The Theatrical Workshop of the University of Cyprus (THEPAK/Θ.Ε.ΠΑ.Κ.) was founded in 1997 by professor and poet Michalis Pieris with the aim of enhancing theatrical activity within the University and introducing a new dynamic to the teaching of Classical, Medieval, and Renaissance Greek literature.

THEPAK brings together primarily undergraduate and graduate students, members of the academic and administrative staff, alumni of the University of Cyprus, and friends of theatre, literature, and the arts from the broader intellectual and artistic community of Cyprus.

The Workshop is housed at the Michalis Pieris Cultural Centre and plays a significant role in promoting culture and theatre both within the University and in Cypriot society at large.

THEATRE

As a research-based theatrical workshop, THEPAK addresses a crucial area of local theatrical production by exploring texts and traditions that have largely remained outside the interest of professional theatre groups. Its performances highlight lesser-known or previously overlooked works of Medieval and Renaissance literature – texts often unified by the use of regional Greek dialects.

Each of the following productions represents a step toward achieving these goals, contributing to the promotion and contemporary reception of significant works of Greek literature, with meaningful extensions into masterpieces of world literature:

  1. The Chronicle of Cyprus by Leontios Machairas (1998)
  2. Fiakas by Dimosthenis Misitzis (1999)
  3. Lysistrata by Aristophanes, translated into the Cypriot dialect by Costas Montis (2000)
  4. Romiosyni by Vasilis Michaelides (2001)
  5. The Ballad of the Bridge (2002)
  6. Erotokritos by Vitsentzos Kornaros (2005)
  7. Digenis Akritas, adapted into a libretto by Stamatis Dagdelenis (2011)
  8. Waters of Cyprus, of Syria, and of Egypt. Study on the “Dramatic” Cavafy (2013)
  9. Ecce Luminae – Prometheus Bound by Christodoulos Galatopoulos (2017)
  10. Theatre Journeys in the Middle Ages and the Renaissance (2017)
  11. From Sophocles to Lorca: 12+1 Confrontational Encounters in the Archetypal Model of Ancient Greek Tragedy (2018)
  12. Odysseus – “Circe”, based on Ulysses by James Joyce (2022)
  13. Always Alexandria remains herself (2023)
  14. The Phoenician Women by Euripides, translated by Michalis Pieris (2024)
  15. Fiakas by Dimosthenis Misitzis (2025)

A distinctive aspect of the Workshop’s approach is its sustained and multifaceted research into each literary work. Theatrical practice here is a work-in-progress, a truly educational journey that places the creative process at the heart of the theatrical experience.

In this spirit, the Workshop’s performances evolve at the pace of their participants: students come and go, new voices emerge, former members return, and together they shape a theatre that remains alive, open, and in continuous transformation. At THEPAK, change is the condition of continuity.

Indeed, this is why the Workshop’s productions are not scheduled for a fixed number of performances – they continue to move audiences and fill theatres, even decades after their initial presentation.

Another recognisable feature of THEPAK’s productions is the incorporation of folkloric elements and aspects of popular rituals. In the cultures of the Mediterranean, these rituals are centuries-old, rich in artistic expression, and add yet another dimension to the literary works staged by the Workshop.

POETRY

As part of its artistic activities, the Theatrical Workshop of the University of Cyprus also organises poetry evenings and staged readings, treating literature as a living experience of word, image, and sound. These events are conceived as distinctive stage compositions, where poetry becomes a living spoken word, enhanced by singing, visual art, lighting, music, and sound design, thus transforming the act of poetic reading into an aesthetic and interactive experience for the audience.

The following events have highlighted the enduring power of poetry and are fully aligned with the Workshop’s broader philosophy of connecting the academic environment with artistic expression:

  1. Commemorative event for the prominent Cypriot poet Costas Montis on the fifth anniversary of his death (2009)
  2. Readings Without Commentary: On Love and Death (2014) – Modern Greek poetry from the 16th-century Cypriot “Love Rhymes” to the poetry of Giorgis Pavlopoulos (1924–2008)
  3. Interpretations of Literature and Dramatic Art: “The Chronicle of Cyprus” by Leontios Machairas (2014), in collaboration with the Leventis Municipal Museum
  4. Readings Without Commentary: Metamorphoses of Cities (2015) – The city in modern poetry (Baudelaire, Yeats, Borges, Calvino, Brodsky, Paz, Bukowski, Cavafy, Seferis, Ritsos, Embirikos, Kavvadias, Montis, Sinopoulos, Aslanoglou, Varveris, Marangou, and others)
  5. Tribute to W. B. Yeats (2015)
  6. Tribute to Dante Alighieri on the 750th anniversary of his birth(2016)
  7. Tribute to Takis Sinopoulos (1917–1981) on the 100th anniversary of his birth (2017)
  8. Event marking the 20th anniversary of THEPAK:Reflectiions of the folk ballad Arodafnousain the poetry of Valaoritis, Sikelianos, and Seferis (2017)
  9. Approaches to the 23rd Rhapsody of the Iliad – a commemorative event in memory of Jacqueline Karageorgi-Girard (2018)
  10. Music and Poetry: A Hymn of Praise for the Women We Love… (2019)
  11. The Glance: The Erotic Glance in Cypriot Poetry — From the “Love Rhymes” to “Dosmou orismón” (16th–20th century) (2019)
  12. Presentation of Michalis Pasiardis’ poetry collection The Quatrains (2020)
  13. Toward the Heart of Seferis’ Poetry (2021), in collaboration with composer Stathis Anninos
  14. Presentation of the commemorative volume With the Rhythm of Memory, dedicated to the poet Michalis Pieris (2022)

DISCOGRAPHY

Two recordings have emerged from the above-mentioned activities of THEPAK, serving as lasting testaments to the Workshop’s deep commitment to the arts of theatre, poetry, and music:

  1. The Chronicle of Cyprus by Leontios Machairas (2000)
  2. On Love and Death (2015)

ARTISTS AND INTELLECTUALS WHO COLLABORATED WITH OR SUPPORTED THEPAK

Since its founding, the Theatrical Workshop of the University of Cyprus (THEPAK) has collaborated with numerous renowned composers, including, among others, Antonis Xylouris (Psarantonis), Evagoras Karageorgis, Christos Pittas, Andreas Roussis, Costas Vomvolos, each of whom contributed in a distinct and significant way to the artistic excellence of the Workshop’s productions.

Moreover, the following distinguished figures from the world of theatre and the arts have supported the Workshop’s performances throughout its history: Evis Gavrielides, Kostis Kolotas, Nikos Kourousis, Theodosis Nikolaou, Michalis Pasiardis, Diagoras Chronopoulos, Yiannis Varveris, Stavros Antonopoulos, Jenny Gaitanopoulou, Grigoris Papageorgiou, Georgios Koukoumas, Arianna Oikonomou, Elena Christodoulidou, Persa Stamatopoulou, Nikolas Papageorgiou, Karolina Spyrou, Panayiotis Larkou, Panayiotis Tofi, Eleni Ioannou, Andreas Christodoulidis, Stathis Anninos, and many others.

CULTURAL CONTRIBUTION

The approach adopted by THEPAK in all its productions – marked by the love, dedication, and commitment of its members, as well as the professional ethos that defines its performances – has introduced a new atmosphere to the theatrical landscape not only of the University of Cyprus but also of the broader theatrical scene on the island.

Through its various activities, the Theatrical Workshop strengthens the University’s social and cultural outreach, participating in charitable events and staging dozens of performances across Cyprus: at the Ancient Theatre of Kourion, the Ancient Odeon of Paphos, the Medieval Castle of Larnaca, the Medieval Monastery of Ayia Napa, the Presidential Palace, the Greek Gymnasium in occupied Rizokarpaso, as well as in small towns and villages throughout the island.

With its international performances– in the United Kingdom, Albania, France, Germany, Greece, Italy, the Netherlands, Russia, Spain, and Turkey – THEPAK makes a significant contribution to the promotion of both Cyprus and the University of Cyprus abroad.

Last Updated on September 26, 2025