Yaroslav Zubko to Present Solo Comedy Show BEFORE THE WAR IS OVER at Caveat NYC
The Ukrainian-born comedian will donate all proceeds to Kids Art Hope, a charity supporting Ukrainian families.
After four years of war in his home country of Ukraine, New York-based comedian Yaroslav Zubko has found an unexpected way to process distance, guilt, and identity: through stand-up. His debut solo show, Before the War Is Over, is a darkly comic exploration of survival, displacement, and what it means to chase the American dream while your homeland is under siege.
Blending humor with deeply personal storytelling, Zubko confronts everything from childhood trauma to culture shock, capitalism, and the quiet weight of watching a war unfold from afar. The show captures the tension between two worlds, one defined by conflict, the other by the surreal absurdities of everyday American life.
All profits from ticket sales will be donated to Kids Art Hope, a fundraiser founded by Nataliya Bennett, a Ukrainian-born psychiatric nurse practitioner, based in New York City. Since the war began, Bennett has organized charity art exhibitions featuring works by Ukrainian children in cities that have been heavily impacted by the war, including Mykolaiv and Kherson. 100% of proceeds will go directly to families Bennett has been in close contact with.
Zubko moved to the United States from Ukraine in 2017. He is an award-winning tech designer who has been steadily carving out a presence in the New York comedy scene, performing at venues including Broadway Comedy Club, The Stand, New York Comedy Club, Greenwich Village Comedy Club, and The PIT.
Born and raised in Kaniv, he first discovered comedy through American television, notably The Office, which he used to learn English. That early fascination with humor evolved into a distinct comedic voice that bridges cultures, languages, and lived experience.
Before the War Is Over will be staged at Caveat (21 A Clinton St, New York, NY 10002) on May 15th, 2026, at 9.00PM.
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