80 years later, 14,000 donors, one theater: Interview with Grivița 53 founder Chris Simion-Mercurian

At 53 Calea Griviței in Bucharest stands the new building of the “first theater built together from the ground up.” Backed by more than 14,000 donors, the once “impossible idea” has become one of Romania’s most ambitious independent cultural projects - and the first private theater built from scratch in nearly 80 years. In this interview, founder Chris Simion-Mercurian reflects on the risks, lessons, faith, and small wins that shaped the journey from idea to stage.

“Beyond the numbers, for me, 'together' remains something very concrete: thousands of gestures of trust, gathered over time, brick by brick.” - Chris Simion-Mercurian, director, writer, and theater founder.