Dr Biljana Vujovic

I was born on February 1, 1966, in Niš.

I earned my Ph.D. from the Faculty of Dramatic Arts in Belgrade, receiving the title of Doctor of Arts – Doctor of Dramatic and Audiovisual Arts in 2017.

I completed my specialist studies at the National Academy of Theatre, Film, and Television NATFIS “Krsto Sarafov” in Sofia (Bulgaria) and obtained the professional title of Specialist in Puppet Theatre Directing. My specialist project was directing the play “The Ugly Duckling” at the Puppet Theatre in Niš, under the mentorship of Professor Atanas Ilkov. This diploma, including the professional title and level of study, was recognized by the University of Arts in Belgrade in 2004, following a proposal by a committee consisting of Svetozar Rapajić, a full professor at the Faculty of Dramatic Arts, Dr. Vladimir Jevtović, a full professor at the Faculty of Dramatic Arts, and M.A. Maja Petrović, an assistant professor at the Faculty of Applied Arts.

In 1997, I graduated from the Faculty of Philosophy in Niš, majoring in Serbian-Croatian Language and Yugoslav Literature, and earned the title of Graduate Philologist in Serbian-Croatian Language and Yugoslav Literature. As part of the Center for Professional Development and Consulting in Culture, Arts, and Media at the University of Arts, I obtained a Certificate in Marketing for Cultural Institutions.

At the University of Arts in Belgrade, I also earned a Certificate in Intellectual Property Rights in the Field of Arts and Creative Industries on April 25, 2017.

My first role was at the age of nine at the National Theatre in Niš.

From 1988 to 2008, I worked as an actress at the Puppet Theatre in Niš.

I became the director of the Puppet Theatre in Niš from 2002 to 2005, and from 2008 to 2012, I served as both director of the Puppet Theatre and the National Theatre in Niš.

From 2009 to October 2012, I was the President of the Community of Professional Theatres of Serbia.

From 2011 to 2017, I was a professor at the College of Professional Studies for Educators in Aleksinac.

During my acting career at the Puppet Theatre, I played over 30 roles, including 20 lead roles (Cinderella, Sleeping Beauty, Maritsa, Symphony, The Blue Bird…).

I directed children’s plays in theaters in Niš, Novi Sad, Subotica, Leskovac, Zrenjanin, and Pirot.

I received awards for directing and creativity in my performances. I filmed the movie “Shadows in the Night” for Bulgarian National Television.

I was the author of the children’s show “Fairy Tale”, which aired for five years on Niš Television. I was a participant and author of scripts and directions for numerous public events for children (music and children’s festivals “Pčelica,” “Children’s Happiness,” “Children’s Rights”). I collaborated on children’s programs for RTS, Studio B, and BK Television. I wrote songs and lyrics for many theater plays. I released a cassette with music for children titled “I am a FAIRY TALE.” I also created many conceptual designs for music videos and TV commercials, as well as 150 radio commercials, some of which were awarded at FLOPS (a competition for authors and advertising spots).

Roles in professional performances at the Puppet Theatre in Niš:

  • 1987 – Play Ah, All That the Poor Child Must Endure, written and directed by Mima Janković, role: Good Fairy.
  • 1988 – Play Biberče, written by Ljubiša, directed by Živomir Joković, role: Princess.
  • 1988 – Play Winnie the Pooh, written by A. A. Milne, directed by Miško Milojević, role: Baby Roo.
  • 1988 – Play Symphony in Pain, written by Aleksandar Popović, directed by Milorad Berić, role: Symphony.
  • 1989 – Play Circus, written and directed by Ivan Pilni, animation.
  • 1989 – Play Dog’s Tale, written by Dragutin Dobričanin, directed by Miroslav Ujević, role: Third Soldier.
  • 1989 – Play Heidi, written by Johanna Spyri, directed by Milorad Berić, role: Heidi.
  • 1989 – Play Cosmic Tree, directed by Borislav Mrkšić.
  • 1990 – Play How Bad Words Came to Be, written by Duško Radović, directed by Mima Janković, role: Court Jester.
  • 1990 – Play Gypsy Petre (Metamorphoses), written and directed by Borislav Mrkšić, based on the eponymous gypsy story, roles: daughter Rina, Girl, Woman.
  • 1990 – Play Parrot Pajo, written by Jordan Todorov, directed by Atanas Ilkov, roles: Rumbo Rumbo, Bird, Tiger.
  • 1990 – Play The Junk Dealer, directed by Milorad Berić, multiple roles.
  • 1991 – Play The Game of Rejected Dolls, directed by Milorad Berić, roles: Rabbit, Girl.
  • 1992 – Play Puss in Boots, based on Charles Perrault, directed by Miroslav Ujević, role: Princess.
  • 1993 – Play The Blue Bird, written by Stevan Pešić, directed by Srboljub Lule Stanković, role: Blue Bird.
  • 1993 – Play The Pencil Writes with the Heart, directed by Zoran Lozančić, roles: Girl, Mother, Neighbor.
  • 1993 – Play The Tale of Little Thumb, directed by Milorad Berić, roles: Narrator, Mother, Robber.
  • 1994 – Play Cinderella, directed by Milorad Berić, role: Cinderella.
  • 1994 – Play Little Puppy Toby, directed by Zoran Lozančić, roles: Milica, Grandma, Bunny, Frog, Cow.
  • 1994 – Play Sleeping Beauty, based on Charles Perrault, directed by Milorad Berić, role: Princess.
  • 1995 – Play Puppet Bible, directed by Nikita Milivojević, roles: Servant, Saleswoman, Animator.
  • 1995 – Play Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs, based on the Brothers Grimm, adapted and directed by Miroslav Ujević, role: Grumpy Dwarf.
  • 1995 – Play There Once Was a Love, written by Timošenko Milosavljević, directed by Zoran Lozančić, role: Princess.
  • 1996 – Play The Forest Dreams, written by Dragoljub Bokonjić, based on the fairy tale Hansel and Gretel, directed by Milorad Berić, role: Maritsa.
  • 1996 – Play Mouse Co and Mouse San, written by Ksenija Stojanović, directed by Živomir Joković, animator.
  • 1996 – Play Stars in the Sky, written by James Reeves, directed by Mima Janković, roles: Mother, Fish “The Legless One”, Fairy.
  • 1996 – Play The Crane’s Feather, written by Miroslav Belović, directed by Mima Janković, role: Lady.
  • 1997 – Play Batman and the Puppeteer, directed by Kokan Mladenović, roles: Grieving Girl, Cashier, Secretary, Majorette.
  • 1998 – Play Sleeping Beauty, based on Charles Perrault, dramatized by Živko Sotirov, directed by Zlati Zlatev, role: Fairy of Wisdom.
  • 1999 – Play Velimir and Bosiljka, written by Stevan Pešić, directed by Živomir Joković, role: Bosiljka.
  • 2003 – Play Shadows in the Night, written and directed by Biserka Kolevska, main female role: Indecisive Woman.

Directing in professional theaters:

  • 1998 – Monodrama Jednocikl, written by Slobodan Stanišić, directed and performed by Biljana Vujović.
  • 2003 – The Ugly Duckling, based on motifs by H.C. Andersen, adapted and directed by Biljana Vujović, Puppet Theatre, Niš.
  • 2004 – Santa Claus Is Coming, Come to Us, Puppet Theatre, Niš.
  • 2006 – New Year’s Play, Children’s Theatre, Subotica.
  • 2006 – The Little Mermaid, written by Marina Bjelić Đurić and Biljana Vujović, based on motifs by H.C. Andersen, Youth Theatre, Novi Sad.
  • 2007 – New Year’s Play, Children’s Theatre, Subotica.
  • 2007 – You, Children’s Theatre, Subotica.
  • 2007 – Handmade, National Theatre, Niš (director, adaptation, stage design, music selection).
  • 2008 – The Curious Silver Coin, National Theatre “Toša Jovanović”, Zrenjanin.
  • 2008 – The Naughty Princess, National Theatre, Leskovac.
  • 2009 – Artistic Supervisor of the play The Battle of Čegar, based on the text by Dejan Petković, directed by Istvan Bičkei, National Theatre, Niš, performed at the Čegar Memorial Complex.
  • 2009, 2010, 2011 – Gala performances at the National Theatre.
  • 2010 – The Birds, screenplay by Marina Bjelić Đurić, Puppet Theatre, Niš.
  • 2011 – Fallen from the Pear Tree, Children’s Theatre, Subotica.
  • 2011 – The Truth, dramatization and direction by Biljana Vujović.
  • 2012 – The Show Must Go On, directed by Biljana Vujović, adaptation by Nataša Ilić.
  • 2012 – Little Red Riding Hood, written by Igor Bojović, National Theatre “Toša Jovanović”, Zrenjanin.
  • 2015 – Little Red Riding Hood, adaptation, song author, direction by Biljana Vujović, Bajka Puppet Theatre, Niš.
  • Author of the performance Creative Night, Shakespeare’s Might.
  • Author of the performance Costume and Character Review with a Few Theatrical Tricks.
  • Author of the performance Life in Flower Shoes.
  • Author of the songs and concept for the play Two Empires, Puppet Theatre, Niš.
  • Held a large concert of children’s music in the Square in 1997-8.
  • Author of songs and translation for the play Blue Peter, directed by Atanas Ilkov, Puppet Theatre, Niš.
  • Author of songs and translation from Bulgarian in the play The Stone Heart, Children’s Theatre, Subotica.
  • Complete author of plays with children in the kindergarten “Jovan Jovanović Zmaj” in Pirot, on the occasion of 80 and 85 years of work.
  • Initiator and organizer of an exhibition of art paintings (created at the end of the season in the Sićevo Colony).
  • To the Peak of Spirit 2009.
  • Art is Life and Life is Art 2010.
  • Life is a Canvas, Paint Your Mark 2011.
  • Initiator and organizer of a photography exhibition The Older, the Younger.

1.11.2011. I founded, conceived and organized the GLUMBAL FESTIVAL in Niš (Balkan theater acting festival).

I have won several awards for acting and animation in puppet shows.

  • For my participation in the play Đilja, Petre, I received an award for creativity, animation, and ensemble performance at the 23rd Puppet Theatre Festival of Serbia in 1990 in Subotica.
  • For my participation in the play The Blue Bird, the acting team received an award at the 26th Professional Puppet Theatre Festival of Serbia in 1993 in Kragujevac.
  • For my participation in the play Stars in the Sky, I received an award for performance at the Festić Festival in 1997 in Belgrade.
  • For my participation in the play Zvezdan, I received an award for performance and animation.
  • At the Puppet Theatre Festival of Serbia in Subotica in 1999, I received an award for my role in the play Velimir and Bosiljka.

At Festić in Belgrade in 2004, I was awarded for the adult play Shadows in the Night.

The ensemble of this play also received an award at the International Puppet Festival PIF in Zagreb, participated in the first world festival of UNIMA (the world organization of puppet theaters) as a showcase event, won the Grand Prix at the International Puppet Festival in Stara Zagora, Bulgaria, and performed with great success at the international puppet festival “Mobarakeh” in Tehran.

For the play The Ugly Duckling, I received several awards for directing. At the 36th Meeting of Professional Puppet Theaters of Serbia in 2003 in Niš, I won the directing award, and several actors in the play received acting awards. At the International Festival “Theatre Zvezdarište” in Belgrade in 2004, the play The Ugly Duckling was declared the best play of the festival and also received the audience award. The play was performed in Sofia in 2004 at the showcase event “Puppet Fair.” At the Children’s Theatre Festival in Kotor in 2004, the play received several awards.

  • At the 40th Meeting of Professional Puppet Theaters of Serbia, for the play YOU, I received the award for costume design in 2008 in Niš.
  • The play The Little Mermaid received awards for visual design and high aesthetics at international children’s festivals in Subotica and Kotor in 2007.
  • For the play YOU, I received the award for directing at the “Theatre Zvezdarište” festival in 2009 in Belgrade.
  • The play BIRDS received awards for total design at festivals in Kragujevac (“Golden Spark”), at the “Golden Dolphin” in Varna, Bulgaria, and in Banja Luka at the International Children’s Festival in 2011.
  • I am also a recipient of other societal honors for supporting and developing culture in our country.

I am married and have a daughter Miona (26) and a son Jakov (16).