FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
April 1, 2026
New York, NY — This May, New York City audiences will experience contemporary and classic Ukrainian theater through the first-ever Ukrainian Drama Showcase, presented by Razom for Ukraine. Taking place May 7–10, 2026 at Flamboyan Theater in the Clemente Soto Vélez Cultural & Educational Center on Manhattan’s Lower East Side, the festival features six Ukrainian plays in English translation through dynamic staged readings. For those outside New York, the festival will be streamed live via HowlRound Theatre Commons for audiences around the world.
While Ukrainian literature and cinema have gained international recognition in recent years, Ukrainian theater remains largely absent from U.S. stages. The Showcase addresses that gap directly—bringing both canonical and contemporary Ukrainian playwrights to new audiences and inviting the U.S. theater community to engage with work that reflects the breadth of Ukrainian experience.
The program spans genres and eras: a dark comedy set in eastern Ukraine; a poetic monologue by the soldier “Raccoon,” accompanied by a relentless chorus; a 19th-century proto-feminist salon debating “pure love”; and a documentary-style theatrical collage exposing the gap between official narratives and lived reality.
The program features:
Long Plays (translations by Nina Murray):
• A Harvest Truce by Serhiy Zhadan
Directed by Danilo Gambini
• The Blue Rose by Lesia Ukrainka
Directed by Rory Pelsue
• The Order of Neatly Made Beds by Lena Lagushonkova
Directed by Jillian Jetton
Short Plays:
• Balance by Alina Sarnatska (translated by the author)
Directed by Dylan Zwickel
• The Chronicles of the Lost Soul by Anna Halas (translated by the author)
Directed by Lita Lofton
• New York, Donetsk, Ukraine: 100° F by Oleksandr Zhuhan (translated by John Freedman with Nataliia Bratus)
Directed by Yibin Wang
Poet and translator Murray has played a key role in bringing Ukrainian literature and drama into English. “The work of a translator can often be lonely,” Murray reflects. “To have these plays in the hands of directors and actors is a thrill and a privilege.”
One of the playwrights, Alina Sarnatska, will travel from Ukraine to attend the Showcase. Her play Balance brings her firsthand experience as a war medic directly to the New York City stage.
The Showcase’s directors include devised theater artist Jillian Jetton and Obie winners Rory Pelsue and Danilo Gambini. Each will bring a distinct directorial approach, activating the performance space while keeping the text at the center, bringing imaginative staging to these stories.
Festival Details:
Dates: May 7–10, 2026
Location: Flamboyan Theater, The Clemente Soto Vélez Cultural & Educational Center, 107 Suffolk St, New York, NY
Tickets: Ukrainian Drama Showcase
Streaming: Free global access via HowlRound Theatre Commons
About Razom for Ukraine:
Razom for Ukraine (which means “together” in Ukrainian) is a U.S.-based nonprofit founded in 2014 that works to build a secure, prosperous, and democratic Ukraine. The organization operates across program areas — including humanitarian aid, health, advocacy, and cultural initiatives — addressing both immediate needs and long-term recovery. Through Razom Connect, Razom for Ukraine positions culture as a vital part of its mission, alongside humanitarian aid and advocacy, demonstrating that cultural visibility is essential to global understanding and solidarity.
Press Contact:
Rachel Shuey
rachel.shuey@razomforukraine.org
706-399-3333
