Belarus Free Theatre To Debut Newest Work at La Mama This Fall

La Mama Experimental Theatre Club (ETC) will open its 63rd season this fall with the latest new work created by the internationally-acclaimed Belarus Free Theater, KS6: SMALL FORWARD – a searing production about an Olympic athlete and women's basketball star, the first and only popular sports figure in the history of Belarus to have openly come out as gay, and who now lives in exile as an outspoken, frontline activist against the dictatorship in her native country – it has been announced by Mia Yoo, La MaMa's artistic director.  

Previews begin September 21 prior to press opening September 24 at the Ellen Stewart Theatre (66 E. 4 St.) in NYC.   The production runs through October 13.  www.lamama.org  Press preview September 23; press opening September 24. 

Based on conversations with the basketball star Katsiaryna (Katya) Snytsina, a rock star in European sports and one of the greatest competitors in Belarusian sports history, KS6: SMALL FORWARD is adapted for the stage and directed by BFT's co-founders Nicolai Khalezin and Natalia Kaliada.  Described as a ‘duologue,' SMALL FORWARD is performed in BFT's iconoclastic, expressionistic style by Katya Snytsina in tandem with the rising clubland star, DJ Blanka Barbara.   

Under the leadership of Khalezin and Kaliada, Belarus Free Theatre has been creating and performing new work for almost 20 years, and has been described as “one of the bravest and most inspired underground troupes on the planet,” (Ben Brantley, NY Times). the Olivier Award-nominated BFT returns to La MaMa, having previously performed at the Tony Award-winning experimental theatre, one of BFT's frequent stops on the world stage.

With the electrifying energy of an edge-of-your-seat basketball match, KS6: SMALL FORWARD depicts Katya Snytsina's bravery and determination as a sports phenomenon who experienced tremendous highs and crushing lows while smashing sporting records, stood up to dictators in the wake of widespread protests in Belarus in 2020, and came out as a lesbian when she fell in love with a longtime BFT company member – all in short order, propelling her instantly into the international spotlight as a leading dissident against authoritarianism. 

Katya states, “In basketball my team is 12-strong; now I'm part of a far bigger team on the frontlines of the fight against dictatorship.”

The 6 ft. 2 in., 39-year-old basketball small forward was part of the Belarusian team that won a bronze medal at the 2007 European Championships and placed sixth in the 2008 Olympic Games.

Natalia Kaliada notes, “To be free, you need to be brave.  This is exactly what we found in Katya's story: a woman who stood up against the dictatorship and stepped down from the national basketball team in solidarity with the Belarusian people and against violence.  On the court, she played ‘small forward,' defending, scoring, creating open lanes and rebounding for the whole team.  Katya's story helped us realize that ‘small forward' is a way of being free.”

Mia Yoo notes, “Belarus Free Theatre is a fierce beacon for human rights and free expression.  With our impending U.S. Presidential election, BFT felt the urgency to share this new work in collaboration with now-activist Katya Snytsina in September.  The company's art continues to resonate as calls continue, cautioning our current world to truly examine and question where we are and the possibilities for the future.”

KS6: SMALL FORWARD has set design by Nicolai Khalezin, light design by Peter Small, video design by Dmytro Guk, choreography by Joseph Toonga, and sound design and original music by DJ Blanka Barbara.  The play is performed by Katsiaryna Snytsina, Blanka Barbara, Darya Andreyanova, Mikalai Kuprych and Raman Shytsko. 

ABOUT BELARUS FREE THEATRE

Belarus Free Theatre (BFT) is the only theatre in Europe banned by its government on political grounds, described by The New York Times as, “one of the bravest and most inspired underground troupes on the planet”. Over the past nineteen years, BFT has originated some of the world's most provocative and breathtakingly physical theatre – more than 50 productions performed in more than 40 countries around the world. BFT's stage productions have consistently challenged dictatorships, signaled the erosion of democratic rights and freedoms, and called for accountability on the world stage. Awards include: a Drama Desk nomination for Being Harold Pinter (2011), OBIE win for Discover Love / Being Harold Pinter / Zone of Silence (2011); and an Olivier Award nomination for Outstanding Achievement in Opera (2024). In June 2023, Natalia Kaliada and Nicolai Khalezin, BFT's co-founding Artistic Directors, were awarded the MBE for Services to Theatre in the King's Birthday Honours.

ABOUT LA MAMA

Founded in 1961 by theatre legend Ellen Stewart, La MaMa is the only original Off-Off-Broadway venue still in operation. Ellen established La MaMa as a haven for underrepresented artists to experiment with new work, without the pressures of commercial success. Today, we maintain an environment of uncensored creative freedom, where artists of all backgrounds and identities can develop work that pushes the boundaries of what is possible onstage.

‍To date, La MaMa has supported more than 5,000 productions, featuring 150,000 artists from 70 nations. In 2018, The American Theatre Wing presented La MaMa with the Regional Theatre Tony Award, stating, “La Mama Experimental Theatre Club is a staple of the New York theatre scene. It is an exciting space where artists can grow, create, and push boundaries, and we are thrilled to be able to honor them this year.” La MaMa has also been honored with more than 30 Obie Awards, and dozens of Drama Desk, Bessie, NY Drama Critics Circle and Villager Awards.

Every artist in our season receives a developmental residency at La MaMa, including rehearsal and performance space, technical staff, marketing support, and box office services. In addition to these seasonal residencies, La MaMa is home to a number of long-term resident companies. Our current companies in residence include Kinding Sindaw, Loco7 Dance Puppet Theatre, Pua Ali'i ‘Ilima O Nuioka, Talking Band, Teatro Patologico, Yara Arts Group, and many others.
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“Artists are welcomed at La MaMa and lovingly encouraged to experiment,” says Artistic Director Mia Yoo. “As we have grown over the years, risk-taking and diversity have remained key cultural values.” With 88,000 square feet of dedicated art space in the East Village, La MaMa is a historical cornerstone and modern hub for experimental theatre across disciplines and boundaries.  www.lamama.org

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