We have started working on the stage adaptation of Irina Kalina’s story, one of the heroines of the book “58th. Unseized”. The role of Kalina will be played by Lydia Boyko, an actress with a unique artistic and life path.
Lydia Boyko was born in 1946 in Trypillia, near Kyiv. Her childhood took place in the difficult post-war years. From an early age, she was passionate about mathematics, physics, and music, dreaming of becoming an astronomer. However, her love for theater turned out to be stronger.
After graduating from the Kyiv National University of Theatre, Cinema, and Television named after Karpenko-Kary, Lydia Boyko worked in leading theaters of the Soviet Union, including the Taganka Theatre, where she collaborated with Yuri Lyubimov and Anatoly Efros. In 1990, she emigrated to Canada, where she continues to perform and participate in theatrical projects.
For Lydia Boyko, participating in the “GULAG. Witnesses” project is not just a role. It is an act of understanding history, a search for truth, and an opportunity to tell the stories of people who endured the darkest years of repression.
Today, the first rehearsals took place. We are working on voice, gestures, intonation — on bringing to life the story of a woman whose youth was shattered by the system.
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