Theater 199, Chamber theatre in Sredets District, Sofia, Bulgaria

Theater 199 is a chamber venue housed in a basement space in the Sredets District with a single auditorium that seats a modest number of spectators. The setup creates a close connection between performers and audience members who sit near the stage.

Founded on 12 June 1965, Theater 199 took its name from the 199 seats in its original hall. After the death of its long-time director Valentin Stoychev in 2007, it was renamed in his honour. In 2015 it marked its 50th anniversary with a chronicle compiled by theatre scholar Nikola Vandov.

Since 2005 the theatre has run an annual competition for a chamber play on contemporary themes, named after actress Slavka Slavova; winners include Dimitar Kabakov's "Zharava" (2005), Yana Borisova's "Little Play for a Nursery" (2007), Martin Kolev's "Croissant" (2016) and Elena Telbis's "Bokluk" (2019), which later won Ikar 2021 for best production. By the rules the theatre must stage the winning play.

The theatre is on Rakovski Street in central Sofia, in a basement space with a single hall of 169 seats. Evening performances start at 19:30, or 20:00 in summer; Sunday matinees at 15:00 run in winter, and children's shows are at 11:30 on Saturdays and Sundays. The programme changes monthly, so check the current schedule before visiting.

The entrance area features a walk of fame with concrete footprints of Bulgarian performers who have appeared on this stage. This unusual memorial documents the artists who have shaped this intimate venue.