History of the Kyrgyz State Puppet Theater
The Kyrgyz State Puppet Theater named after Musa Zhyangaziev, like other forms of professional theatrical arts, emerged in the 1930s in Kyrgyzstan. The first enthusiastic master of puppetry is rightfully considered to be Adamkalyy Baybatyrov, who even before the establishment of a professional puppet theater, performed his puppet shows for audiences. He is credited with the creation of the Kyrgyz professional puppet troupe. In 1938, Maria Pavlovna Volkova, who arrived in Frunze, organized and established the first children’s theater in the republic, where she served as artistic director, director, and actress, as well as wrote plays for children and performed roles. The play “Fox-Sister” by Naidenova became the first production in our theater. The first play by a Kyrgyz author staged in the theater was the fairy tale “Zarlyk and the Giant” by O. Sarbagyshyev.
In 1945, the theater welcomed director and playwright Viktor Aleksandrovich Shwemberger. With his arrival, significant work was done with the theater’s actors, special training was organized to constantly improve the professional skills of the artists, teaching them the theory and practice of the complex profession of puppetry, creating interesting characters, and producing good performances. With the collaboration of V.A. Shwemberger and the playwright-translator K. Eshmambetov, the play “Hunter of Talas” was written. In 1975, with the play “Hunter of Talas,” the theater participated in the 1st Festival of Puppet Theaters of Central Asia and Kazakhstan, and in 1976, this production was shown at the World Congress of Puppet Theaters in Moscow. He dedicated his hard work and many years of life and creativity to the theater. Shakespeare and Pushkin, Andersen and Ual’d, Perrault and Mikhal’kov, Jantoshev and Aitmatov, Bektenov and Abdumomunov enrich the theater’s repertoire. New names of young playwrights appear on the playbills, as once did the now masterful playwright Jalil Sadykov, who literally grew up and became a playwright in the puppet theater.
Nine productions based on his plays were staged in the puppet theater over 30 years, and the tenth premiere recently took place, “Bulbul’s Dream.” In total, over 300 performances have been staged. B. Omuraliev, M. Taibaev, E. Musaev, Zh. Kulmanbetov, Zh. Saalaev, and Zh. Aitkuliev collaborate closely and productively with the theater, offering their interesting works for children. The Honored Artist, caring and sensitive mentor to the youth, K. Saskeev. With the arrival of the talented director A.I. Kulakova, a new era in the interpretation of well-known children’s tales, puppetry, and live-action work began. Actors and actresses of the first generations made a significant contribution to the formation and development of the theater. Among them were A. Volchek, A. Omurzhanov, A. Ancharova, L. Dyomina, Kh. Dyushambinova, M. Taranchiev, K. Algazhoev, D. Boshkoeva, A. Usoltseva, N. Samarodov, A. Algazhoeva, N. Abdikerimov, R. Polyakova, M. Shcherban, T. Starzhinskaya, E. Matveev, A. Pidaya, L. Pidan, and others. Over the years, the stage designers for the puppet stage have been: E. Egiz, I. Mukhina, A. Toropov, N. Andriyanov, and S. Mokhov.
A great enthusiast of puppetry was Sergey Borisovich Daragan, who played a significant role in reforming and building a new theater. His performances were shown in many countries around the world and were received with great interest by foreign audiences. Over the years, various composers played a significant role in staging performances, including K. Moldobasanov, B. Kostramitinov, E. Shultz, A. Schwartz, and O. Nazvanova. Over the years of its history, the Kyrgyz State Puppet Theater has staged over 400 productions by various authors of world, Kyrgyz, and Russian drama, such as “White Arhar,” “Hunter of Talas,” “Little Red Riding Hood,” “The Nutcracker,” “Aladdin and the Magic Lamp,” “Anchor and Ak-Bugu,” “Er-Toshtuk,” “Naiman,” and others. The theater’s repertoire includes performances based on the works of Shakespeare and Pushkin, Andersen and Wilde, Perrault and Mikhal’kov, Jantoshev and Aitmatov, Bektenov, Abdumomunov, and Omuraliev.
The theater successfully toured countries in Central America and Africa, Asia and Europe, performing approximately 200 shows in Arabic and Dari, Spanish and French, as well as in Mongolian languages. Over its 80 years, the Kyrgyz Puppet Theater has earned the love and recognition of many generations of audiences, as evidenced by the diplomas and awards from numerous international festivals, as well as the Norouz festivals held in different years. The theater has been a repeated winner in the All-Union competitions of theatrical enterprises of the Ministry of Culture of the USSR and the Central Committee of the Trade Union of Cultural Workers of the USSR, being awarded Honorary Diplomas and cash prizes (1982, 1984, 1986, 1988). In commemoration of the 60th anniversary of the Kyrgyz SSR, the Republican Puppet Theater in 1985 was awarded the commemorative Red Banner by the Central Committee of the Communist Party of Kyrgyzstan and entered into the Book of Labor Glory.
Throughout its history, the theater has repeatedly claimed top positions in All-Union and Republican competitions for the aesthetic education of children and serving rural audiences. The “era” of overseas tours for the theater began in 1982. Countries in Central America and Europe, Asia and Africa enthusiastically embraced performances from distant Kyrgyzstan, with the plays “Hunter of Talas,” “Janil Myrza,” and “Er Toshtuk” being honored with state Honorary Diplomas from Algeria, Afghanistan, Nicaragua, and Mongolia. All performances were staged in the languages of the countries where the tours took place, including Dari, Arabic, Spanish, and Mongolian. Throughout its existence, the theater has won Grand Prix awards and emerged as the winner at international puppet theater festivals. Notable events include Tashkent (1975, 1976); Moscow (1978); Algiers (1982); Managua (1987), Ulan Bator (1989). Tashkent (1995), Aktobe (2004), Kazan (2009); Almaty (2011); Dushanbe (2012).
From 1981 to 2006, the Kyrgyz State Puppet Theater was steadfastly led by the Merited Cultural Worker of the Kyrgyz Republic, Kubanychbek Aliyev. Currently, the People’s Artist of the Kyrgyz Republic, Honored Artist of the Kyrgyz Republic, V. Annikova, the People’s Artist of the Kyrgyz Republic, Honored Artist of the Kyrgyz Republic, J. Erkimbaev, Honored Artists N. Musaeva, E. Shikmatova, I. Kasymbekov, as well as experienced artists such as J. Aitkuliev, R. Kachkynova, L. Gorokhova, G. Erkimbaev, Sh. Kadyralieva, serving as the senior generation of the collective, have become mentors to young talented artists such as N. Toychikeeva, S. Kachkynbekov, E. Adylbekov, A. Baybekov, Y. Zhakypbekov, D. Eshimbekov, G. Musabaeva, N. Karelyna, and others. Currently, the theater is artistically led by the Merited Cultural Worker of the Kyrgyz Republic, Nurlan Asanbekov: Puppet theater actors are individuals who are devoted to their profession to the point of selflessness.
The profession is not easy, requiring exceptional diligence and dedication from them. Currently, the director of the Kyrgyz State Puppet Theater is Bolotbek Kulanbaev. Puppet theater is a special theater because it is the first step in a child’s spiritual life, in their formation and subsequent development. In childhood, the foundations of perception of the world are laid, and the culture of the future person begins to take shape and be nurtured. A child understands what is good and what is bad. It is the theater that helps cultivate artistic taste, respect for national culture, and the heritage of ancestors. Sergey Obraztsov once said, “We cannot show children nastiness and villainy; we should not scare them. Like a church, mosque, or synagogue, we must only bring them goodness, light, spirituality, and beauty.” Children by their nature do not perceive falseness, so it is doubly responsible and difficult for actors performing in front of the delicate souls of young viewers.
