STERLITAMAK RUSSIAN DRAMA THEATRE

STERLITAMAK RUSSIAN DRAMA THEATRE, state-owned. Established in 1946. The first Artistic Managing Director — K.H.Shakhbazidi (since 1947).

The performances on military-patriotic and industrial topics prevailed in the repertoire of the first years. Between the 50s—60s, the world classics became the source of spiritual and aesthetic experience and artistic poetic skills of the troupe. The theater reached its greatest creative accomplishments under the leadership of D.S.Shrager (Chief Stage Director between 1971—87, Artistic Managing Director between 1994—95) whose performances were characterized by innovation, subtle psychology, civicism, humor and lyricism. The performances brought up deep social, moral and ethical problems of modern age. In the 90s, the theater turned to complex philosophical topics, the study of human innermost experiences. The performances based on the works of foreign drama were staged. The performances by Stage Director M.G.Kulbayev (Artistic Managing Director between 1996—99) Orpheus Descends to Hell by T.Williams, Suicider by N.R.Erdman were distinguished by original stage form, bright acting works; K.D.Hotyanovsky — The Lady Without Camellias by G.Rattigan, The Miracle Worker by W.Gibson, Anfisa by L.N.Andreyev, Lark by J.Anouilh — by the desire to reveal the subtext of the mystical series of events, to create a parable performance. Since 2000s, the creative search of the theater is dominated by the desire to combine bright theatricality and psychology, most reflected in the productions of I.A.Cherkashin (since 2002 – Artistic Managing Director): Love by M.Schisgal (diploma winner of Open Contest Festival Zolotoy Konyok; Tyumen, 2002), Marriage by N.V.Gogol (diploma winner of the Festival of the Theatres of Small Towns of Russia; Lysva, 2004), Hapun by V.I.Olshansky (awards in various nominations at the Festival of the Theatres of Small Towns of Russia; Vyshny Volochok, 2006). The repertoire of the theater was also enriched by Russian classical (Uncle Vanya by A.P.Chekhov, The Price of Success based on the play Talents and Admirers by A.N.Ostrovsky, etc), modern (The Great Seducer based on the play The Great Lover or the Last Night of Casanova by A.Lavrin and V.Korkiya, Thirteenth Star by Olshansky, Siren and Victoria by A.M.Galin) and foreign (Filumena Marturano by E.De Filippo, Princess Turandot by K.Gozzi, Sylvia by A.Gurney) literature.