A Brief History of the Shymkent City Academic Kazakh Drama Theater named after Zh. Shanin
Shymkent City Academic Kazakh Drama Theater named after Zhumat Shanin was founded in 1934. The first composition of this artistic group consisted of about 25 people, including such as: R. Baikenov, T. Madikhozhayev, G. Batyrgaliyev, F. Sheriyazdanov, A. Zhasenov, etc. They, who did not pass the art school, were united only by interest and aspiration, therefore the first productions were realized thanks to the selfless work of talented directors R. Abdrakhmanov, Zh. Arginbayev. As a result, two years later, the team worked at the amateur level. The performances of G. Zhasakbayev “Zamana Zagy”, / The Law of Time / S. Yerdanayev “Malkanbai”, S. Seifullin “Kyzyl Sarlar” / Red Sokols /, M. Auezov “Enlik-Kebek”, V. Korneichuk “ Plato Krechet ”.
1942 year. One of the best director’s works of H. Shazhenov, the play “Akan seri-Aktoyty” was staged on the stage.
1972 year. The theater is named after the first director, playwright, public figure Zhumat Shanin.
1994 year. “Days of theater” held in Almaty the theater collective on its 60th anniversary, showing the audience the following performances: “Arkalyk batyr” by Zh.Shanin, “Anasyn aksagan kyz” by D. Isabekov, “En Ademi kelinshek” by S. Balgabayev, “Aisha bibi” B. Abildayeva.
2002 year. Participated in the Republican Theater Festival dedicated to the 100th anniversary of G. Musirepov in the city of Kyzylzhar / Petropavlovsk / performing with G. Musirepov’s production “Kozy Korpesh-Bayan Slu” and won the nomination “Best Director”.
2003 year. At the XI Republican Theater Festival in the city of Uralsk, they performed with I. Orazbayev’s performance “Men Ishpegen u Bar Ma ?!”, and were awarded the nomination “Best Director”.
2006 year. At the theatrical festival “Art-ORDO” of Europe and Central Asia, where collectives from 14 states took part in the city of Bishkek, the theater performed “Zhanpida” by Sh. Aitmatov, and won 3 nominations, adding the “main prize”, “best artist ”,“ best director ”.
2006 year. At the festival “Sakhna – Koktem – Theater 2006” the theater team won the “main prize”.
2007 year. At the international festival “Koktemi Theater – 2007” they won the “main prize” with M. Baygutt’s production “Boztorgaidyk Kyasy”. At the theater festival dedicated to the 60th anniversary of the poet, playwright Iran-Gayip, in the city of Kyzylorda, performing with the play Iran-Gayip “Men ishpegen u bar ma ?!” won the Best Director nomination.
In 2009. At the Republican theater festival dedicated to the 175th anniversary of Birzhan sal-Kozhagululy, in the city of Karaganda, they performed with D. Issabekov’s drama “Mұңlyk Zarlyk” and won the nomination “Successful mastering of an epic work”.
2011 At the Republican Theater Festival “Theater Koktemi – 2011” they won in the nomination “Best Thematic Production” with the play “Uly Kosh” by E. Turysov. The theater moved to a new building; Elbasy N.A.Nazarbayev was present at the grand opening.
At the festival “Yelikgul”, held by the Union of Theater Workers of Kazakhstan, the theater’s make-up artist B. Alzhanova won in the nomination “Best Make-Up Artist”.
2015 year. The theater was awarded the honorary status “Academic Theater”.
In honor of the 70th anniversary of the Great Victory, the tragedy of A. Tarazi “Aliya” / directed by Imanali Saparov / was staged, for the role of Aliya in the play actress Zhaudir Sarypbekova became a laureate of the Youth Prize “Serper”. Theater artist Mukhan Shakirov, culture worker of the Republic of Kazakhstan was awarded the order “Qurmet”. For the 550th anniversary of the Kazakh Khanate, the historical drama of D. Ramazan “Abylai khannyn armani” / Dream of Abylai khan / / director K. Kassymov / was staged, for the performance of the role of Abylai khan, actor M. Dariyev and performer of the role of Bukhar zhyrau, actor, culture worker of the Republic of Kazakhstan M. Shakirov was awarded the order “550th Anniversary of the Kazakh Khanate”.
2016 year. At the theater festival “Teatr Koktemi – 2016” the collective took 1st place with the drama “Bas” by R. Otarbayev.
2017 year. At the festival among the theaters of the Turkic world “Teatr Koktemi – 2017”, dedicated to the 125th anniversary of the first professional director of Kazakhstan Zhumat Shanin, the theater participated with the production of D. Ramazan “Abylai khannyn armani”, where it took the III-place in the nomination “Janr tabigatyndagy korkemdik” / “The artistic character of the genre” / The main artist of the theater, the figure of culture of the Republic of Kazakhstan, Kaltore Zhumakulov, became the winner of the nomination “Best artist”. The nomination “The winning image of the production” / was won by the theater actor Makhmetali Dariyev.
The theater staff took part in the festival of the I-Republican Forum of Young Directors named after Kairat Sugirbekov, organized by the Association of Theaters of Kazakhstan in Astana, with the philosophical parable of O. Bogayev “The Road Down Without Stopping”
The talented theater actress Zhamilya Bekmurzayeva was recognized as the winner in the “Best Artist” nomination for her outstanding contribution to the development of the region’s culture. In addition, the artistic director of the theater Zhumabek Yesimov was awarded the Certificate of Honor of the President of the Republic of Kazakhstan “Qurmet”.
2018 year. Within the framework of the President’s program article “Bolashaka bagdar: rukhani zhagyru”, as well as the 110th anniversary of the director, actor H. Shazhenov and the 80th anniversary of the People’s Artist of Kazakhstan, laureate of the State Prize Raimbek Seytmetov, M. Auezov’s tragedy “Karagoz” was staged at the theater festival “THEATER SPRING – 2018”, dedicated to the 80th anniversary of Raimbek Seytmetov, and received the main prize in the nomination “Best Performance”.
2018 year. The theater staff took part in the VI International Theater Festival “SAMGAU”, dedicated to the 20th anniversary of Astana, organized by the Administrache department of Astana, the Department of Culture and Sports of Astana with the tragedy of M. Auezov “Karagoz” and became a winner of the festival.
Due to the renaming of the South Kazakhstan region into the Turkestan region and the transfer of the new regional center to the city of Turkestan, the city of Shymkent has become the third most important city-megalopolis.
Due to the fact that the regional academic Kazakh drama theater named after Zh. Shanin, founded in 1934, remained in the city of Shymkent, it was renamed into the “Shymkent city academic Kazakh drama theater named after Zh. Shanin”.
2019 year. On November 18-22, in the city of Atyrau, the theater staff took part in the III-Republican Festival of Theaters of R. Otarbayev with the drama of R. Otarbayev “Bas”, taking the 3rd place, also the director of the play K. Kassymov received the “Special Prize named after R. Otarbayev “, M. Ilyaskar won in the nomination “ Viewer’s sympathy”. Artists of the theater Sadyk Zhakipov, Kapiza Baimbetova, Nurzhamal Kalambayeva were awarded the badge of the Ministry of Culture and Sports of the Republic of Kazakhstan “The best in the field of culture” . Theater artist, culture figure of the Republic of Kazakhstan Yerkinbek Shymyrkulov received a “Letter of Thanks” from the President of the Republic of Kazakhstan Kassym-Zhomart Tokayev. Theater actor Nurken Orynbek was awarded in the nomination “Umit” of the National Theater Award “Sakhnager – 2019” by the Theater Association of Kazakhstan.
The theater’s repertoire firmly entrenched the works of world, Kazakh classics and contemporary playwrights. From the very first opening of the curtain, an outstanding galaxy of directors Zh. Arginbayev, R. Abdirakhmanov, G. Zorin, Y. Rudkovsky, P. Nosonov, A. Myrzaliev, V. Merkuriyev, I. Meyerhold, H. Shazhenov, G. Khairullina worked in the theater , whose work was continued by A. Ordabayev, K. Shanin, V. Dyakov, Zh. Omarov, T. Utebayev, A. Kuldanov, K. Zhetpisbayev, A. Onalbayev, R. Seytmetov, E. Urazimbetov. , who had their own special style of direction, as well as combining the positions of artistic director, chief director, continued the path of the previous generation. In the history of theater, this period is noted as the “Golden Age”. The spirit of a new era was brought by the direction of recent years, and such directors as: I. Saparov, T. Ashimov, A. Otarbayev, S. Tasemenova, K. Kassymov, A. Rakhimov, U. Tastanbekov, G. Arynov, A. Altynbekov, T Akhmet, B. Kurmankozhayev, B. Abdrakhmanov, Zh. Yessimov also left their original mark of the stage artists.
Dosymbetov, T. Madikhodzhaev, I. Tauirbalin, F. Sheriyazdanova, who took the first steps into the world of the mysterious stage and laid the foundation for theatrical art in the theater, remained in the history of the theater as actors who composed the alphabet of an actor. Continued the path of talented actors G. Batyrgaliyev, R. Baikenov, A. Umirzakov, H. Bukeev, J. Serikbayev, K. Karsakbayev, K. Duisekov., Becoming the first swallows of professional theatrical art. After the war years, the ranks of art workers thinned out, such talented actors as A. Shanin, A. Mukhammediyarov, R. Doszhanova, Zh. Tursynov, B. Ergaliyev, A. Abdullin, Kh. Sazantayeva, E. Sadakbayev were joined by the enthusiastic youth S. Dosmaganbetov, M. Naimanbayev, M. Utebayev, who contributed to a new creative upsurge in the life of the theater. The successors of the heritage of the masters E. Nurakov, A. Kalmyrzayev, O. Zhumabekov, O. Rakhimov, A. Israilov, S. Utemisov, M. Ilyaskarov raised the prestige of the theater with their brilliant performance. They continued their way on the stage of the above-named artists, becoming their partners on the stage of K. Rakhyberdiyeva, R. Salova, A. Zhumabekova, G. Kazakbaeva, A. Ainabalaeva, G. Kasenova, A. Karabekova, G. Espay, M. Shakirov delighting the viewer with his creativity.
The current generation, penetrated by the game of the previous generation, the younger generation of the new century, along with the continuation of creative traditions, is discovering new facets of theatrical art.
Considering that we cannot imagine theater without spectators, the theater staff makes every effort to stage the best works from the valuable treasury of Kazakh and world culture and win the love and recognition of the audience.
