Staff

Stas Zhyrkov

Honored Artist of Ukraine

Yana BezsmertnaDirector

In 2008, he graduated from the acting and directing course of the Kyiv National University of Culture and Art, the workshop of Petro Ilchenko and Kateryna Pyvovarova. In 2008, Stas Zhyrkov together with Ksenia Romashenko founded the independent theater “Open View”. In 2011, Zhyrkov became a laureate of the “Kyiv Pectoral” theater award in the nomination “For the best directorial debut” – the play “Natasha’s Dream” by Yaroslava Pulinovych. In 2016, he was invited to the Magdeburg Theater as part of the German-Ukrainian festival “Wild East. Event Ukraine” to release a performance based on the play by Pavel Aryeh “At the beginning and end of time”. Since 2016, he heads the direction of youth policy of the National Union of Theater Actors of Ukraine. In 2017, together with Pavel Aryeh and the Magdeburg Theater, he implemented the project “Why Mykhailo Gurman did not survive” – a modern version of Ivan Franko’s classic play “Stolen Happiness”. In 2014-2017 he taught directing, and since 2018 he has been a master of the acting course at the Kyiv National University of Culture and Arts. Since 2020, he has been a master of the directing course, and since 2021, he has been the head of the theatrical art section of the Kyiv Municipal Academy of Variety and Circus Arts. In 2017, he was awarded the honorary title “Honored Artist of Ukraine”. In 2014-2019, he was the artistic director of the Golden Gate Theater. From January 25, 2019 to November 2022, he was the artistic director of the Left Bank Theater.

Multiple laureate of theater awards and international festivals. In particular, the performances “Stalkers” and “Glory to Heroes” in 2016 and 2017 were awarded the “Kyiv Pectoral” awards in the nominations – respectively “Best Chamber Stage Performance” and “Best Direction”. The play “Albatross” was included in the top 10 plays of the capital of the theater rating “Kyiv Count” 2019- th year In 2020, the performance “Albatross” won in the nomination of the “GRA” Festival Award for the best dramatic performance. In 2021, the play “Bread Truce” (author – Serhiy Zhadan) was included in the long list of the “GRA” Festival-Award in the nomination “Best Dramatic Play”. For 2023, the play “Father” (author – Florian Zeller) was included in the long list of the “GRA” Festival-Award in the nomination “Best Dramatic Play” and is currently awaiting the jury’s decision.

In 2021, the awarded Viva! Awards – “Breakthrough of the Year” in the nomination “Art”

Open View Theater (Kyiv, Ukraine):
2011 – “Natasha’s Dream” by Ya. Pulinovych
2012 – “Guppy” by V. Sigarev
2012 – “Family. Scenes” by H. Yablonska
2012 – “The easiest way to quit smoking” by M. Durnenkov (co-production with the Les Kurbas National Theater Arts Center)

Ivan Franko National Academic Drama Theater (Kyiv, Ukraine):
2014 – “The Nutcracker” by Dan and Yana Humenni based on E.-T. Hoffman

Kyiv Academic Young Theater (Kyiv, Ukraine):
2013 – “Love of people” by D. Bogoslavskyi
2014 – “Liars needed!” I. Jamiak
2017 – “August: Osage County” by T. Letts

Kyiv Academic Theater “Golden Gate” (Kyiv, Ukraine):
2014 – “Natasha’s Dream” by Ya. Pulinovych

2014 – “Defective people” by V. Sigarev

2015 – “Stalkers” by P. Arie (co-production with the Kyiv Academic Youth Theater)

2015 – “Feelings behind the wall” by H. Yablonska

2016 – “And I created an idol for myself…” based on the memoirs of L. Kopelev (requiem performance in memory of the victims of the Ukrainian Holodomor)

2016 – “Glory to Heroes” by P. Arie (co-production with Ivano-Frankivsk Regional Academic Music and Drama Theater named after I. Frank)

2017 – “Daddy, did you love me?” D. Bogoslavskyi

2018 – “Cripples” by S. Goesner

2019 – “Othello/Ukraine/Facebook” P. Arie, M. Smilianets

2021 – “Squirrel who lived for 100 years” O. Mykhaylov

Theatrical Agency “TE-ART” (Kyiv, Ukraine):
2016 – “Illusions” by I. Vyrypaev

Kyiv Academic Drama Theater on Podil (Kyiv, Ukraine)
2018 – “The Girl with the Bear” by P. Arie based on the novel by V. Domontovych

Magdeburg Theater (Magdeburg, Germany)
2016 – “At the beginning and end of time” by P. Arie
2017 – “Why Mykhailo Gurman didn’t survive” by Pavel Arie based on I. Franko’s play “Stolen Happiness” (co-production with the Kyiv Golden Gate Theater)
2018 – “Waiting for Godot” by S. Beckett

Republican Theater of Belarusian Drama (Minsk, Belarus)
2018 – “Hunting for Self” based on the play by O. Vampilov

Odesa Academic Ukrainian Music and Drama Theater named after V. Vasylko (Odesa, Ukraine)
2018 – “She loved him” based on the play by A. Ivanov