Alina Șerban’s Revelatory "The Best Child in The World" Comes to New York

Updated: Aug 31, 2023

A one-woman show following the compelling coming-of-age story of a Roma girl who fights to overcome racism and discrimination

Written and directed by thespian and film-maker Alina Șerban, one of Romania’s foremost young performers, "The Best Child in The World" is the first show by an author from the Roma minority to enter the permanent repertoire of The National Theatre of Bucharest. Based on Alina’s own experiences, the one-woman show follows the coming-of-age story of a Roma girl who fights to overcome racism and discrimination, managing to succeed in an unwelcoming world as a powerful woman who has learned how to embrace her identity and make peace with her past. The show will be presented at the Romanian Cultural Institute on June 15 as part of the Romanian American Studio Theater program and at the Rehearsal for Truth Festival at Bohemian National Hall, with two additional one-off performances at Jersey City Theater Center and ROCO Chicago.

ALINA ȘERBAN is the winner of Best Actress Award at the German Actors Guild Awards in 2020 for her leading role in "Gipsy Queen". In the same year, she was nominated for Best Actress at the German Film Awards. In 2022 Alina’s work was presented at Venice Biennale’s Roma pavilion. Also in the same year, with "The Best Child in The World", she became the first woman from the Roma minority to direct a play at the National Theater of Bucharest, Romania’s most prestigious theatrical stage. In 2023, Alina won the Best Indie Producer for a Romanian Shortfilm Award for her second short, "I Matter", at the Independent Producers Indie Film Festival, while as a visual artist she was part of the Barvalo Exhibition by Mucem in Marseille. Her film, "Alone at My Wedding", screened at the Cannes Festival in 2018.

THE BEST CHILD IN THE WORLD

A play presented as part of the 9G Program of the National Theatre of Bucharest

Director/Actor/Playwright: Alina Șerban

Artistic Consultant: Andrei Măjeri

Assistant Director & Dramaturgy consultant: Vera Surățel

Costumes: Cristina Milea

Set design: Miruna Bălașa

Choreography: Răzvan Rotaru

Photography: Boroka Biro & Cătălin Rugină

Video design: Mircea Bogățeanu

Music: Lucas Dario Molina

Sound for video: Ștefan Azaharioaei