June 16-27 | New York | Rehearsal for Truth: Main Festival "Hope"

Rehearsal for Truth International Theater Festival is an annual showcase of contemporary Central and Eastern European theater. The festival honors the legacy of Vaclav Havel with performances that engage with politics, human rights, and other important global questions, featuring work that is bold and often experimental in form.  Each edition of the festival addresses current sociopolitical trends in Central and Eastern Europe, offering New York audiences a unique opportunity to witness the region’s theatrical zeitgeist. This is the 10th edition of the festival.

The festival is a shared endeavor of the Vaclav Havel Center (VHC) and the Bohemian Benevolent and Literary Association (BBLA). The 2026 festival is also being produced in partnership with Untitled Theater Company No. 61.This year's festival, entitled Hope, runs June 16 - 27.  It features work and artists from Austria, Bulgaria, Czechia, Hungary, Poland, Romania, Slovakia, Slovenia, Ukraine, and Uzbekistan.  Hope was once defined by Havel as "not a prognostication...but rather an ability to work for something because it is good, not just because it stands a chance to succeed." We believe that creating art is in itself a hopeful act, and that coming to see the works of artists is an important act of hope as well.The program will primarily feature theater, including full productions from Europe and American workshop collaborations with foreign artists. We also have a set of films about Jewish artists in Poland and we conclude the festival with an evening of comedy. All the programming is free with a suggested donation of $25.  Please donate if possible. Finances for the arts have become more difficult every year, and our ability to offer this festival is more dependent than ever on your help.  

We also have a fundraising party planned on Monday, June 8 in coordination with Hungarian House. It will feature acts, food, and drink from Czechia, Hungary, Poland, Slovakia. We hope you can join!

This program is supported, in part, by public funds from the New York City Department of Cultural Affairs in partnership with the City Council.Please go through our program and find some shows that appeal.

We look forward to seeing you. More info: https://www.rehearsalfortruth.org/2026-festival