Staging of "Ivan Vyshensky" honors Ivan Franko and Lidia Krushelnytsky (12/31/06)

Staging of "Ivan Vyshensky" honors Ivan Franko and Lidia Krushelnytsky

by Anisa Handzia Sawyckyj

NEW YORK - As the 2006 worldwide celebrations of the 150th anniversary of Ivan Franko's birth drew to a close, the Ukrainian American community in New York City was privileged to have the opportunity to attend a rarely staged production of one of the classics of Ukrainian literature, Franko's epic poem "Ivan Vyshensky."

The Ukrainian Stage Ensemble, as part of the continuing celebration of its 40th anniversary and as a tribute to its founder and director Lidia Krushelnytsky, raised the curtain to honor one of Ukraine's greatest writers, patriots, journalists and political thinkers.

On October 15, in the performance space of the beautiful new Ukrainian Museum on East Sixth Street, a hushed audience sat mesmerized by the psychological drama unfolding before them. In the character of the 16th century Orthodox community leader-turned-Mount Athos-ascetic Vyshensky, Franko presented the difficult choices facing an individual in the bitter Orthodox-Catholic crisis of that century, caught between a commitment to personal spiritual salvation and responsibility to one's fellow man as represented by Church, community and nation.

The dilemma of self-interest versus the greater good is an ethical theme in many cultures. For Ukrainians, who have struggled for more than a century to reinvent themselves as a modern nation, "Ivan Vyshensky" resonates as deeply now as it did in Franko's lifetime.

The afternoon's two-part event, consisting of the "Vyshensky" production followed by a book launch of a new volume titled "The Flying Ship of Lidia Krushelnytsky" by Dr. Valerij Hajdabura, was co-hosted by the Friends of the Ukrainian Stage Ensemble and by The Ukrainian Museum.

The matinee began with the president of the museum's board of trustees, Olha Hnateyko, welcoming the guests, while Marta Kichorowska Kebalo of the Friends served as mistress of ceremonies.

In her 40 years with the Ukrainian Stage Ensemble, founder and director Ms. Krushelnytsky trained some 250 students, produced over 150 plays, dramatic readings and other performances, and organized tours to various North American cities as well as two tours to independent Ukraine. In this, she was supported by dedicated parents and generous donors, most significantly, the Self-Reliance Federal Credit Union of New York, which also underwrote the newly published book.

The audience was riveted by this performance of the Ukrainian Stage Ensemble, particularly that of veteran actor Askold Lozynskyj as Ivan Vyshensky, reprising a role he first played in the initial staging of the play in 1977 in New York City, and to which he has returned several times since then.

In this unique conceptualization by Ms. Krushelnytsky, "Vyshensky" is actually a choreographed recitation of Franko's original dramatic poem. It is presented in the form of a monologue by the main character, Vyshensky, interspersed with individual and group commentary by a classic Greek chorus comprising 10 women.

This production saw the combined talents of veteran actors with a 10- to 40-year track record with the ensemble such as Nadia Dyba-Podolak, Ivanka Zajac, Romanka Zajac and Liza Szonyi, and their more junior colleagues, some of whom were appearing in an ensemble production for the first time: Melasia Huryn, Olenka Kebalo, Svitlana Makhno, Olya Nykolyn, Andrea Popovech and Victoria Symotiuk.

Supporting Mr. Lozynskyj's Vyshensky in the roles of heiromonk and Kozak was Andrij Dobriansky. In fact, three Dobriansky brothers supported the production with their technological expertise, Danylo creating the lighting effects; Andrij, the sound; and Yarko, the videography.

As in past Krushelnytsky productions, the staging of "Ivan Vyshensky" was the result of a close collaboration among artist-colleagues. The music was composed by Ihor Sonevytsky, the choreography (based on original choreography of the late Roma Pryma-Bohachevsky was created by Andrij Dobriansky. The artistic consultant was Maria Shust, costumes were by Nusia Denysyk and stage sets by Romanka Zajac.

It was Ivanka Zajac, however, who was key to the restaging of this production. With an infectious enthusiasm and unflagging determination, she shepherded the troupe through two years of rehearsals. Together with Sofika Zielyk, who has performed in "Vyshensky" numerous times, they recreated the "professional memory" of how "Pani Lida" Krushelnytsky had directed and staged "Ivan Vyshensky" in the past.

The absence of Ms. Krushelnytsky at this event made the achievement of her ensemble all the more remarkable. She has been in Chicago with family for some time, recovering from illness, and was unable to travel. Nevertheless, her input was conveyed through hundreds of telephone calls between Chicago and New York over the past months.

Following the performance of "Ivan Vyshensky," after a brief intermission, the audience was treated to the delightful reading of excerpts from "The Flying Ship of Lidia Krushelnytsky" authored by Dr. Hajdabura, who had traveled to New York City to take part in the presentation of his book.

"Flying Ship" refers to the children's fairy tale dramatized by A. Shiyan, the first play staged by the Ukrainian Stage Ensemble in 1966. The author uses it as a metaphor for the link that Ms. Krushelnytsky represents between contemporary Ukrainian theater and Ukraine's pre-Soviet theater traditions. Reviewers have called this book a "triumph," "a collection of unique memoirs," "a story of an artist's love conquering the vagaries of fate."

An excerpt about the author's first encounter with Ms. Krushelnytsky was read by Ms. Zielyk; Ms. Krushelnytsky's memoirs of how she fell in love with New York City were read by Adam Hapij; and Ivan Makar read a hilarious excerpt about the backstage shenanigans of Ms. Krushelnytsky's youngest thespians during the staging of children's plays.

The readings were followed by a film highlighting Ms. Krushelnytsky's life and theater career from Lviv to New York. Created by ensemble members - the Emmy-award winning Olexa Hewryk and professional radio announcer Xenia Piaseckyj - this film had its premiere on April 17, 2005, at the Pierre Hotel during a gala luncheon celebrating Ms. Krushelnytsky's 90th birthday and the 40th anniversary of her Ukrainian Stage Ensemble.

When Dr. Hajdabura took the stage, it was obvious to all that, aside from being a writer, he is himself a master of engagement with a theater audience. Currently involved in the artistic direction of the Ivan Franko National Theater in Kyiv, Dr. Hajdabura, member of the Ukrainian Academy of Arts and author of several works on the history of the Ukrainian theater, charmed listeners with accounts of his meetings and interviews with Ms. Krushelnytsky, as well as his immersion in the archives and memoirs of her illustrious theatrical mentors, Joseph Hirniak and Olimpia Dobrovolsky, who are the subject of his forthcoming book

Ms. Krushelnytsky is fortunate to have such a sensitive chronicler of her theater career. With an understanding of the theatrical tradition of the pre-Soviet era that shaped her artistic vision, and with a light literary touch that makes for a delightful read, Dr. Hajdabura takes an appreciative, yet balanced look at her artistic, cultural and pedagogical legacy. Hopefully, this legacy will continue to resonate in the years ahead in the work of her students and protégés, who have now shown themselves capable of carrying on the traditions of their esteemed founder and director.

In the spirit of excellence and attention to detail of all of Ms. Krushelnytsky's work, the afternoon was a marvel of planning and nuanced execution. It was remarkable not only for its impassioned staging of "Vyshensky," but for its seamless transitions through the balance of the afternoon's lighter offerings, managed by the head of Friends of the Ukrainian Stage Ensemble, the accomplished mistress of ceremonies, Ms. Kebalo. Her refined aesthetic sensibility, graciousness and eloquence bear the marks of her long association with the "grande dame" of the Ukrainian Stage Ensemble, Ms. Krushelnytsky.

Indeed, in every respect, the young actors and organizers of this event projected such love and admiration for their founder and such dedication to Ms. Krushelnytsky's mission, that, with the true magic of theater, her presence in the room was almost palpable.

This was a gem of a theater experience. With both serious and joyful segments, like the tragicomic masks of Janus, it reflected the complex, bittersweet path of personal as well as collective cultural destinies on the vast canvas of the Ukrainian American experience.

This event was a reminder of the lifelong commitment of artists such as Ms. Krushelnytsky to the moral, cultural and aesthetic values brought out of Ukraine by World War II emigrants and their extraordinary achievement in transmitting those values to the younger generation under less than ideal circumstances. Theirs is the indomitable creative spirit that overcomes all obstacles.

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For further information about the Ukrainian Stage Ensemble, or to order "The Flying Ship of Lidia Krushelnytsky," at $29 ($25 plus $4 shipping), contact: Ukrainian Stage Ensemble, c/o Ivanka Zajac, 455 E. 14th St., #MC, New York, NY 10009.

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