The A.S. Pushkin State Russian Drama Theater in Ashgabat participated in the 26th International Theater Festival “Melikhovo Spring,” which took place from May 22 to 31, 2026, in the Moscow Region. This large-scale cultural forum was dedicated to the work of the great Russian writer and playwright Anton Pavlovich Chekhov. The festival brought together theater companies from more than 10 countries, presenting 27 theatrical productions, as reported by the turkmenistan.gov.tm.
The Ashgabat theater company presented the play “Chekhov’s Vaudevilles,” directed by young director B. Garajaev, to the jury and the public. Performed in Russian, the play harmoniously combined the subtle psychology of Chekhov’s prose, original set design solutions, and live musical accompaniment. This production, which celebrates sacred family values and a love of life, received high praise for its directorial excellence and was warmly received by an international audience.
In addition to the performances, Turkmen artists and specialists actively participated in the festival’s extensive business and educational program. At creative meetings and master classes, our delegates delivered reports and video presentations. They spoke to international colleagues, literary scholars, and critics about the modern theaters and circuses built in Turkmenistan since independence, their cutting-edge technical equipment, and the key achievements and victories of national art on the global stage.
Following this prestigious arts festival, the creative team of the A.S. Pushkin State Russian Drama Theater was awarded the main prize—the International Theater Festival Cup. This triumph demonstrated the high competitiveness of the Turkmen theater school and marked an important step in strengthening international cultural ties and promoting national performing arts abroad.
