School Shchukinsky - the highest theatrical educational institution, which enters only every one hundredth applicant. For those who won this colossal competition, the trials are just beginning. Every year a freshman’s day is held here, in which senior students show clearly to beginners what they will have to go through over the next four years. Who ran the Schukin School a hundred years ago? Why is this institution allowed to teach only to its graduates? How to enter one of the most prestigious theater universities in Russia?
Let's learn!
On October 23, 2014, the Schukinskoye school celebrated its centenary. The first years of the existence of this educational institution fell on a difficult time for Russia. It was created in 1914. Founder - Evgeny Vakhtangov - a student of Stanislavsky, the one who chronically did not believe the acting. According to legend, the former ward of the famous theater reformer uttered a significant phrase: “Let's learn!” It was from her that the Shchukin Theater School began its existence.
Zahava
Then the educational institution was just a small theater studio. But it was not in vain that the great Stanislavsky assured that nobody could teach according to his system better than Yevgeny Vakhtangov. The first productions brought great fame among Moscow theatergoers. In 1922, viewers saw the famous production of Princess Turandot. But the founder of the studio did not live to see the premiere. And the next leader was Boris Zahava. A talented actor and director headed the Shchukin Theater School, although intermittently, for almost half a century. It was he who laid down the basic principles of teaching, which teachers are guided by within the walls of the legendary university today.
Boris Schukin and teaching features
Only one who once was his student and successfully completed his studies can teach at this university. Leaders are sure that this is the only and main way to preserve the theater school, which is famous for the Shchukinsky school, in a canonical form. By the way, the famous name was given to this institution only in 1939. Boris Schukin is one of the favorite students of the founder of the studio. This person is one of the brightest representatives of the Soviet realistic school. He worked in the theater for more than twenty years. Schukin is also known for being one of the first actors who were able to embody the image of Lenin on stage. It is believed that it was thanks to these merits that the school was named after him.
Achievements
The Shchukinsky School was transformed into an institute in 2002. Over a hundred years of existence, the educational institution has released such an impressive galaxy of talented actors that it is considered to be a champion among other Russian theater universities. The people call it "Pike." A large competition for the acting department is stable annually.
Famous graduates
Such celebrities as Yuri Lyubimov, Vera Maretskaya, Andrey Mironov, Vladimir Etush, Nikita Mikhalkov came out of the walls of this institute. Among the younger generation, Sergey Makovetsky, Maxim Averin should be noted. Of course, this is not a complete list.
The duties of the artistic director, as you know, are performed by Vladimir Etush. The rector of the Institute is Evgeny Knyazev.
Director's faculty
Until the end of the fifties, only those who dreamed of acting glory sought to enter the Shchukin school. This university did not let out other specialists. In 1959, future directors were also trained here. However, the form of training at the directing department is only extramural. The competition for it is not so severe - only three people per seat. The rules by which the selection committee works are such that yesterday’s schoolboy dreaming of the laurels of Zakharov and Meyerhold cannot enter the directing department at the Schukinskoye school. Those who have behind them the professional practice of a theater director are welcome here.
Students from all over the country go to the faculty of directing, and not in order to conquer the capital. After all, applicants are expected in their native theaters. And it is in their homeland that students will subsequently deliver their thesis.
Acting Faculty
Future directors stay within the walls of the institute for no more than two months a year, which cannot be said about those who study acting here. For future artists, in addition to specialized discipline, the study of the following subjects is provided:
- plastic expressiveness;
- musical expressiveness;
- scenic speech.
There is also a department of history and philosophy at the acting department.
Admission Rules
The exam in the specialty is carried out in three stages:
- Reading Krylov's fables, two or three poems and an excerpt from prose.
- Checking music, rhythm and voice data.
- The performance of a small stage study.
If the applicant has passed the exam in the specialty, he is allowed to take the Russian language and literature (in writing), as well as a colloquium, which aims to reveal the level of knowledge in the field of culture, art, literature and Russian history.
The institute has preparatory courses. They are credited after listening, on which it is necessary to read an excerpt from a prose work, a poem or a fable. Training in preparatory courses takes place on weekends and consists of seventy-two academic hours.
Educational theater
During the training, students submit their first works to the audience. The educational theater of the Schukin School is a full-fledged unit, in which a whole team of professionals works. Students graduate their theses with directors and teachers. The educational theater of the Shchukin school for seventy years has kept traditions that were laid down by students of the founder of this legendary university. The thesis reveals the creative personality of each student. The inveterate theater-goers of Moscow have the opportunity to see the performances of talented and young actors. This is a tradition that the Shchukin School has not changed for almost its entire existence.
Performances with students have been overwhelming success. The Institute’s history has known cases when, in order to get to see one of the diploma works, Muscovites stood idle in long lines at the box office for hours.
The repertoire of the educational theater is annually updated. On the educational stage plays are staged based on the works of both Russian and foreign authors. Among them are “Monsieur de Moliere” (based on the novel by Mikhail Bulgakov), “Poverty is not a vice” (A.N. Ostrovsky), “Farewell to Mater” (based on the novel by Valentin Rasputin).
How to get there
In the heart of the capital is the Schukin School. The address of this educational institution is Bolshaya Nikolopeskovsky Pereulok, d. 15, p. 1. Walking distance from the Arbatskaya metro station can be reached within ten to fifteen minutes.
Reviews
Students of the Shchukin school are proud to be related to this famous institution. Their teachers are remarkable masters of stage and cinema. The very phrase "graduate Pike" sounds proudly. Within the walls of this educational institution, according to student reviews, there is always a joyful and warm atmosphere. However, there is an opinion that visitors to this university are much more difficult than Muscovites.
For admission to the Theater Institute. Schukin needs to be prepared for a long time and hard. In addition to memorizing poems, fables and an excerpt from fiction, many books should be read. Most of them are dramatic works that are part of the school curriculum. However, the future actor does not read Gogol’s comedy or Chekhov’s drama like his classmates. After reading the play, he must mentally choose the role that he would like to play. In preparation for admission, special literature on the history of theatrical art should also be studied .