Andrea Tompa to Speak at CENTERSTAGE, 3/9

On Friday, March 9 at 7pm at CENTERSTAGE (700 N. Calvert Street) in Baltimore, Andrea Tompa, a prominent Hungarian Theatre Critic and novelist will talk about the political situation in Hungary and how the country's shift towards nationalism is threatening the Hungarian theatre, as well as Freedom of Speech in Hungary as a whole.

Four Baltimore arts organizations are coming together to host the March 9 event, Baltimore Open Theatre, Center for International Theatre Development, CENTERSTAGE, and CityLit Project.
With a trend towards nationalism and a surge in extremism occurring worldwide, Hungary's now fledgling democracy is making headlines all over the world. The right-wing Hungarian majority government, elected in 2010 with a mandate that gives them the authority to change laws at will, is stripping the basic tenants of democracy at a rapid rate. Freedom of speech, freedom of the press, freedom of religion are all threatened. Now, the government is putting pressure on the country's arts leaders and institutions, particularly those in the theater.

Andrea Tompa, an expert in Hungarian, Russian, and Eastern European Theatre, president of the Hungarian Theatre Critics Association, editor of theatre magazine SZINHAZ, an academic, and novelist, will join Baltimore Open Theatre Board Member and theatre maker Barbara Lanciers and Baltimore Open Theatre co-founder, Center for International Theatre Development founder, and international theater expert Philip Arnoult, to discuss the plight of Hungary's theatrical life and the toll recent government measures to silence the country's theatrical leaders have taken on the field at large.

For more information visit baltimoreopentheatre.org/the-art/event-on-march-9-a-discussion-with-andrea-tompa/. For more information on the political situation in Hungary go to http://hungarianwatch.wordpress.com/. For tickets, visit https://baltimoreopentheatre.tixato.com/buy/discussion-with-andrea-tompa--2/03-09-20120700pm--5.

Tickets to the discussion are free, and the event will be live webcast by the Greater Baltimore Cultural Alliance.