“Our friend, actor and good spirit of the Powszechny Theater in Łódź – Andrzej Jakubas has passed away” – the Powszechny Theater in Łódź announced on Wednesday.
Andrzej Jakubas (born 1959) was a graduate of the State Theater School in Wroc³aw. He cooperated with theaters in Legnica, Grudzi±dzu, BydgoszczRadom, but it was Łódź and the Powszechny Theater that became his place on earth. In 2024, he celebrated the 40th anniversary of his artistic work.
For over 30 years, Andrzej Jakubas has created several dozen roles at the Powszechny Theater in Łódź – including: in “Our City” by Thornton, directed by Wojciech Adamczyk, “Game in Life” by Johnston, directed by William Hall, “Ferdydurke, or the Key to the Thirty Door” by Gombrowicz, directed by Waldemar ¦migasiewicz, “The Little Prince ” Saint-Exupéry directed by Cezary Domaga³a.
In 1999, he was in the first cast and served as assistant director of the Polish premiere of “Crazy Scissors” by Paul Pörtner. He also appeared in feature films and television series.
Andrzej Jakubsa is dead. The actor was a man of many talents
As recalled in a memoir published on the Theater’s website, Andrzej Jakubas believed that an actor should be actively involved in the life of the theater; he was therefore a part-time actor, and at the same time – for the other half-time – the manager of the Promotion and Advertising Department, which he created from scratch.
For over a dozen years, he was responsible for workshops for young people in Powszechny from the “Child in a Situation” series, in which difficult topics are discussed in performances and workshops, e.g. homelessness, parental depression, hate, sexual initiation, transgenderism. , violence or cyberbullying.
“Thanks to Andrzej Jakubas, the project was based on dialogue and asking questions. (…) Many times after the workshops we received feedback like: “it’s amazing, they never want to talk, but here they couldn’t shut up.” Such reviews showed what a great gift Andrzej Jakubas had for talking to the viewer,” it was written on Powszechny’s website.
For his activities, Andrzej Jakubas was awarded the Honorary Badge of Merit for Polish Culture and the Bronze Medal for Merit to Culture Gloria Artis.
The artist’s funeral will take place on October 14 at 12, at the Municipal Cemetery in Do³ach in Łódź.
Listen:
That’s not all we have for you at TOK FM Premium. Try it, listen and take advantage of the special offer. Go here to find details >>
A Fond Farewell to Andrzej Jakubas: The Heart of Powszechny Theater
Well, folks, it seems there’s another curtain call in the theater of life. Our esteemed friend and theatrical luminary, Andrzej Jakubas, has taken his final bow, as announced by the Powszechny Theater in Łódź. Born in 1959, Jakubas was not just any actor. He was the beating heart of the stage—a role that surely comes with more drama than a soap opera on a Tuesday afternoon.
Graduating from the State Theater School in Wroc³aw, Jakubas didn’t just dip his toes into the acting world; he absolutely dove headfirst into it. He worked with theaters in Legnica, Grudzi±dzu, Bydgoszcz, and Radom, but Powszechny in Łódź became his true stage—the place where he was undoubtedly ‘the star of the show’. In 2024, he was set to celebrate 40 years of theatrical brilliance. Talk about commitment!
Now, for over 30 years, Jakubas didn’t just play roles; he transformed into fantastic characters in several dozen productions. We’re talking everything from Thornton’s *Our City* to Gombrowicz’s *Ferdydurke, or the Key to the Thirty Door*. It’s safe to say he could have played all the roles in the theater—if only they’d started casting him as a Swiss Army knife.
And in a delightful twist reminiscent of any good soap opera, he was not just an actor but also dabbled in directing and management. In 1999, he was part of the first cast of *Crazy Scissors* and even served as assistant director. You see, this man didn’t just show up for curtain calls; he made sure there was an entire production staged behind him.
Jakubas believed actors should actively engage with the theater’s life. Not content with simply performing, he created the Promotion and Advertising Department that helped promote all that glitters in Łódź’s theatrical crown. A true Renaissance man, if you will! He knew that being a part-time actor was great, but being a whole-hearted contributor meant understanding the art from every angle—even the angles nobody really wants to touch—like homelessness and cyberbullying. Courage, I say!
He was responsible for inspiring workshops that encouraged dialogue on heavy topics. Feedback often poured in saying, “It’s amazing! They usually wouldn’t say a peep, but here they couldn’t stop chattering!” Anyone who’s ever tried to get a teenager to talk about their feelings knows that’s a Herculean task. He really did have a gift for opening up those tough discussions.
Jakubas was recognized for his relentless efforts with the esteemed Honorary Badge of Merit for Polish Culture and the Bronze Medal for Merit to Culture Gloria Artis. It’s safe to say he gathered more medals than a prize-winning dog—but let’s hope with less barking.
As we bid farewell to Andrzej Jakubas, let us remember his contributions to the world of theater, which were many and varied. The funeral is set for October 14 at 12 PM at the Municipal Cemetery in Do³ach in Łódź. I suppose there are worse final performances than a quiet departure surrounded by memories and accolades, eh?
