On stage, on streets, by the water...

The organizers of the event promise that residents of Kherson and tourists will have a unique opportunity to watch theater performances practically non-stop – in the morning, afternoon, and even at night on three stages (master stage, cafe theater, and a stage under the roof) of Kherson Oblast Academic Drama and Music Theater named after Mykola Kulish as well as on the stage of the Kherson Oblast Puppet Theater.

Traditionally, the festival “Melpomene of Tavria” will open with carnival procession in downtown Kherson – on May 24 several thousands of people will walk down Ushakova Avenue. Right after that the competition program will begin with the performance of the hosts of the event – Kherson Theater will present Eneida on the master stage and Griboedov Russian Drama Theater from Tbilisi will present the play To Kill a Man on the stage of cafe theater.

In ten festival days in Kherson 30 plays will be performed by theater companies from 14 countries, including Ukraine, Russia, Belarus, Moldova, Romania, Portugal, Latvia, Poland, Hungary, Georgia, and others. It is expected that within the framework of the festival “Melpomene of Tavria” the audience will see the performances of Yevhenia Simonova with sand animation, actors Yurii Rybchynsky and Sergei Garmash (Russia), Ponomarenko brothers (Ukraine), Igor Sigov (Belarus), Nuzgar Lortqipanidze (Georgia), Sergei Kowaliow (Poland), and many others. Traditionally, during the festival in Kherson a meeting of the all-Ukrainian Organization of Directors “Theater Directors of Ukraine” will be held, as well as various master classes for actors and solo performances of theater artists.

In addition to performances on traditional stage, the audience will get a chance to see the so-called street performances – actors will perform miniatures before the Teatralna Square, on Suvorova Street, and right on the bank of the Dnipro River.

“At this year’s festival a lot of Kherson local peculiar elements of the event,” said director of Kherson Oblast Academic Drama and Music Theater Oleksandr KNYHA at a press conference. “We will have a traditional carnival procession, ball of Kherson’s high school graduates, performances on squares and banks of the Dnipro. I assure you that during the festival Kherson can be safely called the theater capital of Ukraine.”

Last year the Grand Prix of the festival “Melpomene of Tavria” was awarded to the performance Zorba the Greek (directed by Vitalii Malakhov) presented by Ivan Franko National Academic Drama Theater.