In 2011 “Zhuki” initiated the program “The theatrical window to Europe”. Within the context of this program the European colleagues has been invited to Ukraine every year. They perform and hold master classes for the students of the theatre institutes.
The founders of “Theatre na Zhukah” are Olga Ternova and Dmytro Ternovyi.
Olga Ternova, the director and the artistic director of the theatre, prefers to work with non-professional actors. She follows the principle “a theatre is for the man, not a man for the theatre.” Being a consistent follower of the Stanislavsky’s system, Olga is constantly complementing it by a great number of own developments. She has extensive experience in conducting workshops for various audiences (Ukraine, Poland, Czech Republic).
The playwright Dmytro Ternovyi is the producer and the actor at the theatre. In 2012 he won the main Eastern European drama competition “Talking about borders. Living in the era of change”. (His play” Detalization” is published in large editions in Austria and Germany. It was staged at the Baden State Theatre). Dmytro Ternovyi is the initiator and the manager of a number of theatrical projects.
The 16th of December 2007 is considered to be the birthday of the theatre. On that day the first play staged in the theatre was premiered. It was “The Choice” based on the play written by G. Gorin “Forget Herostratus.”
The literary association “Zhuki” was formed and has been functioning at the theatre.
In June “Theatre na Zhukah” hosted the first round of literary evenings, which involved readings of “Zhuki”-poets.
At the end of the year the theatre showed two premieres: “Go ahead?!” based on Nina Sadur’s same named play (on November 1) and a training performance, musical and literary composition “Trials” (on December 20), which was shown only three times. In December, celebrating theatre anniversary, actors prepared the first informal performance, which became a tradition.
In April we also launched our web-site. It was designed by Israeli artist Lana Gerstein. The technical support came from the famous Kharkov programmer Yuri Belotytskyi.
In September we carried out a unique project. The theatre staged an experimental blitz-performance “Above city”, which involved volunteers from Japan, Sweden, Germany, Poland and Ukraine. This blitz-performance received favourable reviews at the Theatre festival “Zhivi!” (“Live!”) in Crimea.
The performance, which was created in six days (!), became one of the highlights of the festival. “Zhuki” demonstrated their ability to carry out most incredible projects. The performance also showed the enormous power of the theatre as an institution that is able to unite people of different cultures, education, language and mentality.
Crimean festival “Zhivi!”, which took place at Cape Tarkhankut in September, was the first theatre festival, attended by “Theatre na Zhukah”. In addition to the volunteer project, performance “Ehaj!?” was shown.
On December 6 the new premiere took place – the performance based on William Shakespeare’s “Twelfth Night.” Alexander Annichev, who is one of the most rigorous theatre critics in Kharkov, has released an article titled “Shakespeare would have been pleased.”
In April the theatre gained a “Silver Mask” at the International festival “Southern Masks-2010” for “Buffoons” performance. On April 12 we opened this play in Russian at the festival in Mikolayev.
In May “Buffoons” was played in Kharkov and since then this performance has been named “We care a lot” after the words of the song in the play.
In May the literary association “Zhuki” publishes the first issue of literary miscellany “Zhuk – Zhiva Ukrainska Kultura” (“Zhuk – Alive Ukrainian Culture”). Unusual recognizable design was created by the authors of the theatre posters and programmes Anna Tereschuk and Ekaterina Sokol. In May the first presentation of literary miscellany was held during the festival “Tekstura” (“Texture”).
In July “Theatre na Zhukah” becomes a co-organizer and a participant of the International Theatre Camp in Hartenberg castle (Czech Republic), where actors from Poland, France and Ukraine gathered. The Theatre becomes the main art-partner of the castle in organizing the annual theatre workshop that is considered to become a place of creative communication for theatres from different countries in the world.
In September a presentation of literary miscellany “ZhUK – Zhiva Ukrainska Kultura” (“Zhuk – Alive Ukrainian Culture”) was held at Lvov book forum. In December the literary miscellany appeared in the main Ukrainian book store in Kharkov – “Knygarnya Ye”.
Celebrating the 3rd anniversary on December 18, new training performance was staged – literary-musical composition “Trials – 2”, where 6 new actors debuted.
On March 26 and 27 (the International Theatre Day) the new play opened – “The plasticine of the world” based on Eugeniy Klyuev`s philosophic fairy tale “Between two chairs” (adaptation made by Дмитрий Терновой).
In the end of March Polish theater “Krzik” came to Kharkov. For the first time in many years the city had an opportunity to meet modern Polish theatre. “Krzik” had been invited to Ukraine by Theatre na Zhukah. In Kharkov “Krzik” showed performances “Issledovanie” (“Explorations”) and “Vidoh” (“Exhale”). The director of “Krzik” Marek Kostsulek held the workshops for the students of National University of Art and for the actors of “Theatre na Zhukah”. “Krzik” visited Ukraine with the support of Polish Institute in Kiev and Polish General Consulate in Kharkov.
In April the Theatre gained “Golden mask” at the 7th International Festival “Southern masks” in Mikolayev for “Plasticine of the world” performance. At the 19th International Festival “Rampa –2011” in Dnipropetrivsk the play “Go ahead!?” was awarded for best acting and best debut.
In May “Theatre na Zhukah” became the only representative from Ukraine at the International Festival “Views” in Maszewo (Poland), where two plays, such as “We care a lot”, “Go ahead!?” were successfully performed. Olga Ternova held actor trainings with the festival participants.
In August the theatre became a co-organizer and participant of the International Theatre Festival-Workshop “Hartenberg-2011” in Czech Republic where by “Zhuki`s” invitation representatives of alternative theatre groups from Poland, Ukraine, France, Georgia and the USA got together. At Hartenberg castle “Plasticine of the world” was shown. The actors also showed the blitz-performance “100 years later – fantasy about the future”. Director of the theatre Olga Ternova held theatre technique training with the participants.
In September “Theatre na Zhukah” starts working on 2 new performances at the same time.
“Doroteya” opened on December 4. It’s a tragedy based on the story of Bulgarian writer P. Vezhinov “Barrier” (staging by Dmytro Ternovyi).
On December 25 there was a premiere of play “Story told by little spirit living behind the hearth” based on Anatole France’s fairy-tale “Honey-Bee” (staging by Olga Ternova).
The support came from Polish Institute in Kiev and Ministry of culture of Poland. “Brama” showed performances “Emotions in sound” and “We” in Kharkov and Kiev. Polish director Daniel Yatsevich held master-classes for students of Kharkiv National University of Art and Kiev National University of Culture and Art.
In July we launched the website of the International theatre festival-workshop “Hartenberg”, which was initiated by “Theatre na Zhukah”. It’s been held in Czech Republic every summer.
In August “Zhuki” held the third festival “Hartenberg”, in which theatre groups and actors from France, Georgia, Russia, Columbia, Belgium, Ukraine, the USA and the Great Britain took part. Director of “Theatre na Zhukah” Olga Ternova staged a blitz-performance “Medieval dream”.
In September the theatre showed “Doroteya” in English at festival “Bramat” in Polish city Golenyov. The same month Theatre started working on the new performance – Shakespeare’s tragedy “Romeo and Juliette”.
In December “Theatre na Zhukah” celebrated its first anniversary (five years) with the traditional informal performance.
In February 2013 Dmytro Ternovyi, the producer of the theatre, won the main East-European drama contest “Talking about borders. Living in the era of change”, sponsored by the government and non-governmental institutions in Austria. His play “Detalization” was acknowledged as the best by all the members of the international jury. More than 50 works were submitted to this contest.
On March 16 the new play “Romeo and Juliet” opened in “Theatre na Zhukah” – the director’s interpretation of the classical Shakespearean tragedy. The play received good reviews from critics and positive feedback from audience.
In March the next project was implemented as a part of “Theatrical window to Europe” program. French actors Marc Jaquetand Gil Sauvectrewere invited to Ukraine by “Theatre na Zhukah” with master-classes on Commedia dell’arte. They held classes for students of six theatre schools in Kharkov, Mykolaiv and Kiev.
In the spring the unusual literary and art collection “Literaturnyj nerest” (“Literary spawning”) was released in Vladivostok, which was a joint project of the Russian creative association “Fish” and Kharkov literary association “Zhuki”.
In May the Austrian capital hosts presentation of the play “Detalization” written by Dmytro Ternovyi.
In October, the play “Romeo and Juliet” staged by “Theatre na Zhukah” opened the small stage of Mykolaiv Russian Art Russian Drama Theatre. The showing of the play was one of the events of the international theatre festival “Homo Ludens” (“Playing Man”) and was honored by two special diplomas “For creative search” from professional and alternative jury.
