The end of the 19th century was marked by multiple political, economic, social and cultural changes throughout Europe and in the Romanian Principalities. The ever changing times and the importance of the events (we distinguish the Union of the Principalities in 1859 - “Little Union” and the abdication of Cuza - 10/11 February 1866) can fascinate us and divert us from our preoccupations with Romanian folklore and the related comparative studies, but also with the valorisation of popular theatre in the cultured dramaturgy. And yet, the visiting card of our cultural identity would not be complete if powerful personalities such as Vasile Alecsandri, Theodor T. Burada, Ghe. Dem. Teodorescu (the list being, obviously, much longer) and - after a century - George Călinescu would not have been concerned with the flavour and the power of synthesis of ideas, specific to the “small theatre”. Through their works (collection, research or processing), Romanian dramaturgy was given the chance to be enriched with plays inspired by puppet and mask theatre. In this regard, we will bring to attention three reference texts, within which we can find folkloric roots: Iaşii în Carnaval (Iasi in Carnival), Ion Păpuşarul (Ion - the Puppeteer), by Vasile Alecsandri, and Brezaia, by George Călinescu.