Nominees Announced for the 2025/2026 'Spēlmaņu nakts' Theatre Awards

The Latvian Theatre Workers' Union (LTDS), in cooperation with Latvian professional theatres, the Ministry of Culture, the Boris and Inara Teterev Foundation, and the Riga City Council, is organizing the 'Spēlmaņu nakts' awards for the 33rd time. This year, a nine-member jury of industry professionals – chaired by Atis Rozentāls with vice-chair Ingrida Vilkārse, along with Zane Radzobe, Jānis Siliņš, Kitija Balcare, Ilze Kļaviņa, Sandra Krastiņa, Uģis Segliņš, and Armands Znotiņš – watched and assessed 108 new professional theatre productions from August 1, 2025, to June 15, 2026.

Nominees have been announced in several categories. For Best Large Form Production, the contenders are 'Don Quixote' (New Riga Theatre), 'Freimanis' (Liepāja Theatre), 'Medea' (Valmiera Theatre), 'The Oracle' and 'The Source' (both at Dailes Theatre). In the Small Form category, the nominees are 'Echo Aija' and 'The Wasp' (Latvian National Theatre), 'An Ordinary Monday' (Liepāja Theatre), 'Doubt' (Valmiera Theatre), and 'Cult of the Elderly' (Dirty Deal Teatro).

Best Director nominees include Viesturs Kairišs, Mārtiņš Kalita, Valters Sīlis, Ādolfs Šapiro, and Regnārs Vaivars. For Best New Drama, the nominated works are 'Bolderāja', 'The Wasp', 'The Oracle', 'An Ordinary Monday', and 'Order No. 2'.

Best Actress candidates are Agnese Jēkabsone, Ilze Ķuzule-Skrastiņa, Jūlija Ļaha, Māra Mennika, and Laura Siliņa. Best Actor nominees are Gundars Āboliņš, Ģirts Krūmiņš, Mārtiņš Meiers, Kārlis Reijers, and Valts Skuja. Nominations have also been made for supporting roles, young stage artists, scenographers, composers, lighting designers, costume designers, video artists, choreographers, and ballet artists.

The date of the awards ceremony has not yet been announced. 'Spēlmaņu nakts' aims to highlight the most outstanding achievements in Latvian theatre.