Zuzana Hrebičíková is the artistic director of Divadlo Zrakáč, a theatre company that brings together blind, partially sighted, and sighted artists. As both an actress and the company’s leader, she takes part in creating productions that break down barriers in the arts and show that sight is not essential to making theatre.

Under her leadership, Divadlo Zrakáč has established itself as an important presence on the Slovak theatre scene. Productions such as You Are Among Us, Tea at the Senator’s, and Animal Farm have earned recognition not only at home. The company also performs in the Blue Salon of the Slovak National Theatre, where they impress audiences alongside renowned actors such as Emília Vášáryová, Ján Gallovič, and Gregor Hološka.

It is also worth mentioning that they received the Journalist Award for their podcast Zracast, which focuses on the integration of blind people into society.

Peter Kozák is a partially sighted actor based in Bratislava. He began his theatre career in Prešov, where he performed with the Student Theatre of the University of Prešov and also collaborated with Divadlo Viola. After moving to Bratislava, he joined the English-language improv theatre group Funnylicious.

Today, he performs with Divadlo Ľahostajňa, while his home stage is Divadlo Zrakáč. Through and alongside Zrakáč, he is currently also appearing as a guest actor with the Drama Company of the Slovak National Theatre in the production The Shameless One.

Alongside theatre, he works in marketing and is an external student of mass media communication at the Faculty of Mass Media Communication of UCM in Trnava. He also raises awareness about the diversity of life with a visual impairment through his social media profile Vidím ale nevidím (“I See, But I Don’t”).

I am a special education teacher, a university lecturer, and the director of the Special Education Counselling Centre in Bratislava.

Theatre gives me the opportunity to experience the lives and emotions of other characters and to step into situations I would not normally encounter.

People around me often say that I am a gourmet — and there is probably some truth to that. I enjoy cooking, and I enjoy treating others to my food even more.

My great passion is playing the piano. As a pianist, I have been bringing joy to people for many years at weddings, celebrations, and various events all across Slovakia.

I joined Divadlo Zrakáč shortly after it was founded. At present, I am the only actor in the ensemble who has appeared in all of its productions so far. In the current play Tea at the Senator’s, I perform the role of Baltazár Slivka, the owner of a funeral home who makes his way all the way into high politics.

For me, theatre is a source of endless fun, but also of joy from successful performances that entertain people and bring them real added value.

Roles:
Father Capulet (Romeo and Juliet 2010, 2010)
Peasant / Woodcutter (The Student’s Pranks, 2012)
Otto the Hairdresser (Jubilee, 2014)
Husband / Pianist (Relationship Tangles, 2016)
Performer / Pianist (You Are Among Us, 2019)
Baltazár Slivka (Tea at the Senator’s, 2022)
Composer of the Music (It’s Not What It Looks Like, 2023)

I was brought into the world of theatre by our founder, Pepo Pražmári. It happened after I had finished university and spent several years working abroad, when I once again felt that old familiar desire to explore. It has been with me since childhood, when scouting first introduced me to the magic of adventure and to a slightly mysterious way of looking at life.

And so, little by little, I found my way onto the stage. As Julius Satinský once said: “Those who get too excited tend to burn out for a long time.” So I try to stay enthusiastic — and so far, what I enjoy most is discovering and viewing the world through the lens of Divadlo Zrakáč.

Hi,
I’m Ján… (chi?).

A husband, a father, a friend… In my working life, I’m just someone tapping away at a keyboard.

I never imagined that I would one day act in theatre. It had never even crossed my mind. And yet, somehow, I found my way to it — all thanks to Marek H., who invited me. And so here I am. I’ve been here for quite a few years now.

It’s been wonderful. Far beyond anything I expected. Theatre gives me the chance to discover the beauty of this art form — both as a finished work and as a creative process in preparing productions. It is a completely different world from the one I had known before. And I get to experience it with amazing, talented, kind, and very funny people. I especially have to mention the directors and their enormous patience, which I truly admire.

My favourite foods?
Garlic soup, bryndzové halušky, milk, pancakes with Nutella and fruit, and coffee — in that order.

Favourite way to travel?
By train.

Favourite part of the day?
Mornings.

My ideal way to relax?
Movement.

For any further questions, feel free to contact me 😉

I’m Kristína. I feel deeply connected to exploring the world of children, psychology, radio plays, fairy tales, Latin American rhythms, walks, conversations, scents, Spain, and many other areas.

In my professional life, I work as a special education teacher. I teach at a primary school for children and students with visual impairments. My work focuses mainly on developing touch, hearing, residual vision, and other compensatory mechanisms.

I could say that I found my way to theatre by chance, but that would not really be true 😊. In fact, I feel that this art form had been drawing me in for quite some time. Since primary school, I have loved going to different theatre performances, and the older I got, the more I realized how much I love the wide range of emotions and thoughts that theatre leaves behind in me.

In recent years, I have also felt a desire to develop my speaking skills, and in a particular way, I enjoy stepping outside my comfort zone and performing in front of other people. I also use elements of theatrical dramatization in my special education work with children. These motivations, consciously or unconsciously, eventually led me to theatre 😊.

I have known about Divadlo Zrakáč ever since I came to work in Bratislava, but since I am more introverted, it took me longer to realize that I, too, wanted to become part of this theatre group 😊. Even though I have only been with Zrakáč for a short time, I really enjoy this creative activity, I draw enormous inspiration from it, I look forward to our shared meetings in the theatre collective, and I feel the strength of a community of people with whom we can share similar life circumstances.0

Nickname: Slávo

I was born and raised in Trenčín. I studied physics at Comenius University in Bratislava, where I currently live.

I joined Divadlo Zrakáč right at the time of its founding in 2010. After a period in which, together with the others, we devoted ourselves to practising acting techniques under our then director Pepo Pražmári, we began rehearsing our first production, Romeo and Juliet 2010. For me, it was a time full of experiences and self-discovery. I was also very happy that in 2019 our theatre had the opportunity to present the original production You Are Among Us for the first time under the wing of the Slovak National Theatre.

In 2019, I also briefly performed with the Malá scéna STU theatre, where I played the blind prophet Tiresias in Oedipus, directed by Štefan Korenči.

Apart from theatre, my interests include travelling, photography, poetry, dancing, and active sports such as running, skating, cycling, and hiking. I love the mountains.

Roles:
Romeo Montague (Romeo and Juliet 2010, 2010)
Helmut (Jubilee, 2014)
Security Guard (You Are Among Us, 2019)

I studied history and teach at a school for partially sighted and blind students. For me, Divadlo Zrakáč is a meaningful way to spend my free time, and it brings me great joy.

Theatre is also about responsibility and a sense of teamwork. I have made many friends through it, and I look forward to every performance.

I grew up in Levoča, where I completed all my years of schooling — from kindergarten and primary school all the way through secondary school. The last school I officially attended was the Secondary Medical School in Levoča, where I graduated in 1993 as a massage therapist.

Today, I am the father of two beautiful daughters, a husband with many years of practice, and a massage therapist with similar experience. I work in Dubnica nad Váhom and live in the village of Bolešov, located on the other side of the Váh River, opposite the town where I work.

I was introduced to theatre by my colleague from sports, Marek, and I am grateful to him for both the opportunity and the experience. I perform in the play Tea at the Senator’s, where I portray the excellent character Motúz and the “outgoing” Senator Potkan.

I have been part of the theatre since 2022.

I am Antónia Martofová, a teacher of singing and piano at an elementary school of the arts, so music is not only my favourite passion, but also my livelihood.

I have been involved in theatre since March 2020.

My favourite food is bryndzové halušky, while my least favourite are dill sauce and granadírsky pochod.

I am grateful to be surrounded by such a wonderful group of people in our theatre.

A Little About Me‍

- communicative
- straightforward
- creative
- practical

Interests

- interior design and accessories
- travelling
- music – singing
- movement – long walks, running
- abstract drawing or landscapes – pencil, charcoal
- creating ceramic mosaics

What do I like?‍

- humanity and humility

What don’t I like?‍

- human stupidity and pettiness

My name is Vanessa. I am an empathetic person who is always happy to help in any way I can. I am currently studying and working as a volunteer with the Union of the Blind and Partially Sighted of Slovakia.

I am involved in theatre because I enjoy bringing joy to other people, and I also love performing in front of an audience.

My other interests include ballroom dancing, nature, books, a good film, and visiting museums and castles.