Draft:Igor Golyak

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Summary

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Igor Golyak (born January 22, 1979) is a Ukrainian-American theatre director. He has received recognition for his work Off-Broadway and in his adopted hometown of Boston. Golyak’s productions have won or been nominated for numerous awards, including winning four Lucille Lortel Awards in 2025 for his production of Our Class by Tadeusz Słobodzianek in the categories of outstanding revival, outstanding director, outstanding ensemble and scenic design.[1] In Boston, he has won Elliot Norton Awards in the categories of outstanding production (small) for The Dybbuk[2] in 2025, and outstanding direction and production (small) for “The Stone” (Der Stein) by Marius von Mayenburg in 2020.[3] Two of his virtual productions were named New York Times Critic’s Picks: "chekhovOS/an experimental game" [4] and "State vs. Natasha Banina."[5] The Wall Street Journal included “Our Class” in their Best Theater of 2024 list.[6]

Early Life & Education

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Born in Kyiv, Ukraine[7] when it was part of the Soviet Union, Golyak was the first child of Sofiya and Mikhail Golyak. He learned that he was Jewish when he was 7 or 8 years old as his family prepared to emigrate to the U.S.[8] In 1990 when Golyak was 11, his family settled near Boston, Massachusetts.[9] Golyak attended Brookline High School where he first discovered his passion for theater after being cast in the lead role of a school play.[10]

After graduating from high school in 1998, Golyak went to Moscow, Russia to study theatre.[11] He earned a master’s degree in directing from the Russian Institute of Theatre Arts[12] and a master’s in acting from the Boris Shchukin Theatre Institute under the Vakhtangov State Academic Theatre.[13]

Career

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After returning from Russia to the Boston area in 2004,[14] Golyak found it difficult to break into the professional theater world and he worked a variety of jobs for several years.[15]

In 2009, Golyak founded -Arlekin! (then “Arlekin Players Theatre”) in Needham, Massachusetts with a group of Russian immigrant actor friends and continues to serve as its producing artistic director.[16] For the first several years, the group mostly performed in Russian for the immigrant community.[17] Golyak’s virtual and hybrid productions during the COVID lockdown period allowed his work to be seen by much broader audiences, including viewers in 55 countries.[18] They also attracted the attention of high-profile future collaborators, such as Mikhail Baryshnikov and Jessica Hecht, who appeared in both the live and virtual performances of “The Orchard,” Golyak’s adaptation of The Cherry Orchard.[19] He also worked with Chulpan Khamatova on "Our Class"[20] and with Andrey Burkovsky on both "Our Class"[21] and "The Dybbuk."[22]

In 2020, Golyak launched the Zero Gravity (Zero-G) Lab,[23] through which he has produced several virtual plays incorporating experimental technologies in theater.[24]

In addition to directing, Golyak has taught acting at the Boston Conservatory at Berklee and has served as a guest lecturer at several colleges and universities in the Boston area.[25]

Works (Partial List)

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Year Title Role Venue
2016 Natasha's Dream Director Arlekin Players Theatre
2017 Dead Man's Diary Director (adapted)
2018 We/Us Director (conceived, adapted)
2019 The Stone (Der Stein) Director
The Seagull Director
2020 State vs. Natasha Banina Director (conceived, adapted) Virtual/online
2021 Witness Director (conceived, adapted) Virtual/online
2022 The Orchard Director (conceived, adapted) Baryshnikov Arts Center, NYC
The Orchard Experience Virtual/online
2023 Just Tell No One Director (adapted) Lincoln Center, NYC
Huntington Theatre, Boston, MA
Arlekin Players Theatre
The Gaaga Director of virtual production Beat Brew Hall, Cambridge, MA
2024 The Dybbuk: Between Two Worlds Director Vilna Shul, Boston, MA
The Merchant of Venice Director Classic Stage Company, NYC
Our Class (Nasza Klasa) Director Brooklyn Academy of Music, NYC
Classic Stage Company, NYC
2025 Our Class (Nasza Klasa) Director Boston Center for the Arts
The Wanderers Director Marylebone Theatre, London

Awards and Honors (Partial List)

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Year Award Category Work Result Reference
2020 Elliot Norton Awards Outstanding direction, small theater The Stone (Der Stein) Won [26]
Outstanding Production, small company Won
New York Times Critic’s Pick Critic's Pick State vs. Natasha Banina Selected [27]
2021 New York Times Critic’s Pick Critic's Pick chekhovOS/an experimental game Selected [28]
2022 Elliot Norton Awards Special Citation State vs. Natasha Banina, Witness, chekhovOS cited for creating "a new genre of theater” [29]
2024 Elliot Norton Awards Outstanding play, small The Gaaga Nominated [30]
Outstanding Director Won, with Sasha Denisova
Wall Street Journal Best Theater of 2024 List Our Class Selected [31]
Drama League Awards Outstanding revival of a play Nominated [32]
2025 Lucille Lortel Awards Outstanding revival Won [33]
Outstanding director Won
Outstanding projection design Nominated, with Eric Dunlap, and Andreea Mincic
Elliot Norton Awards Outstanding play, small The Dybbuk Won [34]
Outstanding director Nominated

References

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  1. ^ "Our Class Leads 2025 Lucille Lortel Award Wins; Read the Complete List Here". Playbill. Archived from the original on 2025-08-26. Retrieved 2025-10-18.
  2. ^ "Elliot Norton Awards". elliotnortonawards. Retrieved 2025-10-18.
  3. ^ "Past Winners". elliotnortonawards. Retrieved 2025-10-18.
  4. ^ Vincentelli, Elisabeth (2021-05-31). "'chekhovOS /an experimental game/' Review: Life on a Merry-Go-Round (Published 2021)". The New York Times. Retrieved 2025-10-18.
  5. ^ Phillips, Maya (2020-06-17). "Review: A Bracing Trial by Zoom in 'State vs. Natasha Banina' (Published 2020)". The New York Times. Retrieved 2025-10-18.
  6. ^ Isherwood, Charles (2024-12-04). "The Best Theater of 2024: Surprising Stagings and New Perspectives". Wall Street Journal. ISSN 0099-9660. Retrieved 2025-10-18.
  7. ^ Vincentelli, Elisabeth (2022-06-03). "Chekhov Two Ways, With a Robot and Baryshnikov Along for the Ride (Published 2022)". The New York Times. Retrieved 2025-10-18.
  8. ^ Grisar, P. J. (2024-01-03). "A visionary theater maker never thought he'd be 'Jewish director' — then the times demanded it". The Forward. Retrieved 2025-10-18.
  9. ^ "Igor Golyak's bold innovations in virtual theater open doors for Arlekin - The Boston Globe". BostonGlobe.com. Retrieved 2025-10-18.
  10. ^ "Igor Golyak's bold innovations in virtual theater open doors for Arlekin - The Boston Globe". BostonGlobe.com. Retrieved 2025-10-18.
  11. ^ "Igor Golyak's bold innovations in virtual theater open doors for Arlekin - The Boston Globe". BostonGlobe.com. Retrieved 2025-10-18.
  12. ^ Isotti, Victoria (2021-05-21). "Experimenting with Virtual Theatre: An Interview with Igor Golyak". The Theatre Times. Retrieved 2025-10-18.
  13. ^ Foundation, MART (2024-01-12). "Our Class | Igor Golyak". martfdn.org. Retrieved 2025-10-18.[dead link]
  14. ^ Grisar, P. J. (2024-01-03). "A visionary theater maker never thought he'd be 'Jewish director' — then the times demanded it". The Forward. Retrieved 2025-10-18.
  15. ^ Vincentelli, Elisabeth (2022-06-03). "Chekhov Two Ways, With a Robot and Baryshnikov Along for the Ride (Published 2022)". The New York Times. Retrieved 2025-10-18.
  16. ^ "Igor Golyak's bold innovations in virtual theater open doors for Arlekin - The Boston Globe". BostonGlobe.com. Retrieved 2025-10-18.
  17. ^ Vincentelli, Elisabeth (2022-06-03). "Chekhov Two Ways, With a Robot and Baryshnikov Along for the Ride (Published 2022)". The New York Times. Retrieved 2025-10-18.
  18. ^ "Needham theater company Arlekin Players uses immigrant experience to put unique perspective on productions - CBS Boston". www.cbsnews.com. 2025-09-01. Retrieved 2025-10-18.
  19. ^ Vincentelli, Elisabeth (2022-06-03). "Chekhov Two Ways, With a Robot and Baryshnikov Along for the Ride (Published 2022)". The New York Times. Retrieved 2025-10-18.
  20. ^ "Arlekin's 'Our Class' explores the horror hidden within ordinary people - The Boston Globe". BostonGlobe.com. Retrieved 2025-10-18.
  21. ^ Isherwood, Charles (2024-01-19). "'Our Class' Review: A Disturbing Drama of Divergent Lives". Wall Street Journal. ISSN 0099-9660. Retrieved 2025-10-18.
  22. ^ "'The Dybbuk' comes to Vilna Shul - The Boston Globe". BostonGlobe.com. Retrieved 2025-10-18.
  23. ^ Vincentelli, Elisabeth (2022-06-03). "Chekhov Two Ways, With a Robot and Baryshnikov Along for the Ride (Published 2022)". The New York Times. Retrieved 2025-10-18.
  24. ^ "Zero Gravity Lab • -ARLEKIN!". www.arlekinplayers.com. Retrieved 2025-10-18.
  25. ^ "Igor Golyak | Boston Conservatory at Berklee". bostonconservatory.berklee.edu. Retrieved 2025-10-18.
  26. ^ "Past Winners". elliotnortonawards. Retrieved 2025-10-18.
  27. ^ Phillips, Maya (2020-06-17). "Review: A Bracing Trial by Zoom in 'State vs. Natasha Banina' (Published 2020)". The New York Times. Retrieved 2025-10-18.
  28. ^ Vincentelli, Elisabeth (2021-05-31). "'chekhovOS /an experimental game/' Review: Life on a Merry-Go-Round (Published 2021)". The New York Times. Retrieved 2025-10-18.
  29. ^ "Past Winners". elliotnortonawards. Retrieved 2025-10-18.
  30. ^ "THE ELLIOT NORTON AWARDS". elliotnortonawards. Retrieved 2025-10-18.
  31. ^ Isherwood, Charles (2024-12-04). "The Best Theater of 2024: Surprising Stagings and New Perspectives". Wall Street Journal. ISSN 0099-9660. Retrieved 2025-10-18.
  32. ^ "2024 Drama League Awards - The Drama League". dramaleague.org. 2024-01-09. Retrieved 2025-10-18.[dead link]
  33. ^ "2025 Nominees : Lucille Lortel Awards". Retrieved 2025-10-18.
  34. ^ "Elliot Norton Awards". elliotnortonawards. Retrieved 2025-10-18.