The first Actresses on the Boards of the Craotian Theatre

In the beginnings of Croatian theatre up to 1840 it is only occasionally that we can come upon the name of an actress, and only with the professionalisation of the acting profession can we find the names of individuals. The guest appearance of a troupe from Novi Sad and the professionalisation of Croatian acting in the mid-19th century brought changes in the profession, and the definition of acting personalities began, including some women who came to the fore, marking a stage in the development of the Croatian theatre with their appearances. This paper, which covers the time from the beginnings of acting in Croatia until the coming of Stjepan Miletić to the top position in management of the Croatian National Theatre in Zagreb, shows the way in which the first actresses made their names and reputations, the circumstances in which they worked and lived and the roles in which they acted