Everyone’s life could use a little drama or comedy or music. So the KIMEP Voice took a look around Almaty to find some of the best places students could immerse themselves in a little culture and explore some of Almaty at the same time. Beautiful baroque buildings or hard-edged modern buildings all house the troupes who entertain in long and short performances ranging from Neil Simon’s The Fools to Pyotr Tchaikovsky’s Nutcracker. There’s a theater for everyone’s tastes and wallets. Here are five our favorite theaters, their current performances and cost estimate to attend ranging from 5,000 to 25,000 tenge.
Lermontov theater
- Address: Abay str. 43.
- Clientele: students, young people and adults.
- Best performance: Duraki –The Fools, by Neil Simon.
- There is a buffet in the theater, so people can enjoy refreshments before the performance or even during the break between the first and the second act.
- Furthermore, there is a smoking zone in the courtyard, so people can grab a quick cigarette or IQOS between acts.
- The average ticket price is 5,000 tenge for local performances, but if a theater from Moscow or Saint Petersburg comes, the price is a lot higher, about 25,000 tenge.
It is one of the closest theaters to KIMEP University, and there is a great choice of performances of different genres.
The average length of most performances is 2.5 hours, but there are some performances, such as Pyostrye Rasskazy – Patterned Stories by Anton Chekhov, which lasts 3 hours.
“ We usually try to find new directors, actors, playwrights and stage decorators and it is the best way to attract clients because everybody wants to watch a performance with decent actors, beautiful decorations and it always should be based on a proper play or novel,”
said Dmitry Skirta, the executive producer of the theater.
In December, several performances will be shown and tickets are already available on ticketon.kz, on tl.kz for the theater or in the cash desk at the theater.
Main performances for December:
- Primadonny – Leading Ladies by Ken Ludwig.
- Pizhama dlya shesteryh – Pyjama pour six by Marc Camoletti.
- Much Ado About Nothing by William Shakespeare.
- Adventures of Baron Munchausen by Grigori Gorin.
- Evgeniy Onegin this play is based on the novel by Alexander Pushkin. It has never shown before in the theater, so this will be its premier showing.
- Noise Behind The Scene by Michael Frein. It is also the premier showing.
Abay Opera Theater
Opera and ballet theater named after Abay.
- Kabanbay Batyr str. 110.
- Clientele: Mostly adults and sometimes young people.
- Best performance: Nutcracker by Pyotr Tchaikovsky.
- There is a buffet in the theater, but sometimes they are short of alcoholic beverages.
- There is a smoking zone outside the entrance to the theater.
- The average ticket price is 8,000 tenge, but for some performances, especially for Nutcracker which is shown during New Year’s Eve and some time after the New Year, it can be higher due to high demand.
It is a couple kilometers away from KIMEP, which is about 20 minutes of walking.
Tickets are available on ticketon.kz.
In December the most important performance is Nutcracker, but some other, for instance, Swan Lake also by Pyotr Tchaikovsky will be shown.
“In my opinion, opera and ballet theater is one of the most beautiful theaters in Almaty and the music there is very beautiful as well,” said Ibrahim Kazhigaliyev, a second year student from Atyrau.
Mukhtar Auezov Theater
- Address: Abay str. 43.
- Clientele: students and adults, who speak Kazakh.
- Best performance: Enlik-Kebek by Mukhtar Auezov.
- There is a buffet in the theater, and people smoke outside near the entrance.
- The average ticket price is 5,000 tenge, but sometimes it can be a bit higher.
All performances are in Kazakh, therefore few people visit it, mostly school and university students and sometimes adults.
Tickets are available on ticketon.kz or at the cash desk of the theater.
The list of performances for December was not ready at the time this story was written, but should be available at the end of November.
“When I go to Mukhtar Auezov theater, I improve my Kazakh speaking skills because everything there is in Kazakh,” said Amangeldy-Azat Maratuly, a first year student.
Concordia Student Theater
- Address: Bogenbay Batyr str. 151.
- Clientele: mostly students and young people, and rarely adults.
- Best performance: Frank Sinatra, Muslim Magomaev. Two kings. Performed by GAYIP Tunes band.
- This theater is small, and it is founded and managed by students, therefore they have neither a cash desk, nor buffet, just a smoking zone near the entrance.
- The average ticket price is 6,000 tenge, tickets are available on ticketon.kz.
Due to a low budget, this theater has no website, therefore the only way to checklist of performances for December or buy tickets is to go to ticketon.kz or dial the number +7-701-801-68-00. This number is also on WhatsApp.
Nevertheless, the list of performances for December will be ready by the last days of November.
“I always visit Concordia student theater because I can listen to beautiful music and support students at the same time,” said Aldiyar Karzhas, a fourth year bachelor student.
Zhas Sakhna Theater
- Address: Abay str. 117.
- Clientele: students, young people and adults.
- Best performance: Me, my grandmother, Iliko and Illarion based on the novel by Nodar Dumbadze.
- There is a buffet inside and a smoking zone at the entrance. However, there are no alcoholic beverages in the buffet.
- The average ticket price is 6,000 tenge. They are available at the cash desk, on zhassahna.kz or ticketon.kz.
The most important performance for December is Puss in Boots which is a Charles Perrault’s fairy tale. However, the full list of performances for December is not ready at the moment, but it will be ready by late November.
“We do our best to find new actors, directors, playwrights and other staff members to make our performances more captivating,” said Alexey Schemes, the head director.
While all performances are in Russian, the place is popular among foreigners.
“I always improve my Russian speaking and listening skills when I watch a performance in Zhas Sakhna theater,” said Jacob Ross Ewing, a second year master’s student at KIMEP, who came from the USA.
Theaters make any city more interesting and attractive not only for visitors, but also for its residents. Everybody appreciates it.
“The more theaters there are in the city, the more attractive it is,” said Janko Petrovic, an exchange student from Serbia.