The General Assembly of Zalaegerszeg, Town with County Rank, established a company in 2008 under the name Quarterhouse Open Air Theatre Ltd. whose task it was to carry on the summer theatre performances, which commenced in 2007 and organise other cultural events in both the town and county. From then on, the scope of activities expanded. The company’s managing director Gábor Tompa works also as the festival and theatre director.
Apart from their own productions (including one annual premier), the theatre also hosts visiting performances and offers the stage to local art groups. Adding to this, it has been fully responsible for organising: the Egerszeg Festival; the town’s birthday on 13 May and to show-off its gastronomic side, the Belvárosi Szüret (Downtown Harvest), which later became the Belvárosi Szüret és Zalai Teríték (Downtown Harvest and Zala Specialities) then renamed again in 2015 as the Zalaegerszegi Vadpörkölt és Borfesztivál – ZALAI TERÍTÉK (Zalaegerszeg Wild Game Stew and Wine Festival – ZALA SPECIALITIES). However this name evolution isn’t just a mouthful, it is a feast of nature’s goodies: Zala county forest fare, wild game and splendid wines.
On this journey, the Quarterhouse’s accumulated experience has allowed them to broaden the palette of programmes tantalising tourists and residents. It is proud to be able to say that the Egerszeg Festival has grown into Zala County’s largest event showing all arts and is a proud representation of the region.
In 2008, the Travelling Quarterhouse (Kvártélyház Utazó) was set in motion by the General Assembly of Zala County, which takes entertaining cultural programmes – mostly theatre performances- to many of the settlements in Zala County, visiting even the smallest of places. Not a small feat considering the county’s dispersion of tiny villages: 258 settlements spread over 3784 sq km!
Quarterhouse programmes are primarily aimed at Zalaegerszeg residents and those in the surrounding areas but include and welcome tourists visiting the town. Other programmes, most of all the Egerszeg Festival, have outgrown their town location and have reached beyond its borders by appearing in main programmes in the county and Western-Transdanubia having gained a nationwide reputation partly in thanks to the county town’s twin towns and cities and the media partnership with MTVA (the umbrella organisation for Hungarian public sector media).
All the employees and experts engaged in organising events are professionals highly trained in their own fields – lighting, audio and stage technology, pyrotechnics, event organisation, financial operations. At large-scale events Martin lighting and audio equipment and TÜV approved/Prolyte and Nivtec Flexibel staging systems are used.
Besides these extensive theatre activities, the company also undertakes events organisation, comprehensive marketing and image consulting and programme realisation. After nine years, Quarterhouse Ltd. has become the largest events organiser in Zala County.
The Quarterhouse past performances include plays, musicals and comedies such as: Anconai szerelmesek (The Lovers of Ancona); A padlás félig mese-félig musical (The Attic “half tale-half musical”); Hotel Menthol (Hotel Menthol); Charley nénje (Charley’s Aunt); Játék a kastélyban (The Play’s the Thing); The Hungarian Blues Brothers; Lendvai képek (Pictures from Lendva); Szomorú vasárnap (Gloomy Sunday); A kaktusz virága (Cactus Flower).
The Quarterhouse has organised many varied major events to date. The aforementioned cultural and culinary festival, Zala region food and wine celebrations, art exhibitions and travelling theatre to name a few. Seasonal festivities for Advent, New Year and St. Stephen’s Day are ones they are proud of organising as well as the individual occasions of inaugurations, openings, live concerts and company celebrations.
Major events organised by Quarterhouse:
• Egerszeg Festival, Zalaegerszeg (since 2008)
• Downtown Harvest, Zalaegerszeg (since 2008) – named Downtown Harvest and Zala Specialities from 2012 and Zalaegerszeg Wild Game Stew and Wine Festival – ZALA SPECIALITIES since 2015
• Opening Day for Hunting in Zala, Bak-Sohollár (since 2010)
• Vitamin B Days in the Spirit of Beer, Zalaegerszeg (since 2011)
• Quarterhouse Summer, Zalaegerszeg (since 2007)
• Travelling Quarterhouse, small settlements of Zala county (since 2008)
• ZAKO, the Zalaegerszeg Contemporary Arts Festival, Zalaegerszeg (since 2013)
• Quarterhouse Advent, Zalaegerszeg (since 2012)
• New Year Celebration and Fireworks, Zalaegerszeg (since 2008)
• Town New Year’s Eve Celebrations, Zalaegerszeg (since 2012)
• ZeneEgerszeg Music Festival, Zalaegerszeg (2009)
• County Day, Zalavár (since 2010)
• 50th Jubilee Celebrations of Zalavíz Zrt. (2010)
• Pernix Pharma inauguration (2011)
• Business Incubator inauguration, Zalaegerszeg (2010)
• Celebrations in Zalaegerszeg to mark National Holidays (15 March; 20 August; 23 October)
• National Song (featuring Varga Miklós és a Band; Ismerős Arcok) Zalaegerszeg (22 October 2011)
• St. Stephen Day, Keszthely (2011 and 2012)
• Csík Band in Advent Concert, Zalaegerszeg (2013 and 2014)
• Veca Janicsák in Concert, Zalaegerszeg (2013)
• Ismerős Arcok – Tearing down fences – Record Launch, Zalaegerszeg (2012)
• National Song venue, Zalaegerszeg (2013)
• Hollywood Rose Camp, Zalaegerszeg (2013)
• Vásárhely Festivities, Marosvásárhely (co-organiser 2014)
Membership in professional organisations includes:
• Magyar Teátrumi Társaság (The Hungarian Theatre Federation)
• Magyar Fesztivál Szövetség (The Hungarian Festival Association)
• Zalaegerszeg Turizmusáért Egyesület (The Zalaegerszeg Association for Tourists)
• Zala megyei Borturisztikai Klaszter (The Zala County Wine Tourism Cluster)
• EFFE (Europe for Festivals, Festivals for Europe)
National media partners:
• Médiaszolgáltatás-támogató és Vagyonkezelő Alap – MTVA (Media Service Support and Asset Management Fund – the umbrella organisation for Hungarian public sector media)
• TV2 (television)
• Magyar Teátrum (Hungarian Theatre Federation)
• Pannon Lapok Társasága (PLT) publishing house
• port.hu
• fesztivalkalauz.hu
• Pesti Műsor (television current affairs program)
