Theaters

Uralsk Drama Theater named after Alexander Nikolaevich Ostrovsky

The history of the Uralsk Russian Drama Theater begins in the middle of the 19th century, the first theater was built in 1858 on the initiative of the chieftain Stolypin. In the fall of 1859, the theater opened its doors with a play by A.N. Ostrovsky «Poverty is not a vice», a troupe played on the stage, consisting entirely of amateurs.

In 1889, a merchant patron of the arts F.I.Makarov, at his own expense, built a new theater building in Uralsk. At the end of the 1880s and 1890s, professional artists and directors were already working on the theater stage, who were invited by special entrepreneurs. In different years of the early twentieth century, the director EI Muromtsev (1901-1904) and the directors T. Luchitsky and B. Orzhanov (1905-1910) worked in the Uralsk Theater. In the early years of its activity, the theater's repertoire was mainly based on classical works. However, already at the beginning of the 20th century, plays by modern playwrights of that time began to appear in it: L.N.Tolstoy, A.P.Chekhov, A.M. Gorky.

In a small and provincial town – Uralsk, the theater has become a real center of culture, has gained love and respect from the intelligentsia, workers and employees.

In different years of its activity, the theater has repeatedly turned to the Kazakh national classics, which enriched its repertoire. The following works were staged here: G.Musrepov “Kozy Korpesh and Bayan Sulu”, S.Mukanov “Chokan Valikhanov” and “Botagoz”, S. Zhunusov “Stronger than Death”.

During the civil war, when the hardest battles were fought for the city, the theater continued its work, Schiller's works «The Robbers», «Treachery and Love» were played on its stage.

During the Great Patriotic War, troupes of evacuated theaters worked on our stage: the Belarusian Drama Theater and the Karelian-Finnish Operetta Theater.

For many years, the Uralsk theater went on tour to various regions of the country: Kherson and Nikolaev, Novorossiysk and Maykop, Ordzhonikidze and Grozny, Volgograd, Donetsk, Astrakhan, Makhachkala, Nalchik, Orenburg, Barnaul and others.

Over the years, such star actors as: Nina Alisova, Oleg Strizhenov, Oleg Tabakov performed on the theater stage.

The theater's repertoire includes many performances based on the works of the classics of Russian literature, world and Kazakh national classics, each theatrical season the theater performs five to seven new performances.

Today the theater continues to live and delight its audience with new premieres. The main director of the theater is Oksana Malusha. The group is regularly replenished with new cadres, graduates of the Saratov State Conservatory. L.V.Sobinov, Samara State Academy of Culture and Arts, Kazakh National Academy of Arts named after T.Zhurgenov, Moscow State University of Culture and Arts (MSUCA).

In 2002-2003. A complete reconstruction was carried out, a cozy and spacious auditorium for 305 seats was transformed. Today the theater troupe employs 30 artists.

A remarkable tradition of the Uralsk theater is the opening of each season with a new play by the great A.N.Ostrovsky, whose name the oldest theater of the republic bears deservedly. The plans of the theater include many interesting ideas for new productions of both classical Russian and foreign drama, plays by national authors, and contemporary authors of Russian and foreign drama.

Address: Uralsk, Dina Nurpeisova street, 17

Phone: 8 (7112) 50-34-07.

Website: teatr.uralsk.kz