juliusz Słowacki Theatre in Kraków and the Gdańsk Shakespeare Theatre.
Premiere 19 November 2022, in Gdańsk, and 2 December 2022, in Kraków.