VOJTĚCH ŠTĚPÁNEK - BIOGRAPHY

He was born in Prague in 1984. He studied acting at the Prague Conservatory under Hana Maciuchová and Jan Novotný. During his studies, he prepared productions of one-act plays and was asked to direct actor’s final exams at the class of Petra  Špalková and Ivan Řezáč for which he finally wrote and directed the graduate’s performance. 

 

From 2005 to 2011, he significantly contributed to the establishment of the Strašnické Theatre where he was employed as an actor, later also as a director and as a member of the theatre’s management. He was involved in creating a multigenerational ensemble of actors which established itself on the Prague theatre scene and gained attention of both the lay and professional public. 

 

In 2011, the ensemble won a selection procedure to become an owner of the Prague Comedy Theatre where they finally moved to from Strašnice. Štěpánek started as a director here and since 2013, he acted here also as a managing director. Under his management, the scene dramaturgically presented itself as A Centre of Eastern Dramas when they focused on introducing omitted, so far undiscovered or brand-new authors from countries of the eastern origin. 

 

After getting the axe due to no funding from the Prague Magistrate in 2016, Štěpánek shortly worked freelance. In 2018, he started to work as an artistic director of the drama company in the National Moravian-Silesian Theatre.