Student Amateur Theatre during the Communist Dictatorship in Romania
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The Academy of Economic Studies' Brigade
The Academy of Economic Studies' Artistic Brigade ("A.S.E.'s Artistic Brigade", "ASE's Brigade" or "Brigada ASE") was one of the most prominent student amateur theatre brigades during the 1970s and 1980s in Romania (at that time, The Socialist Republic of Romania). The emergence of the brigade in the mid-1970s cannot be separated from the cultural and political context of Ceaușescu’s communist dictatorship in Romania, where the state promoted the concept of “cultură pentru mase” (“culture for the masses”). Under this policy, universities, factories, and youth organizations were expected to establish brigăzi artistice—amateur performance groups that combined entertainment with civic education and ideological themes. These brigades staged short plays, humorous sketches, poetry recitals, and songs, presenting them at festivals, competitions, and workplace events in line with the socialist ethos and as a part of the wider cultural mobilization program. By the 1970s, brigades had become highly institutionalized, with national festivals and competitions under the supervision of the Union of Communist Youth (UTC).
Within this context, the ASE Artistic Brigade quickly distinguished itself. While fulfilling its institutional role of promoting A.S.E, it also became a vibrant space for student creativity, camaraderie, and subtle satire against the politics of the Romanian Communist Party and Ceaușescu's harsh dictatorship.
Composition of the Brigade
The A.S.E's Artistic Brigade was typically composed of a dynamic collective of 20 student members from the Commerce Faculty and other faculties within the A.S.E, with the minimal number ranging between 10 and 14 members. Participation was organized to ensure a balance between female and male students.
As senior members graduated, new students were carefully selected to join the ensemble by the group’s leader, Fiți Arieșanu (Fiți Arieșeanu). Charismatic and deeply committed, Arieșanu not only recruited and mentored newcomers but also shaped the repertoire, rehearsals, and performance style. Under his guidance, the main founder of the brigade, the student amateur theatre group preserved its creative energy and cohesion. He remained an influential and inspiring presence in the university until the late 1980s.