The announcement was made on Monday by Poland's Ministry of Culture and National Heritage.
Klata will officially take over the role at the start of the new theater season in September.
Klata has been a major figure in Polish theater for over two decades. Born in 1973, he wrote his first play at the age of 12, and has had a storied career at key theatre companies across Poland and internationally, with a reputation for blending classical works with modern political and social commentary.
His tenure as director of the National Old Theatre in Kraków from 2013 to 2017 was marked by both critical acclaim and controversy, as his bold artistic vision clashed with traditionalists.
As he steps into his new role, Klata is expected to bring his signature style to Poland’s most important stage, potentially ushering in a new era of artistic experimentation and debate.
His work has frequently explored themes of power, revolution and identity, often using unconventional staging and sharp political critique.
Notable productions include Transfer! (2006), which juxtaposed personal testimonies of displaced Poles and Germans after World War II with caricatures of historical figures, and Sprawa Dantona (The Danton Case, 2008), a play about the French Revolution that drew parallels with contemporary politics.
In 2009, his adaptation of Henryk Sienkiewicz’s Trylogia (The Trilogy) set the patriotic epic in a homeless shelter, offering a stark reinterpretation of Polish national myths.
Klata has directed over 60 pieces in Poland and abroad, including productions in Berlin, Prague, Moscow, Graz and Düsseldorf.
His accolades include the Polityka Passport award (2006) and the Konrad Swinarski Award for Best Director (2008).
In 2018, he became only the second Polish recipient of the prestigious New Theatrical Realities award, part of the European Theatre Prize.
His appointment to Warsaw's National Theater comes after a closed selection process, developed in consultation with theater professionals and the current administration of the institution, according to the culture ministry.
Klata will replace Jan Englert, who has led the theater since 2003.
Jan Englert. Photo: Wojciech Kusiński/Polish Radio