Theatre „Eugène Ionesco” is one of the most important theatres in Chisinau; founded shortly after Moldova has proclaimed its independence, on 11th of September 1991. The theatre was founded at the initiative of a group of actors, graduates of „Şciukin” School of Theatre from Moscow, led by Petru Vutcărău. Eugène Ionesco agreed that the new theatre to bear his name, this being the first trophy obtained by the descendants of the Vahtangoviene School. The noted Bessarabian director and actor Peter Vutcarau was the first stage manager and artistic director of the theatre, currently being the director of the theatre too. In 1990, a group of 13 actors, led by Peter Vutcarau are leaving the theatre and become an “itinerant” theatre. The new group named The “Eugène Ionesco” Theatre, temporary leave the country and go to Râmnicu-Vâlcea, Romania, where they receive food, housing and a stage where they may perform their spectacles. After 5 months of residence in Vâcea, the theatre undertake its first tour which included the largest cities from Romania – Târgu-Mureş, Cluj, Oradea, Timişoara, Arad, Bucureşti. In this period the theatre wins its first awards at different theatre festivals and records two spectacles from its repertoire at Romanian Television, which are kept in the funds of TVR until today.

The summer of 1991, theatrical group came back to Chisinau, and in the autumn of the same year, the theatre was officialised at the Ministry of Culture. Petru Vutcrau became the first stage director of the theatre. Val Butnaru, journalist and playwright was responsible for the artistic department of  Eugene Ionesco Theatre, while the administrative department was  headed by Valentin Todercan.

In 1993, the theatre became member of the Informal European Theatre Meeting (IETM)

The period 1991-1995 was marked by the performances that have stated and confirmed,  in our country and abroad, the artistic and professional value of the young Theatre Company  - “ Waiting for Godot” by S. Beckett ( directed by Petru Vutcarau and Mihai Fusu), “The bald Soprano” by Eugene Ionesco (directed by Petru Vutcarau), “Joseph and his Mistress” by Val Butnaru, "Seagull" by Anton Chekhov (directed by Mihai Fusu), "Chiriţa in province" after V.Alecsandri (directed by Petru Vutcărău), " Exit the King " by Eugene Ionesco (directed by Petru Vutcărău), "Voices in the dazzling light” by Matei Vişniec (directed by Petru Vutcărău). All these performances were applauded and awarded in all corners of the world, from France to Japan.

In 1994, "Eugene Ionesco" Theatre - the first and currently the only Theater of the absurd  was invited to attend the Avignon Theatre Festival (France) with three performances  "The Bald Soprano” by Eugene Ionesco", "Waiting for Godot" by S. Beckett and " Exit the King" by Eugene Ionesco.

From this period dates the collaboration of theatre with the stage directors form United States Kenneth Kampbell and Moshe Yassur. They staged at Eugen Ionesco Theatre performances after works of European and American modern playwrights, as for example: "Shawl” by David Mamet and “The most enjoyable afternoon of the year” by John Guare (both directed by Kenneth Kampbell) and "Jacques or Obidience or The future is in eggs” by Eugene Ionesco (stage director Moshe Yassur). Kenneth Kampbell was the President of the jury at the first edition of the BITEI Festival.

 In 1993 the theatrical company Eugene Ionesco is completed by others graduates of theatre schools from Moscow. Eugen Ionesco Theatre’s activities were marked by the affirmation of that young group of actors through the dumb-show performance "6 ½" with a great success on the audience, but also through the dramatic performances  such as: "Two on a swing" by Wiliam Gibson (stage director Corneliu Păvăloi), "Hungarian Medea " by Arpad Goncz (stage director Alexandru Cozub), "Usherettes" by Constantin Cheianu (directed by Alexandru Cozub).The two last performances represented for Sandu Cozub the beginning in the career as a stage director.

The theatre still collaborates with invited stage directors such as Volia Vaha (Sankt -Petersburg, Rusia) who staged, at Eugene Ionesco Theatre, a memorable performance after the work “The Outcry” by Tennessee Williams. It is a performance for “two actors” perfectly performed by the dramatic couple Ala Menşicov and Petru Vutcărău. At the same time, the stage director Petru Vutcărău continued the series of “remarkable” performances by staging after universal classics drama – “The Inspector-General” by Nikolai Gogol and “A Midsummer Night’s Dream” by William Shakespeare.

In 1995, both directors - Val Butnaru and Valentin Todercan quit their jobs and left the theatre. The artistic Section was led by Petru Vutcarau, and in 1997 the Managing Director of Eugene Ionesco Theatre (TEI) became Veaceslav Reabinschi.

That period of Eugene Ionesco Theatre’s activities ended with staging the play “How to Explain the History of Communism to Mental Patients” by Matei Visniec, directed by Charles Lee (France). TEI participated with this performance at the Edinburg Theatre Festival (England).

In 2001, the third period of TEI history started. That time, a group of graduates from Academy of Music Theatre and Fine Arts came to succeed in their career as actors. During that period of time, the theatre treated new themes, continued to develop the tradition of “big performances”, cooperated with invited stage directors. They were interested in modern national and international dramaturgy, with a strong social aspect.

In 2000, Ion Spadaru, actor and stage director at National Theatre from Iasi (Romania) staged at TEI the play “Hamlet” by W.Shakespeare. It represented an important achievement in the field of staging as well on the dramatic one. The summer of the same year, Petru Vutcarau involved theatrical troupe in achieving another successful project – staging the play "Wolves and sheeps" by Alexander Ostrovsky. A new collaboration begun between TEI and the music composer Marian Stircea who wrote the music for the both performances.

One of the most important projects dating that period was the performance "The Chekhov Machinery" after the work of Matei Vişniec, directed by Petru Vutcărău. It was the first international collaboration of the theatre with the Theatre Company "Les Oiseaux de Passage" from France. There were distributed French actors- Brigitte Perroton and Olivier Comte (the role of Chekhov) in this performance along to the actors from "Ionesco".

Petru Vutcarau continued to work in “large format” staging the historical drama “Elisabeth I” (after the work of Paul Foster and historical chronicle), but still drawing attention to chamber performances – staging the satire "And shall we to do with the cello?” after the play of Matei Visniec and the monologue „Picasso's Women. Olga” by Brian McAvera.

The stage director Nugzar Lordkipanideze from Georgia is invited by TEI in order to stage the performance “Misanthrope”- an entertaining vaudeville written by Labiche.

Vitalie Drucec debuted in staging with the monospectacle “Picasso’s women. Jacqueline” by Brian Mc Avera, well performed by Alla Mensicov. The debut was not a simple try of forces, Vitalie Drucec continued to affirm as a stage director with more and more performances, as follows: “The lesson” by Eugene Ionesco and “People of anyone” by Dumitru Crudu. Valeriu Pahomi, actor from “the last generation”, joined to this movement “actors-stage directors” staging the performance "Stopped EU.ro.PA" written by Nicoleta Esinencu.

TEI interest concerning the social problems reflected in the national and international modern dramaturgy were materialised in staging the performances after the works of Dumitru Crudu: "A blind man and a blind woman on the peaks of Caucasus " and "People of anyone ", as well as the monologue” Stopped EU.ro.PA!” written by Nicoleta Esinencu and the play “The Fire face” by Marius von Mayenburg, German writer ".

In 2002, Andrei Locoman became the Managerial Director of the theatre.

In February 2007, by Government decision, Eugene Ionesco "Theatre" is given its own residential building in the ex-Leisure Centre "Moscow".

In the autumn of 2009, the actor Veaceslav Sambriş debuted as a stage director with the play "The Chiefs" by the Austrian writer Werner Schwab. It is a challenging and exciting text, controversial, contested and successfully played around the world. In 2010 he staged another play "Vigil" by Morris Panych.

In 1994, at the initiative of the artistic director Val Butnaru organizes together with the Ministry of Culture in Moldova BIENNIAL International Theatre Festival of "Eugene Ionesco" Theatre – BITEI, a unique theatrical and cultural event in the country. The first edition of the Festival (1994) has been dedicated to Eugene Ionesco's the drama. The second (1997) took place under the generic Tradition and Modernity. The Third Edition (1999) has been carried out with the title of the Meeting at the end of the century. The fourth (2001) had the title Interference. The fifth edition of the Festival (2003) took place under the generic Theatre without Borders. In 2004, the year of celebrating the 100th anniversary of the Great Russian writer Anton Chekhov, it was held the sixth edition of the Festival-Biennial Chekhov. The seventh edition of BITEI (2006) was carried out under the slogan Between East and West. In 2008, BITEI took place under the generic Intersections. The ninth edition of BITEI has been carried out with the title For a Better World.

The tasks of the theatre are to conduct a diverse and a high quality cultural activity within dramatic performances, dramatic-musicals, literary soirees, the organization of tournaments in our country and abroad, the participation in national and international festivals, the organization and the development of living art and theatre festivals. The goal is to offer to the public very good performances. “Eugene Ionesco” Theatre through its activity contributes to the growth of citizens’ cultural level in Republic of Moldova and to their integration into the movement of the European and international values.