AN OCEAN AWAY to be Presented at The Center for the Performing Arts

An Ocean Away is a new play by Andrei Kureichik, created in collaboration with Theatre Novi Most and directed by Vladimir Rovinsky and Lisa Channer. The production serves as a direct artistic response to the war in Ukraine. It opens on Thursday, October 30 at 7:30 PM and closes on Saturday, November 8 at 7:30 PM. Performances will take place at The Center for the Performing Arts.

ABOUT THE PLAY:

AN OCEAN AWAY is a direct artistic response to the war in Ukraine. It tells the unique stories of immigrants and refugees from the post-Soviet diaspora living in Minnesota who are watching the war in Ukraine from afar.

Six actors give their voice to fourteen multi-generational characters from different immigration waves and sides of the Ukrainian community. These true retellings of immigration span from the 1930s to today, some just recently making their difficult transition carrying the horrors of Putin's war on their shoulders. Their personal stories, thoughts about the war, Ukrainian culture, and the indomitable Ukrainian spirit are the foundation for this new documentary play.

Based on interviews, news media, and historical documents, Theatre Novi Most collaborated with playwright Andrei Kureichik, a team of actors, dramaturgs, and several Minnesota community members to create this piece. This production is the culminating event of Theatre Novi Most's past three years of work after their tour of The Ukrainian Words Project and subsequent story circles. Ukrainians across Minnesota - soldiers, doctors, mothers, fathers, children, writers, scholars, recent immigrants and Ukrainian Americans alike - shared their stories and current experiences. This is the resulting play.

AN OCEAN AWAY has been in development with Andrei Kureichik since January 2025 and this will be its premiere production.

CAST

Featuring Sam Bardwell*, Barbra Berlovitz, Kayla Dvorak Feld, Liv Kemp, David Michaeli, and Timothy Thomas* (performing Oct. 30-Nov. 7; Vladimir Rovinsky to perform Nov. 8).

CREATIVE TEAM

Directed by Theatre Novi Most co-founders Vladimir Rovinsky and Lisa Channer, with stage management by Samantha Fairchild*, sound design by Dan Dukich, projection design by Kathy Maxwell, costume design by Lily Turner, dramaturgy by Wendy Weckworth, and production interns Ani Tonoyan and Ella Eastman-Kiesow.

*Member of Actors' Equity Association