REPORT
On the military partnership work of the Moscow State Romani* Theatre ‘Romėn’

The conditions under which the Romani* Theatre ‘Romėn’ undertook its military partnership work were completely different from those of other theatres. When the Great Patriotic War broke out, the theatre was in the city of Sverdlovsk on its annual tour, and from this moment until 12 October 1943 the theatre travelled from one [Soviet] Republic to another, from one city to another. In 1943 the length of stay in each city, with the exception of the Far East, was no longer than 10–12 days. Despite this, the theatre produced four new plays in this period and, besides the extremely tight [commissioned] programme, put on another 401 independent concerts and plays (this does not include performances put on by company members in public municipal concerts or hospital wards).

I. The work of the front brigades.

For a long time, the endless moving and the distance from Moscow made it difficult for the theatre to dispatch brigades to the front. First in the summer of 1942, during a stay in the North Caucasus, the theatre was finally permitted, after several submissions to the army command of the southern front, to dispatch brigades to the front.
Two brigades were organised, and they travelled to the city Rostov-na-Donu and on further to the frontlines. One brigade was led by the general and artistic director V.M. [Viktor Michajlovič] Jugov, the other from the deputy general director M.S. [Mark Semёnovič] Kiselevskij.
All the work of the brigades was determined by conditions on the front, the concerts were given at various times during both day and night.
At no point was a concert or performance aborted although both brigades came under heavy artillery bombardment and air raids.
During the stay on the front, the song ‘Rostov, the City’, only recently composed by the composer and director of the theatre’s musical department, comrade S.M. [Semёn Michajlovič] Bugačevskij, was hastily orchestrated and rehearsed, and not only with the brigade members but also with a military unit.
In addition, following the wish of one of the military units based in the city Rostov-na-Donu, a competition for composing a military march was organised. Comrade S.M. Bugačevskij took part in the competition: his music was well received and he was awarded second place.

Composition of the brigades

1st brigade.

Jugov, Viktor Michajlovič
Krasavina, Nina Vladimirovna
Rom-Lebedev, Ivan Ivanovič
Šopenko, Boris Georgievič
Čiženko, Lina Ivanovna
Timofeeva, Aleksandra Vasil’evna
Pečelieva, Olga Tarasovna
Masalskaja, Evganija Aleksandrovna
Verbickaja, Valentina Vladimirovna
Šnurkov, Aleksandr Ivanovič
Ananev, Konstantin Egorovič
Chrustalёva, Ekaterina Vasilevna
Ivanov, Grigorij Petrovič
Timofeeva, Larisa Vasilevna
Silnickij, Sergej Michajlovič
Silnickij, Dmitrij Ivanovič
Jankovskij, Evgraf Evfimovič
Demeter, Petr Stepanovič
Vasilkov, Georgij Petrovič
Meleško, Romuald Feliksovič

2nd brigade.

Andreeva, Santina Ivanovna
Kiselёva, (Ljalja Čërnaja) Nadežda Sergeevna
Skvorcova, Marija Vasilevna
Michajlova, Nadežda Kalistrat. [Kalistratovna]
Bizev, Vasiliyj Fëdorovič
Šiškov, Sergej Fëdorovič
Demeter, Marija Aleksandrovna
Poljakov, Valerjan Egorovič
Timofeev (Chrustalëv), Ivan Vasilev. [Vasilevich]č
Baljasnyj, Nikolaj Davydovič
Kondenko, Ivan Ivanovič
Jankovskaja, Olga Evfimovna
Šiškova, Nadežda Nikolaevna
Vasilkova, Ljubov Petrovna
Kiselëv, Vladimir Sergeevič
Petrova, Olga Ivanovna
Šnurkov, Anatolij Ivanovič
Čerkasova, Marina Ivanovna
Chapaeva, Ekaterina Afanasevna
Morozevskij, Fëdor Vasilevič

II. The repertoire of the brigades

Because it [Romėn] was a national theatre, the repertoire of both the front brigades and the partnership concerts was made up of folk dances, songs for choir and solo, performed in the group and individually, as well as scenes from the current theatre programme, for example: the scene involving the two Red Army soldiers from the play ‘Acting Persons’, the final scene of the play ‘Everything about You’, a scene and a dance from the play ‘On the Banks of the Dniester’ and so on. The programme of all the partnership concerts was chosen by the artistic management of the theatre, in consultation with the brigades touring to perform the concerts. After every return, the partnership commission discussed how the concert had gone, which shortcomings had emerged, what needed to be changed and so on.

III. Help for Red Army amateur arts

In those cities where the theatre stayed longer than twelve days, the amateur arts were given support. The distinguished artist of the RSFSR, comrade M.M. [Michail Michajlovič] Janšin, rehearsed a theatre production with Red Army soldiers, the chief director, comrade L.L. Polonskij, organised and gave acting lessons, the choirmaster, comrade A.I. Šusser, gave lessons in choral singing, the ballet masters, comrade I.V. [Ivan Vasilevič] Chrustalëv and comrade G.P. [Grigorij Petrovič] Ivanov, directed a series of dance performances.
Discussion rounds were held on the following subjects with the involvement of the poet and dramatist M.A. [Michail Arkadevič] Svetlov:

a) Soviet art, b) working on form, c) reading and analysing plays, etc.

IV. Composition of the theatre’s military partnership commission

Composition of the theatre’s military partnership commission in the years 1941–1942.

1. Kiselevskij, Mark Semënovič – chairman
2. Baljasnyj, Nikolaj Davydovič
3. Šiškov, Sergej Fëdorovič

In 1943 the military partnership commission was newly elected:

1. Andreeva, Santina Ivanovna – chairwoman
2. Kiselevskij, Mark Semënovič
3. Rom-Lebedev, Ivan Ivanovič

Brigades of the partnership concert tour:

1. Krasavina, Nina Vladimirovna
2. Andreeva, Santina Ivanovna
3. Čiženko, Lina Ivanovna
4. Kondenko, Ivan Ivanovič
5. Grušin, Nikolaj Alekseevič
6. Baljasnyj, Nikolaj Davydovič

V. Proposals by the local committee and military partnership commission for improving and revitalizing military partnership work.

The local committee and the military partnership commission jointly organised the entire fundraising work: for the defence fund and aid for families of frontline soldiers, for the construction of an airplane, for gifts to be given to the soldiers serving on the southern front, and for the wounded. The local committee and the military partnership commission organised, furthermore, the rota for the company’s actors performing in the hospitals, consolidated the composition of the actors’ brigades and did informational work explaining the military partnership work of the collective.

VI. Serving the hospitals

The performances of the theatre in the hospitals was prepared and carried out with much love and care. One time, the brigade was on its way to a hospital located outside the city and got caught in a snowstorm. The vehicle was snowed over halfway to the hospital. Despite great danger, the place was on a steep slope, the members walked through the night – but they reached the hospital and gave the wounded soldiers their concert, during which all the wards with wounded confined to bed were served [with performances].
In addition to the [group] performances, individual visits by theatre members were organised for the hospitals: readings for the ill from books, journals and newspapers, darning and sewing of clothing, presenting gifts for wounded soldiers, etc.

The following comrades took part in these activities:

Ljalja Černaja, N.V. [Nina Vladimirovna] Krasavina, S.I. [Santina Ivanovna] Andreeva, E.A. [Ekaterina Afanasevna] Chapaeva, N.K. [Nadežda Kalistratovna] Michajlova, L.P. [Ljubov Petrovna] Vasilkova, O.T. [Olga Tarasovna] Pečelieva.

VII. Activities for the defence fund.

With the active support of the local committee, the military partnership commission held ten large events, during which 510,896 rubles and 30 kopeks were raised. In addition, theatre members contributed a sum of 37,340 rubles from private sources.

The deputy director of the theatre (Kiselevskij)

The chairman of the local committee (Rom-Lebedev)

The chairwoman of the military partnership commission (Andreeva)

KERIMASKO REPORTO
Vaš e armijaki pharnavutni buti kotar e Moskvako Themutno Rromano* teatro »Romėn«

E kondicije telal save o Rromano* teatro »Romėn« kerdas pesko armijako pharnavipe sas aver kotar e sa avera kondicije avere teatronge. Kana o themutno Maripe pecindas, o teatro sas pe peski beršeski turneja ando foro Sverdlovsk, thaj kotar kodo momento dži ko 12. Oktobri 1943 berš o teatro phirelas kotar jekh [Sovjetengi] Republika ki aver, kotar jekh foro ko aver. Po 1943 berš o bešipe ande jekh foro, na numa ke Durini dizjorig, sas maškar 10-12 divesa. Vi kodo so o teatro phirelas but, ande kodo berš vov producirindas štar neve drame, vi kodo so sas but phari [mothavdimaski] buti, kerdas 401 korkorutne koncertja thaj drame (ko akava numero na khuven e performance vaš e kompanijake somdasne, vaj koncertja vaš e komune vaj hospitalija).

I. E frontenge brigadengi buti.

Vaš o biagorutno phiribe thaj duripe Moskvatar, e teatroske sas phares ko lungo vrama te bičhalel brigade po fronto. Majanglunes ko milaj 1942 berš, kana sas ando vordorigako Kavkaz, e teatroske ko agor dije šajipe, pala nekobor rodipa ki armijaki komanda vaš o mesmerigako fronto, te bičhalel brigade ko fronto. Sas organizirime duj brigade, thaj von geletar ando foro Rostov ando Don thaj kotar geletar pe fronteski angluni linija. Jekh brigada sas legardi kotar o generalutno thaj artistikano direktori V. M. [Viktor Michajlovič] Jugov, thaj i aver brigade kotar o telalgeneralutno direktori M. S. [Mark Semёnovič] Kiselevskij.
Sa e buti so kerdolaspe sas kerdi telal e fronteske kerimata, e koncertja denaspe ko averutne terminuri vi pe raći vi po dives.
Ko nijekh vrama o koncerto vaj i drama naj sas čhinavde, vi kodo so e duj brigade varekana sas maškaral o bombardipe vaj telal e avijatikano atako.
Džikote ko fronto i gili »Rostov, o foro«, komponirimi kotar o kompozitoro thaj e teatresko direktori pe muzikaki sekcija, o amal S. M. [Semёn Michajlovič] Bugačevskij, sigo sas orkestririme thaj studirime, na numa e brigadake somdasnenca, numa vi kethanes jekhe armijake jekhinasa. Dureder kolestar, pala o manglipe kotar e armijaki kedin kerdi ando foro Rostov ko Don, kerdaspe jekh rivalizaripe vaš e kompozicija jekhe armijake maršesko. O amal S. M. Bugačevskij lijas than pe kodo rivalizaripe: oleski muzika sas lendi thaj vov lijas o dujto pursak.

E brigadengo kethanipe

1. Brigada.

Jugov, Viktor Michajlovič
Krasavina, Nina Vladimirovna
Rom-Lebedev, Ivan Ivanovič
Šopenko, Boris Georgievič
Čiženko, Lina Ivanovna
Timofeeva, Aleksandra Vasiljevna
Pečelieva, Olga Tarasovna
Masaljskaja, Evganija Aleksandrovna
Verbickaja, Valentina Vladimirovna
Šnurkov, Aleksandr Ivanovič
Ananjev, Konstantin Egorovič
Chrustalёva, Ekaterina Vasiljevna
Ivanov, Grigorij Petrovič
Timofeeva, Larisa Vasiljevna
Siljnickij, Sergej Michajlovič
Siljnickij, Dmitrij Ivanovič
Jankovskij, Evgraf Evfimovič
Demeter, Petr Stepanovič
Vasiljkov, Georgij Petrovič
Meleško, Romual’d Feliksovič

2. Brigada.

Andreeva, Santina Ivanovna
Kiselёva, (Ljalja Čërnaja) Nadežda Sergeevna
Skvorcova, Marija Vasiljevna
Michajlova, Nadežda Kalistratovna
Bizev, Vasilij Fëdorovič
Šiškov, Sergej Fëdorovič
Demeter, Marija Aleksandrovna
Poljakov, Valerjan Egorovič
Timofeev (Chrustalëv), Ivan Vasiljevič
Baljasnyj, Nikolaj Davydovič
Kondenko, Ivan Ivanovič
Jankovskaja, Olga Evfimovna
Šiškova, Nadežda Nikolaevna
Vasiljkova, Ljubov Petrovna
Kiselëv, Vladimir Sergeevič
Petrova, Olga Ivanovna
Šnurkov, Anatolij Ivanovič
Čerkasova, Marina Ivanovna
Chapaeva, Ekaterina Afanasjevna
Morozevskij, Fëdor Vasiljevič

II. E brigadengo repertoari

Sebet kodo kaj o teatro [ Romėn] nacionalutno teatro sas, o repertoari sas, vi ke fronteske brigade vi ke pharnavne koncertja, kerdo kotar e grupake vaj individualutne khelipa, gila vaš o horo thaj solo, sar vi e scene andar e teatrosko programo, sar misal: I scena kotar e solduj Lole Armijake džene andar e drama »Butikeravne Manuša«, i agoruni scena andar i drama »Sa vaš tute«, scena thaj khelipo andar i drama »Paša i len Dnestr« thaj aver. O programo vaš sa e pharnavne koncertja sas kerdino telal e teatrosko artistikano legaripe, ki konsultacija e brigadenca save so phirenas ke koncerturja. Pala sako jekh iranipe, e pharnavni komisija kerelas diskusija sar nakhlas o koncerti, kaj sas o koncerti kovlo thaj kana naj sas lačho, so trubuj te paruvelpe.

III. Ažutipe e Lolearmijakenge vaš lengo amaterutno artistikanipe

Ande kodola forura kote so o teatro buteder ačhovelas kotar dešuduj divesa, delaspe ažutipe vaš o amaterutno artistikanipe. O pakivalo artisto ando RSFSR, o amal M. M. [Michail Michajlovič] Janšin, kerelas e Lolearmijakenca jekh teatroski produkcija, o šerutno direktori, o amal L. L. Polonskij, kerelas thaj delas lekcije vaš o aktoribe, e horesko maestro, o amal A. I Šusser, delas lekcije vaš o gilavipe ko horo, e baletosko maestro, o amal I. V. [Ivan Vasil’evič] Chrustalëv thaj o amal G. P. [Grigorij Petrovič] Ivanov, kerenas režija pe jekh serija kotar e khelibaske performance.
Kote sas vi o poeti thaj dramatisto M. A. [Michail Arkadjevič] Svetlov, kon ikarelas diskusije vaš e nekobor teme:
a) Sovjetengo artistikanipe, b) Butikeribe upral e forma, c) Dramengo ginavipe thaj analiza, t. a.

IV. Kethanipe e armijake pharnavne komisijako ko teatro

Kethanipe e armijake pharnavne komisijako vaš e berša 1941-1942.

1. Kiselevskij, Mark Semënovič – anglošerutno
2. Baljasnyj, Nikolaj Davydovič
3. Šiškov, Sergej Fëdorovič

Ko 1943 berš e armijaki pharnavni komisija sas nevi alosardi:

1. Andreeva, Santina Ivanovna – anglošerutni
2. Kiselevskij, Mark Semënovič
3. Rom-Lebedev, Ivan Ivanovič

Brigade vaš e pharnavne phiravne koncertura

1. Krasavina, Nina Vladimirovna
2. Andreeva, Santina Ivanovna
3. Čiženko, Lina Ivanovna
4. Kondenko, Ivan Ivanovič
5. Grušin, Nikolaj Alekseevič
6. Baljasnyj, Nikolaj Davydovič

V. Dinde sikadipa kotar o lokalno komiteto thaj armijaki pharnavni komisija vaš kodo sar te lačharelpe maj mišto e pharnavni buti.

O lokalno komiteto thaj e armijaki pharnavni komisija kethanes kerde i buti te arakhenpe fondja thaj love: vaš o arakhibasko fondi thaj ažutipe vaš e familije e askerenge save si po fronto, vaš o keribe jekhe aeroplanesko, vaš o dendipe e askerenge save si pe mesmerigako fronto thaj vaš e phuknjale. O lokalno komiteto thaj e armijaki pharnavni komisija dureder organizirinde ruta vaš e kompanijake aktorura te mothavdon ande hospitalura, buti pe akterenge brigade thaj delas avri informacije vaš kodo sar kerel buti e armijako pharnavno kolektivo.

VI. Serviso ke hospitalura

E teatroskere performance ande hospitalija sas mothavde bare mangipasa thaj samasa. Jekhvar, jekh brigada sas po drom te džal ande jekh hospitali avrijal o foro kana astadas olen bilačhi vrama thaj delas baro iv. O vordon sas učhardo ivesa po dopaš o drom. Vi kodo so sas bari bibaxt, raćasa trubunas vurdonesa te nakhen jekh plajin, numa – von resle dži ko hospitalo thaj e phuknjarde askerenge mothavde o koncerti, vi kodolenge save so pašljonas thaj našti sas te ušten, vi lenge sas dendo šajipe te dikhen [e performanca].
Majbut katar e [kethane] performance, kerde si vi individualutne vizite kotar e teatroske somdasne ande hospitalija: ginavenas e nasvalenge andar e pustika, žurnalija thaj gazete, suvenas e patave thaj denas dena e phuknjale askerenge.

Ke akala aktivitetura kadala amala lije than:

Ljalja Černaja, N. V. [Nina Vladimirovna] Krasavina, S. I. [Santina Ivanovna] Andreeva, E. A. [Ekaterina Afanasjevna] Chapaeva, N. K. [Nadežda Kalistratovna] Michajlova, L. P. [Ljubov Petrovna] Vasiljkova, O. T. [OlgaTarasovna] Pečelieva.

VII. Aktivitetja vaš e arakhibaske fondija.

Aktivno ažitimasa kotar o lokalutno komiteto, i armijaki pharnavni komisija ikerdas deš bare kidipa pe save kedije 510,896 ruble thaj 30 kopejke. Dureder, e tatroske somdasne dije kotar e privatnikane donacije 37, 340 ruble.

O vicedirektori ko teatro (Kiselevskij)

O lokalutno komitetesko anglošerutno (Rom-Lebedev)

I anglošerutni kotar e armijaki pharnavni komisija (Andreeva)