Director, Playwright, Puppeteer and Stage Designer Evgeny Ibragimov: Creative Residency at Boston College

We are pleased to announce a creative residency at Boston College with the award-winning Circassian-Russian director, playwright, puppeteer, and stage designer Evgeny Ibragimov, November 11-16, co-sponsored by the Department of Eastern, Slavic and German Studies and the Theatre Department, with funding from the ILA. Ibragimov’s productions have been recognized internationally for their innovative, immersive staging, in which puppets participate on par with live actors, objects and shadows. Originally from the Republic of Karachaevo-Cherkessia in Russia’s North Caucasus region, Ibragimov has been based in the Czech Republic since 2014 and is now unable to work in Russia due to his opposition to the Putin regime and Russia’s ongoing war against Ukraine.

Ibragimov, also known by the name Shaoukh Ibragim, is an ethnic Cherkes (Circassian/Adyge), one of the hundreds of indigenous non-Slavic minorities of the Russian Federation, and one of his other areas of expertise is traditional Circassian puppetry, an art form associated with the dzheguako – Circassian master of ceremonies, storyteller, bard, folk satirist, magician, and soothsayer. On Friday, Nov. 15^th, Ibragimov will present his Circassian puppet play, “An Old Tale: The Legend of Happiness,” based on folkloric sources, in which he recreates the atmosphere of the traditional Circassian dzhegu, or carnival. The puppets Ibragimov will be using in the performance are based on traditional Circassian puppets preserved in the Museum of Anthropology and Ethnology in St. Petersburg.

During his residency at Boston College, Ibragimov will also conduct a four-day workshop, “Animating the Inanimate” (Nov. 11-14, 5-8PM) for students of performing arts and others with an interest in theater and puppetry. The workshop will focus on various aspects of stage movement, ensemble acting, and telling stories through the creation and manipulation of unique and everyday objects to tell stories. Workshop participants will actively engage in a collaborative effort, sharing their ideas and visions as they work together to create a unique, original performance (registration for the workshop is required; please see link for registration form under “Schedule and Registration”). On Saturday, Nov. 16^th (7-9PM), workshop participants will share the results of their explorations with the BC community and the general public at the Bonn Studio Theater.

On Thursday, November 14^th at 12:00PM (location TBA), Ibragimov will also give а presentation for members of the BC community and the general public on the history and cultural traditions of the Circassians and other indigenous peoples of Russia’s North Caucasus region. It should be noted that a majority of ethnic Circassians now live outside their original homeland, in Turkey, Syria, Iraq, Jordan, Israel and other countries - a result of Russia’s ruthless campaign of ethnic cleansing following its conquest of the northwest Caucasus in the latter half of the 19^th century. 

For further information, please contact Curt Woolhiser (woolhise@bc.edu).