1994 Amateur scene – Olga STRNADOVÁ
* 19.9.1963 in Ústí nad Orlicí. She completed her studies at the secondary school of health sciences and worked a number years as a nurse. She started working with puppets in 1986-1990 when she completed studies of puppetry at the public conservatoire (Jan Dvořák and Karel Šefrna) and in 1988-1990 the class for managers of theatre ensembles. Since 1988 she is a teacher at the elementary school of art in Žamberk, during 1989-95 she completed her studies of educational drama at the School of Drama of the Academy of Music.
Thanks to her father, the amateur theatre became, since early childhood, a natural part of her life. She herself began to discover the characteristics of the theatre which she soon had an opportunity to observe (despite her shyness) directly from the stage. She was always more interested in the process of the formation rather than the presented result and this is also her interest in the creative possibilities of the LD (people’s theatre). Despite this, she founded in the chapel of Zamberk a show called “Ejhle, člověk” (Behold – man) – an event called “Ejhle, loutka” (Behold – a puppet) which was already held twice before the beginning of the year. For the first time she took part in the Chrudim Puppet Show as a student of the people’s conservatory in 1988 and subsequently attended as a seminar student, head of the children’s or family workshop, or with the performing group – 10 times in the main programme + 3 times at the fair. Next to collective awards she also otained 3 individual prizes for directing and pedagogical guidance.
Her contribution is an inventive discovery and the use of new possibilities of the people’s theatre, a sense of reviving matters and a metaphoric vision, as well as the ability to get the children’s ability to concentrated understanding, which they then pass on to us through the theatre.
Luděk Richter, 50 Chrudim Puppet Show (2001)