History of the theatre “School of Dramatic Art”

        On February 24, 1987 Moscow theatre “School of Dramatic Art” was officially open. The premiere of the performance “Six Characters in Search of an Author” by L.Pirandello directed by Anatoly Vasiliev took place on that day. By that time there were two performances directed by Anatoly Vasiliev in the repertoire of the theatre – “Six Characters in Search of an Author” and “Cerceau” by Victor Slavkin (“Cerceau” was staged by A.Vasiliev in 1985 in the Taganka theatre).
       On the venue of the theatre “School of Dramatic Art” Anatoly Vasiliev staged the following performances: «Today We Improvise» by L.Pirandello (1990); «Fiorenza» by T.Mann (1993); «Joseph and His Brothers» by T.Mann (1993); «Amphytrion» by Moliere (1994); «The Lamentation of Jeremiah», the book of Jeremian, sung, composer Vladimir Martynov (1996) – in 1997 the performance «The Lamentation of Jeremiah» was awarded the National Theatre Premium «The Golden Mask» in two nominations: «As the best performance» and «For the best scenography» ; «A.S.Pushkin. «Don Juan, or «the Stone Guest» and Other Verses» (1998) ; A.S.Pushkin «To ***» (1999) ; A.S.Pushkin «Mozart and Salieri/V.Martynov «Requiem» (2000) ; «Pushkin Matinée» (2000). The performance «Medée – Materiaux» by Heiner Muller (2001) is the last premiere of the theatre «School of Dramatic Art».
       Since 1987 the theatre company has been touring all over the world. The performance «Cerceau» was presented in the festivals in Stuttgart, Rotterdam, London, Belgrade, in Helsinki, Budapest, Munich, Western Berlin, Brussels, Paris and Rome. «Six Characters in Search of an Author» was presented in the festivals in Vienna, Milano, Avignon, Hvar, Western Berlin, Palermo, Prato, London, Montreal, New York, Mexico and Wroclaw.
       The performance «Amphytrion» was on toures in Bratislawa, Scopie, Taormina. It was presented in the festivals «Theater Formen» (Braunshweig), «Ibero Americano de Theatro» (Bogota, Columbia), «Festival delle Culture» (Leche, Italy), Fabrica Europa (Florence) and in the Festival d’Avignon.
       «The Lamentation of Jeremiah» was presented in the festival Taormina Arte, in the festivals in Berlin, Avignon, Goeteborg (Sweden) and in Stockholm within the framework of the programme Stockholm – Cultural Capital of Europe’ 98, in Sevilla, Barcelona.
        The performance «A.S.Pushkin. «Don Juan, or «the Stone Guest» and Other Verses» was performed in Theatre du Soleil in Paris and in the Centre of Studies on Jerzy Grotowski’s Work and of the Cultural and Theatrical Research in Wroclaw, Poland. 
       The performance A.S.Pushkin «To ***» was on tour in Theatre Moliere – Maison de la Poesie in Paris.
       The performance A.S.Pushkin «Mozart and Salieri/V.Martynov «Requiem» was presented in Teatro Valle in Rome.
       The presentation of the performance «Medée – Materiaux » by Heiner Muller took place on the venue of the ‘Conservatoire National Superieur d’Art Dramatique’.
       The theatre «School of Dramatic Art» created by Anatoly Vasiliev is a unique model of theatre from the point of view of its artistic, intellectual, professional and ethic relations. The concept of the «theatre – laboratory» gives the opportunity to make the research and experiment. As a result of the seminars and laboratory researches in the «School of Dramatic Art» there appear new performances, there take place open rehearsals devoted to a certain author, to a text or to a theme.
       For the time of its existence in the theatre-laboratory there were staged the following performances (as laboratory works) : «Dumas» - chapters from the novels by A.Dumas (1987), «Vis-a-Vis» - chapters from the novels by F.Dostoevskiy (1988), «The Demons» based on the novel by F.Dostoevskiy (1988), «An Evening with Maupaussant» (1988), «Dialogues» by Plato (1988, 1990), «Just Talks» by Erasmus (1989), «Oscar Wild. «The Critic as an Artist» (1989), «Plato – Magritt. «Dialogues» (1990), «The Republic» by Plato (1992), «An Evening with Moliere» (1992), A.S.Pushkin «Conversations with a Poet» (1994), «Pushkin evenings» («Mozart and Salieri», «The Stone Guest» and Other Verses in dialogues and interludes», «Evgueni Oneguin», 1995), «Homer. Iliad» (1997, 2001), “Three sisters” by A.Chekhov (2000), «Puskin Matinée» (2000), “Bloody Wedding” by F.Lorca (2001), «The Simposium» by Plato (2001).
       Several joint projects were realized in the theatre as well: «Vis-a-Vis» based on the novel by F.Dostoevskiy «Idiot» with Centro Kunstlerhaus Bethanien in Berlin, 1992 ; «I am a Seagull» based on the plays by A.Chekhov, 1991 ; «Each in His Own Way» based on the play by L.Pirandello with University of Rome, Centro Teatro Ateneo and Teatro di Roma, 1993 ; projects with Academie Experimentale des Theatres under the direction of Michelle Kokosowski, 1993, 1996, 2001 ; projects with Workcentre of Jerzy Grotowski and Thomas Richards in Pontedera, 1993,1996, 1999 ; the theatre «School of Dramatic Art» is a participant of a joint international project of theatre organizations of European Countries of «Ecole des Maitres». Sessions of Ecole des Maitres directed by A.Vasiliev and M.Langhoff took place in Moscow in 1997 and 1998.
       In April 2001 Moscow theatre «School of Dramatic Art» was accepted in the Union des Theatres de l’Europe.
       In May 2001 the construstion of the new building of the theatre «School of Dramatic Art» in Sretenka str. in Moscow was completed. Anatoly Vasiliev and Igor Popov, the scenographer whom A.Vasiliev has constantly been working since the beginning of his artistic career, were the authors of the unique architectural project.
       Moscow theatre «School of Dramatic Art» participated in the III International Theatre Olympiad in Moscow in 2001 and ran two programs : International Forum on Theatre Education and Experiment and The Eye - Slanted Scythians View. Within the framework of the Olympics the theatre presented the following performances as laboratory works : «Blood Wedding» by F.Lorca, "Litanies to Virgin" by V.Martynov, «Iliad» by Homer, there was also run the joint project with the Japanese choreographer Min Tanaka «Los Capricos – Goya’s Guests from the Dark» - this project will result in creation of the Dancing School under the direction of Min Tanaka on the base of Moscow theatre «School of Dramatic Art» in 2003.
       Next year there will be open a new high educational institution on the base of the theatre - the Academy «High School of Dramatic Art». There are supposed to be founded four faculties : faculty of directing and of acting skills, the faculty of visual arts, the faculty of experimental forms of studies, the faculty of theatre journalism.