Friday, October 30, 2026 | 6:00 PM
Location: Stavros Niarchos Foundation Library (SNFL), Event Center, 7th Floor, New York City
Admission: Free, registration required
What can Lesia Ukrainka’s plays tell us about gender, war, power, and the courage to speak the truth today?
Join stage directors Virlana Tkacz and Rory Pelsue for an evening of live readings and conversation exploring how the works of one of Ukraine’s most influential writers can be reimagined for contemporary audiences.
Through plays such as The Blue Rose and Cassandra, Lesia Ukrainka (1871–1913) challenged social expectations and explored questions of freedom, identity, and resistance. More than a century later, her work continues to offer powerful possibilities for theater makers and audiences alike.
About the Speakers
Virlana Tkacz is the founding director of Yara Arts Group at La MaMa Experimental Theatre Club in New York. Her acclaimed productions and translations have introduced Ukrainian literary works, including Lesia Ukrainka’s The Forest Song, to international audiences.
Rory Pelsue is an Obie Award-winning theater director whose work spans contemporary and classical plays, opera, musicals, and experimental performances.
Attend in person or online
The event takes place at the Stavros Niarchos Foundation Library in Manhattan. A livestream of the conversation and Q&A will be available from 7:00–7:30 PM.
This event is part of Razom for Ukraine’s 2026 Ukrainian Cultural Festival, celebrating Ukrainian arts and culture in New York City.
Explore the full festival program at ucfnyc.org.