Mariya Gelshteyn

About me

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Mariya Gelshteyn

About me

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Actress, singer, puppeteer, composer, songwriter and director.

In my childhood and youth, I was a laureate of many international music competitions and festivals, as well as modeling competitions.

In 2013, I entered the St. Petersburg Academy of Theatre Arts (later renamed to the Russian State Institute of Performing Arts) specialization in acting, with the qualification of "drama and puppetry".

In 2016, entered the same institute, but to the other specialization — “theatre directing”, in the workshop of Ruslan Kudashov (main director of the "Bolshoi Puppet Theater" in St. Petersburg), the workshop was recruited by the "Bolshoi Puppet Theater".

I took a part in the acting intensive course of the Brazilian actor-dancer Duda Paiva.  The course was held at the Institute of Marionettes in Charleville-Mézières (France) in 2014.
In 2016, studied at a winter school of Contemporary and modern dance from the Dance Academy Russia in Brussels (Belgium), with the support of the international school of modern dance P.A.R.T.S.

In the "Bolshoi Puppet Theater" I was involved as an actress in such performances of the theater's stationary repertoire as
“The Seagull" (based on Chekhov's play)
“The Life of Insects" (based on the novel by Pelevin)
"Letov. The Fool."  (a performance about the life and work of the leader of the band "Grazhdanskaya oborona" Yehor Letov)
“L’etranger" (based on the novel by Albert Camus)
"Winter when I grew up" (based on the novel by Peter van Gestel)
“Minotaurum" (according to the myths of Ancient Greece)
“Commedia dell’Arte” (comedy based on the principles of the traditional Italian street theatre)
“Why don't trees walk?"  (based on the work of the same name by Boris Zahoder)

I staged the play 3+ "Factory of Words" based on the work of the French authors Agnes de Lestrade and Valerie Docampo as my pre-diploma course work.

As part of the BTK-Generation festival (St. Petersburg) in January 2021, I set up my diploma play "Diagnosis: Freud" 16+ based on the screenplay by Jean Paul Sartre "Freud" on the stage of the Theater and Concert Hall (small stage of KhNAToOB, Kharkiv).

In July 2021, the premiere of directed by me the magical fairy tale "Rapunzel" 6+ based on the fairy tale of the Brothers Grimm took place at the Kyiv Academic Puppet Theater "Castle on the Mountain".

I also designed all her performances as a composer.

Plastic theater, theater of the absurd, classical dramatic theater, tanz-theater and various experiments with the search for new forms or new meanings are close to me. I believe that the theater should change something in the minds of the audience, ask important questions and seek answers to them, not leave indifferent, be clear and profound. In my stage outlook, I am inspired by such theater figures as Philippe Genty, Pina Bausch, Yuriy Butusov, Ruslan Kudashov and French cinematography, in particular Jean-Pierre Genet, Michel Gondry.  Favorite artists: Marc Chagall, Picasso.

I’m addition to theater, I write original songs in various genres, mainly alternative music, indie-pop, trip-hop and rap. There are written more than 150 original songs so far. Available on all music platforms (Apple Music, Spotify, Amazon, etc.).
I’m August 2020, I published a book of poems called "The Ship".
I speak English fluently and German quite well. I have a category B driver's license.

Actor16-31 yearsUkrainian
Place of residence Duisburg (DE)
Genderfemale
Year of birth1996 (28 years)
Place of birthKharkiv
SpecializationsMusical actor, Puppeteer, Singer, Dubbing actor
Driver's licensesB - Car
Eye colorgreen
Hair colorbrown
Height (cm)164
Weight (in kg)65
Staturenormal, female
LanguagesRussian(native-language)Ukrainian(native-language)EnglishGerman
InstrumentsKeyboard/SynthesizerPianoSynthesizerGuitar
SportAlpine skiingFencing (stage)FitnessHorse ridingInline skatingWeight trainingYogaAthleticsFigure skatingShow jumpingSoccerStage combatTennis
DancePerformanceChoreographyContact improvisationContemporary danceFlamencoHip hopMimeModern danceMusical theaterTangoBalletCharlestonClassic danceSirtaki
PitchAlto, Mezzo-soprano
SingingA cappellaBacking vocalsFalsettoFolkFunkHip HopMusicalPopRockSoul/RnBSprechgesangfolk songJazzRapYodelling
Special skills(cartoon) voice actingSinger-songwriterStudio musicianAudio bookAudio dramaCatwalkChoreographyModelStorytellerImpressionist/ voice impressionist
Training
Primary professional training
Other professional training
2013 – 2016
Russian State Institute of Performing Arts
Theater
2019 – 2021
Чайки
Маша Шамраєва, Ніна Зарєчная (SR)
Руслан Кудашов та курс Bolshoi Puppet Theatre Антон Чехов
2019 – 2021
Комедія Дель-Арте (Drama)
Закохана (MR)
Роман Бокланов Bolshoi Puppet Theatre сюжети традиційного італійського вуличного театру
2019 – 2021
Чому дерева не ходять (Other)
Земля (MR)
Стефанія Жученко Bolshoi Puppet Theatre Борис Заходер
2018 – 2021
Зима, коли я виріс (Other)
Матір (SR)
Денис Казачук Bolshoi Puppet Theatre Петер ван Гестел
2019 – 2021
Сторонній (Other)
Марі та інші (SR)
Руслан Кудашов, Денис Казачук Bolshoi Puppet Theatre Альбер Камю
2019 – 2021
Лєтов. Дурачок (Other)
Виконавиця творів Лєтова та Дягілєвої (SR)
Руслан Кудашов Bolshoi Puppet Theatre
2017 – 2021
Життя комах (Other)
Муха (SR)
Руслан Кудашов Bolshoi Puppet Theatre Віктор Пєлєвін
2016 – 2021
Мінотаврум (Other)
Матір Тезея (SR)
Руслан Кудашов, Денис Казачук Bolshoi Puppet Theatre Міфи Античної Греції