Theatrical Marathon

The Theatrical Marathon, a charity campaign organized by the Foundation for the Support of Artists, opened on March 2 at the Marina Goncharenko Gallery (GMG) in Moscow.

Over 30well-known Moscow theatres will be taking part. (See the list below.) All proceeds from performances of the Marathon will be donated to the support of retirees who spent their lives working in theater or cinema. The purpose of this campaign is not only to collect money for retired actors, directors and others who are in need, but also to bring this problem to the attention of the government and of society-at-large. There currently are over 50 residents in the Moscow House of Theater Veterans. Hundreds of people who worked their entire lives in theater and cinema are now struggling with poverty, isolation and sickness. They devoted their entire lives to art, they were important, popular people, but now they are unable to live a life of dignity without outside help.

The Foundation for the Support of Artists was created in October 2008 by Yevgeny Mironov, Maria Mironova and Natalya Shaginyan-Nidem. Its first program, announced at the Pushkin Museum of Fine Arts, was supported by many famous actors and people from the business world. Since then, representatives of numerous fields have joined together in the Foundation's Friends Club and have done much to support the Foundation's activities. The Foundation's founding members believe each new program will continue to attract more and more people who are not indifferent to Russia's social problems.
Artistic Directors of numerous theatres, popular actors, businessmen and representatives of prominent public organizations were invited to the opening of the Theatrical Marathon. These are the people who have aided the Foundation from its very first days. Vladimir Klavikho-Telepnev prepared a photo exposition specially for the opening: he will be exihibiting portraits of famous retired film and theater actors. The Foundation for the Support of Artists plans to make the Theatrical Marathon a traditional, annual event.

Theatres taking part in the Marathon:

1. Chekhov Moscow Art Theatre

2. Lenkom Theatre

3. Mossoviet Theatre

4. Oleg Tabakov Theatre-Studio

5. Sovremennik Theatre

6. Satirikon Theatre

7. Mayakovsky Theatre

8. Pushkin Theatre

9. Satire Theatre

10. Quartet I Theatre

11. Theatre of Nations

12. Benefis Drama Theatre

13. Armen Dzhigarkhanyan Theatre

14. Commonwealth of Taganka Actors

15. “Human” Theatre-Studio

16. Hermitage Theatre

17. Sfera Theatre

18. Oleg Menshikov Theater Association

19. Yevgeny Mironov Theatre Company

20. Yermolova Theatre

21. Taganka Theatre

22. “Other” Theatre

23. Anton Chekhov Theatre

24. Stanislavsky and Nemirovich-Danchenko Musical Theatre

25. Moscow Theatre of the Moon

26. Pyotr Fomenko Studio

27. Playwright and Director Center of Alexei Kazantsev and Mikhail Roshchin