Juozo Tumo-Vaižganto indėlis į Lietuvos teatro istoriją

Abstract

This paper discusses the theatre activity of Juozas Tumas-Vaižgantas, one of the most famous personalities of cultural and social life of the end of the XIX century – beginning of the XX century. Juozas Tumas is considered as the great enthusiast and propagator of the theatre. Cultural and social activity of Juozas Tumas-Vaižgantas started at the same time when the theatre movement appeared in Lithuania, i. e. in 1885, and lasted almost for 50 years. During these years J. Tumas was the active participant in various spheres of the theatre movement, including practical-organisational activity, educational-propagandistic work as well as dramaturgy and theatre criticism, and theatre history. The interest of J. T. Vaižgantas in the theatre and his theatre activity are distinctly reflected in his writings, which possess a huge residual value as authentic and very interesting documents both in the history of theatre and of the whole country. By his organisational and educational activity, drama composition and papers of critics on dramaturgy and theatre, J. T. Vaižgantas was making a considerable influence on the theatre life and the Lithuanian theatre development at that time, laying the basis to the growth of the theatre art.