the Play
After the triumphant crusade all over the world, the most famous and
scandal play of the last few years comes to Russia. It arrives here
to say goodbye to the strained taboos, to declare itself aloud and stay
for long.
A well-known American playwright and activist Eve Ensler gathered
in one choir monologues of different women, which excite, attract,
amuse, surprise and force to take a new look over feminine essence.
Ms. Enslers Obie-winning play «The Vagina Monologues» has been
translated into over 35 languages and running in theaters all over the
world, including sold-out runs at both Off-Broadway’s Westside Theater
and on London’s West End (2002 Olivier Award nomination, Best
Entertainment.) Her experience performing The Vagina Monologues
inspired her to create V-Day, a global movement to stop violence
against women and girls.
Ms. Ensler is the recipient of a Guggenheim Fellowship Award
in Playwriting, the Berrilla-Kerr Award for Playwriting, the Elliot
Norton Award for Outstanding Solo Performance, and the Jury Award for
Theater at the U. S. Comedy Arts Festival, as well as the 2002 Amnesty
International Media Spotlight Award for Leadership and The Matrix Award
(2002).
«The Vagina Monologues» is not just a play, it is a social movement,
which in June 2006 is celebrating it's first year in Russia.
During 2005-2006 «The Vagina Monologues» was shown in such Russian
cities as Novosibirsk, Volgograd, Samara, Saratov, Vladivostok,
Uzhno-Sakhalinsk, Petropavlovsk-Kamchatskiy, Novokuznetsk,
Ekaterinburgh. The performance has also traveled abroad, to Estonia
(Talinn and Narva), Israel (Tel-Aviv, Haifa, Ashdod, Beer-Sheva,
Jerusalem) and it is planned to show it in USA and Finland in 2007.
In September 2006 «The Vagina Monologues» performance was
acknowledged as the «Best Innovative Project» by the award committee of
the «Emotion Award» - new award for the best producers and managers in
the show business industry.
In 2006 «The Vagina Monologues» play was staged in Saint Petersburg
by the director Juliano Di Capua, this is the second Russian production
of the play. The performance is shown at «Music-Hall» theatre in St.
Petersburg.
In 2007 the first Russian edition of «The Vagina Monologues» book
will be published by Moscow publishing house «Livebook». The book will
be presented on September 22, 2007 at Meyerhold center.
First official Russian production of «The Vagina Monologues» is being presented owing to:
- Translator — Vasiliy Arkanov
- Director, producer and performance rights owner — Joel Lehtonen
- Actresses — Vera Voronkova, Anna Galinova, Ekaterina Konisevich.
Translation
Vasiliy Arkanov
Vasiliy Arkanov is well-known by Russian TV audience. He is the
reporter of the «NTV» TV company in USA, and also the author and
presenter of the program «Broadway walks» on channel «Kultura»
(«Culture»). His articles often appear in «ELLE» and «Domovoy»
magazines during the last 8 years. Besides the translation of «The
Vagina Monologues», Vasiliy Arkanov has done the translations of the
musical «42 street» (together with his father, Arkadiy Arkanov) and the
novel «Everything Is Illuminated» by the modern American writer
Jonathan Safran Foer (was published by EKSMO publishing house in
October 2005).
Director, producer and performance rights owner
Joel Lehtonen
«The Vagina Monologues» in Moscow is a unique theatre production,
produced with the efforts of director Joel Lehtonen. His earlier plays
– «Ice Pictures» (K. Smeds), «4.48 Psychosis» (S. Kane) and first
open-air theatre production in Moscow – «Arab Night» (R.
Shimmelpfennig) – are already recognized by the public as the most
interesting, stylish events of the last theatre seasons.
The latest production of Joel Lehtonen is the performance, based on the book by Svetlana Alexievich «Chernobyl Prayer».
The premiere of the play took place on 26 of April, 2006. The play is
dedicated to the twentieth anniversary of the disaster at Chernobyl
APP.
At present Joel Lehtonen is working on the production of a play
«Panic» by finnish author Mikka Miliaho. The premiere is scheduled for
autumn 2007. The story will be «about the men on the verge of a nervous
breakdown».
Actresses
Vera Voronkova
Graduated from Moscow Chekhov Arts Theatre Studio, was working in
Moscow Chekhov Arts Theatre. Now she is the actress of the Pushkin
Theatre, and is also playing in the productions of Meyerhold Centre
(«Arto and His Double», «Mirror Carp»), participated in the project of
Jury Grimov «Dali», films: «Vremya Tancora» («Dancer’s Time») (1997),
«Lubovnik» («Lover») (2002), «Mama Ne Goruy – 2» (2005), series
«Dnevnik Ubiycy» («Killer’s Diary») (2002) and other theatre and movie
projects.
Anna Galinova
One of the best young character actresses of Moscow, graduate of
Shukinskiy College, actress of Gogol Theatre. Participated in the movie
projects «Pastir’ Vseh Ovec» («Pastor of All Sheeps»), «Circ»
(«Circus»), «Moskva – Centralniy Okrug» («Moscow – Central Region»), in
theatre performance «Comet in Moominland» (2006) and in the productions
by Joel Lejtonen:«Ice Pictures», «Chernobyl Prayer».
Anna Galinova received the award for the best woman's part in
the performance «Chernobyl Prayer», presented by the fifth «New Drama»
festival, held in Moscow in September 2006 and award of Omsk festival
«Young Russian Theatres» - for best performance of documentary material.
Ekaterina Konisevich
Graduate of Russian Academy of the Theatre Art, bright actress of
the underground theatre projects; took part in the much-talked-of
performances directed by Jivile Montvilaite: «E-Fedra», «Parazity»
(«Parasites») and «Shlem.com» (based on the book by Victor Pelevin).
The team of the Russian production
- Costume Designer — Ruzanna Gukasyan
- Make-up designer — Irina Lyashko
- Make-up — Daria Izotova
- Light Designer — Vladimir Frumson
- Sound Directors — Andrey Durishev, Pavel Danilin
- Video Installation — INTEKTRA (Anna Titovec), with music and fragment of the performance by Tsunamikillcore
- Management and PR — Nika Garkalina, Natalia Vartapetova.
Press Coverage
Publications in English and Russian - see www.vaginamonologues.ru/press/
Wide premiere nights were held on September 8, 9 2005 on the stage of «Meyerhold Centre», Moscow.
Exclusive premiere was performed on June 12, 13 2005 on the stage of «Ermitazh Theatre», Moscow.
For more information in English, please, contact pr@vaginamonologues.ru.
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