Graduated from the Academy of Performing Arts in Bratislava where he majored in theatre direction in the 2010 class led by professor Ľubomír Vajdička. During his studies, he participated in the Erasmus exchange programme in Prague where he met American director Anne Bogart. Under her supervision, he attended the Viewpoints acting training. Luterán’s devised graduation production Once Upon a Time in a Classroom (2010; originally Academy of Performing Arts, later Andrej Bagar Theatre in Nitra) made him a well-known figure for both Slovak audiences and theatrologists. Renowned Slovak theatre critic and historian Vladimír Štefko awarded this production the Commedie dell’ Scholarum prize for intelligent humour. After graduation, Luterán collaborated with several Slovak theatres (Andrej Bagar Theatre in Nitra, Slovak Chamber Theatre in Martin, City Theatre Žilina, Jonáš Záborský theatre in Prešov). His productions regularly participate in Czech and Slovak theatre festivals. He is the laureate of two awards from the Nová dráma/New Drama festival of contemporary drama and theatre, and was nominated for the Discovery of the Year Prize at the Kremnica Gags festival.
Description of his work:
Director Ján Luterán is one of the youngest Slovak directors. He has an inclination to contemporary theatre and has so far only staged new drama and devised theatre. The titles that represent Luterán’s poetics and approach best include the very first devised production performed in Žilina called project.wedding, his graduation production Once Upon a Time in a Classroom, or the Košice production Causa Bonasus. His directorial method is characteristic for its authorial detachment, a sense for original theatrical shortcuts, the use of elements of cabaret, and a distinctive humour stemming mostly from irony and latent sarcasm. Even though it is difficult to call Luterán’s productions politically or socially provocative, many do tackle social and critical issues, even though the director usually works with such themes only implicitly. His approach to actors is aimed at a collective work. After a thorough analysis of a play’s theme or concept, he pushes the actors to become co-responsible for the final shape of the production. Luterán’s actors not only interpret the text, but also become independent creators, within the boundaries set by the director.
He sometimes works together with his wife, dramaturg and director Mariana Luteránová. This cooperation has won the couple several theatre prizes. Other collaborators include dramaturg Miro Dacho and musician Daniel Fischer (The Notebook, Father).
List of directed productions:
2009 / Studio 12, Bratislava / Valère Novarina: For Louis de Funes
2009 / Academy of Performing Arts, Bratislava / Woody Allen: God
2009 / Station Žilina-Záriečie, Žilina / Mariana Ďurčeková, Ján Luterán: project.wedding
2010 / Academy of Performing Arts, Bratislava / Ján Luterán: Once Upon a Time in a Classroom
2011 / Slovak Chamber Theatre, Martin / Branislav Jobus, Ján Luterán: Hellion the Mouflon
2011 / Andrej Bagar Theatre, Nitra / Ján Luterán: Once Upon a Time in a Classroom
2012 / Theatre on the Platform, Košice / Ján Luterán: Causa Bonasus, or Your Ass Will Be Hairy Until You Kill That Bison...
2012 / City Theatre Žilina / Michaela Zakuťanská: Jánošík 00 7
2012 / Andrej Bagar Theatre, Nitra / Lars von Trier: Who’s the Director Here?
2013 / Jonáš Záborský Theatre, Prešov / Brothers Grimm, Mariana Luteránová, Ján Luterán: Cinderella
2014 / Slovak Chamber Theatre, Martin / Patrik Ouředník: Europeana
2014 / Drama Department of the Slovak National Theatre / a team of authors: The Ten Commandments (Thou Shalt Honour the Holy Sabbath)
2015 / Andrej Bagar Theatre, Nitra / Agota Kristof, Daniel Majling: The Notebook
2016 / State Theatre Košice / Florian Zeller: Father
2017/ Drama Department of the Slovak National Theatre /Bernhard Studlar: Longing for the Enemy
2017 / GUnaGU Theatre, Bratislava / Viliam Klimáček: Love & Turpentine (opening)
Awards:
2010 / GRAND PRIX of the 2010 Nová dráma/New Drama festival for the production project.wedding
2012 / nomination for the Discovery of the Year Prize at the Kremnica Gags festival for the production Jánošík 00 7
2013 / Special Prize of the Jury at the 2013 Nová dráma/New Drama festival for Jánošík 00 7
Foreign language skills: English – active, German – passive
Contact: janluteran@gmail.com
Videos from productions:
Europeana, 2014
archive of the Slovak Chamber Theatre Martin
The video can be found at the following link: www.youtube.com/watch?v=1FJRUYkVAfs
The Notebook, 2015
archive of the Andrej Bagar Theatre Nitra
The video can be found at the following link: www.youtube.com/watch?v=6LOOq90DGTs
Father, 2016
archive of the State Theatre Košice
The video can be found at the following link: www.youtube.com/watch?v=7TKI2OxNXhY
