Ivan Radoev Drama and Puppet Theatre was founded in 1919 in the very centre of Pleven’s pedestrian zone. The theatre’s interior is in the traditional European urban style of the end of 19^th century. It has a significant presence not only in the cultural life of the town but also in the theatre space of the country. The Pleven theatre has been there for more than 80 years but its birthday can be traced back to much earlier – to the years of the Revival when, in 1869, intoxicated and excited as a nation with a revived thirst for culture, the people of Pleven play ‘The Long-suffering Genevieve’ in the rooms of the St. Nicholas School. Later, ‘The Outcasts’ by Vazov, ‘Ivanko’ by Drumev, ‘The Robbers’ by Schiller, ‘Othello’ by Shakespeare’ and ‘The Government Inspector’ by Gogol were staged.

The first professional theatre company was set up in 1907 by Matey Ikonomov. In the long years of its existence, Pleven’s Drama Theatre has had its moments of rise and battle for survival but its life has been always conditioned by the people who worked in it and who believed in the high moral significance of their work. During the last 60 years of the theatre’s history there have worked 32 permanently appointed directors, 15 scenographers, 12 playwrights and 265 actors, having staged 372 theatre plays. Since 1997 the Pleven Drama Theatre has been expanding its scope of activity with the unveiling of a ‘Puppet Stage’ which continues the traditions of the no longer existing State Puppet Theatre – Pleven.