The Victor Ion Popa Theater (Teatrul Victor Ion Popa) is a professional repertory theater in Bârlad, founded in 1955 and named after the Bârlad-born playwright, director and novelist Victor Ion Popa. It occupies the former Jury Court Hall of the 1890 Administrative Palace, now shared with the Vasile Pârvan Museum.
Theater had been part of Bârlad’s cultural life long before the professional company was created. Performances by local pupils and touring companies are documented from the 19th century, and actors including Matei Millo, Aristizza Romanescu and Constantin Nottara appeared in the city. A permanent professional institution was finally established as the Bârlad State Theater in 1955, opening on 28 December with Aurel Baranga’s Mielul turbat, directed by Sică Alexandrescu. The following year it received the name of Victor Ion Popa.
The new theater was installed in the former Jury Court Hall, which had formed part of the Tutova County administrative and justice complex. Its conversion introduced a dedicated stage and backstage block on the western side, with spaces for dressing rooms, scenery and production work, giving the theater a more modern rear extension while retaining the historic courtroom hall as the core of the venue.
A fire on 8 April 1992 partially destroyed the theater building, after which it was rebuilt and returned to use. The institution has developed a broad repertory of Romanian and international drama, while Victor Ion Popa’s Take, Ianke și Cadâr has held a particularly strong place in its history, being revived repeatedly and performed hundreds of times.
