Round Table: Melpomene Of Tavria Theater Festival Presents “Ukrainian Theater – Art Under Fire”
Round Table at Yale University: Melpomene Of Tavria Theater Festival Presents “Ukrainian Theater – Art Under Fire”
Yale Course “Art And Resistance in Ukraine, Russia and Belarus” is honored to host a round table discussion featuring key figures from the Melpomene Tavria Theater Festival, Ukraine’s largest international theater festival, now in its 26th year despite the ongoing full-scale war. This conversation will explore the resilience, defiance, and creativity of Ukrainian theater under the relentless pressures of conflict.
Participants:
• Oleksandr Kniga – General Director of the Melpomene Tavria Festival and the Kulesh Academic Drama Theater in Kherson. After the full-scale invasion, Oleksandr was kidnapped by Russian troops from his home, which remains under occupation on the right bank of the Dnieper. Following his abduction, an international solidarity campaign by theater professionals worldwide demanded his release. After intense interrogations, Oleksandr was freed and continued the festival’s activities in Ukraine. Following Kherson’s liberation, he returned to his native theater, where he continues his theatrical and volunteer work amidst constant shelling.
• Sergey Pavlyuk – Renowned Ukrainian theater director and Chief Director of the Kherson Theater. Sergei has been awarded a military medal for courage. During the Russian occupation of Kherson, Sergei played a central role in organizing pro-Ukrainian rallies. For his resistance, his home was destroyed, and he was repeatedly interrogated by the FSB. Despite these hardships, he managed to evacuate his family to Kyiv under artillery fire. After his release, he returned to Kherson, where he has staged several important productions and continues to work in theaters across Mykolaiv, Poltava, Kyiv, and other cities in Ukraine.
• Mikhailo Zhuravel – Founder of the Odessa Cultural Center, Director of the Moloko (The Milk) Theater Festival, writer, and director. Mikhailo remains a vital force in promoting Ukrainian culture and literature in Odessa. His current focus is on elevating new Ukrainian voices both domestically and on the international stage, particularly those of authors who are actively defending Ukraine on the frontlines.
• Andrei Kureichik – Belarusian playwright and director in exile, and lecturer at Yale University. Kureichik’s plays have been widely staged in Ukraine, including at the Kherson Theater, and he continues to engage with Ukrainian theater during these challenging times.
Olha Tytarenko – Ukrainian Scholar and Senior Lector at the Department of Slavic Languages and Literatures at Yale University.
Several documentaries have already been made about the Ukrainian Theater Heroes of the round table:
War on Ukraine - Life in Kherson under Russian occupation | DW Documentary in English:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uXBOrxvFJqc&t=607s
RESISTANCE Episode 1 | DOCUMENTARY 2024 | Civilian resistance to the Russian occupation (eng subtitles):
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dLKzUR5SYMc&t=544s
Discussion Focus:
The round table will delve into the challenges and triumphs of operating a theater in a war zone, weighing the balance between artistic expression and personal risk. Participants will explore how theater can confront and resist the existential threats of war and what its mission becomes under such circumstances. What narratives should theater embrace during times of conflict? What do audiences seek in wartime? And what is the role of art under constant bombardment in society?
Drawing from their personal experiences, the panelists will offer unique insights into how theater has served as both a mirror and a shield for those living under siege.
This event is open to the public.
Date: September 10
Time: 1:30 PM – 3:00 PM
Location: HQ 136