The Big Hat Wins the IKAR Award for Best Puppet Performance

State Puppet Theatre Stara Zagora received the 2026 IKAR Award of the Union of Bulgarian Actors in the category “Puppet Performance” for the production The Big Hat, based on a Japanese tale.

The award was presented on 27 March, World Theatre Day, during the official ceremony at the Ivan Vazov National Theatre.

This recognition is especially valuable for the entire team of the production and for our theatre, as The Big Hat is the directorial debut of Elitsa Mateva, a long-standing actress at State Puppet Theatre Stara Zagora, who takes her first step as a director with remarkable success.

The Big Hat is a performance that touches audiences with its delicate stage imagery and with its themes of fear, otherness, acceptance, and the inner strength to be oneself. The award is a recognition not only of the artistic qualities of the production, but also of the dedication, sensitivity, and talent of the entire creative team.

Creative team:

Translation by Nadya Trendafilova
Dramatization and direction by Elitsa Mateva
Set design, puppets and visual environment by Nevena Vasileva
Music by Pavel Tsonev
Poster by Akseniya Avramova
Cast: Bilyana Raynova, Vasilena Chernaeva, Iliyaz Ilyaz, Stanislav Matev

We are delighted that this prestigious recognition comes for a performance that is part of the creative path of one of our own artists and of the life of our theatre. We accept the award with gratitude, excitement, and a sense of responsibility for everything that lies ahead.