Events
Kostanay Puppet Theater Returned Victorious from the International Festival in Aktau!
The creative team of the Kostanay Regional Puppet Theater has returned from the 1st International Puppet Theater Festival «NOMAD PUPPET», which took place in Aktau from September 9 to 14 as part of the project «Aktau – Cultural Capital of the Turkic World».
The festival brought together 10 theaters from five regions of Kazakhstan, as well as from Turkic-speaking countries: Azerbaijan, Turkey, Tatarstan, Kyrgyzstan, and Uzbekistan. On September 12, the Kostanay actors presented the play «MEN…» directed by N. Sabashvili, which won the hearts of both the audience and festival participants. The artists received a standing ovation and prolonged applause, with spectators reluctant to let them leave the stage.
After the performance, a discussion was held, where the work of the Kostanay puppeteers was highly praised by honored guests and the distinguished jury of the festival, which included prominent theater figures from Kazakhstan and abroad:
This marks the second international victory for the theater’s artists with this production in 2025. Earlier, they won the «Best Acting Ensemble» award at the 7th International Puppet Theater Festival «Orteke» in Almaty, where they also received a monetary certificate of 1,000,000 tenge.
Participation in the «NOMAD PUPPET» festival became a bright page in the history of the theater and once again confirmed the high professional level of the puppet theater’s troupe.
Inspired by their victories, the artists are now preparing for another significant event: from September 16 to 20, 2025, the International Puppet Theater Festival «Kostanay Puppet Life» will be held in honor of the theater’s 40th anniversary.
The festival brought together 10 theaters from five regions of Kazakhstan, as well as from Turkic-speaking countries: Azerbaijan, Turkey, Tatarstan, Kyrgyzstan, and Uzbekistan. On September 12, the Kostanay actors presented the play «MEN…» directed by N. Sabashvili, which won the hearts of both the audience and festival participants. The artists received a standing ovation and prolonged applause, with spectators reluctant to let them leave the stage.
After the performance, a discussion was held, where the work of the Kostanay puppeteers was highly praised by honored guests and the distinguished jury of the festival, which included prominent theater figures from Kazakhstan and abroad:
- Anar Saimzhankyzy Erkebai — Chair of the Association of Theater Critics of Kazakhstan, theater scholar, Candidate of Arts, Professor at the T. Zhurgenov Kazakh National Academy of Arts;
- Meruert Bolatkankyzy Zhaksilykova — theater scholar, Candidate of Arts, Associate Professor at the T. Zhurgenov Kazakh National Academy of Arts;
- David Semyonovich Burman — director, producer, President of the International Festival «KUKART», member of UNIMA, AVIAMA, ENCATC (Russia);
- Marina Yüce — actress, head of the Tempo Theater, member of the Board of Directors of the Ankara Theater Cooperative, director of the International Puppet Theater Festival in Ankara (Turkey);
- Don Hee Chun — Chairman of the Yangcheon Foundation of Arts and Culture, Master of Acting and Theater Arts, PhD (Korea).
This marks the second international victory for the theater’s artists with this production in 2025. Earlier, they won the «Best Acting Ensemble» award at the 7th International Puppet Theater Festival «Orteke» in Almaty, where they also received a monetary certificate of 1,000,000 tenge.
Participation in the «NOMAD PUPPET» festival became a bright page in the history of the theater and once again confirmed the high professional level of the puppet theater’s troupe.
Inspired by their victories, the artists are now preparing for another significant event: from September 16 to 20, 2025, the International Puppet Theater Festival «Kostanay Puppet Life» will be held in honor of the theater’s 40th anniversary.
