MARIIA KRUPNIK

Maria Kroupnik is a researcher, theatre producer, translator, writer, and educator currently pursuing a PhD in Media, Culture, and Heritage at Newcastle University. In 2020, she contributed to the publication ‘New Drama in Russian – Performance, Politics and Protest in Russia, Ukraine and Belarus’ edited by Professor J.A.E. Curtis (Bloomsbury Academic). With a rich background in theatre and cultural management, Maria's career began in 2006 as the PR manager for the British Council in Moscow, and in 2008-2010 as the Press Section's Deputy Head for the British Embassy in Moscow, all while actively contributing to various Russian and international theatre and music projects and festivals. Since 2008, Maria has curated numerous 'Class Act'/ 'Teens` Drama' theatre projects across 8 cities in Russia, engaging adolescents in the writing of plays and the theatre production process. In 2013-2022, she successfully managed the Lubimovka Independent Drama Festival in Moscow, overseeing its educational and research initiatives. Since 2022, she has coordinated the Russian-language committee of the EURODRAM network for translation and promotion of contemporary drama.