The Nizhny Novgorod Puppet Theater has become one of the winners of the grant competition of the "Special View" program.

      Photo: Press Service of the Nizhny Novgorod Puppet Theater

      The Nizhny Novgorod State Academic Puppet Theater has become the winner of the grant competition of the "Special View" program of the charitable foundation "Art, Science and Sports" for organizing audio description in theaters. In the new season, the theater will adapt five more repertoire performances for blind and visually impaired guests. This was reported by the Ministry of Culture of the Nizhny Novgorod Region. A total of 50 applications were submitted from 35 cities for the competition. Support was granted to 17 institutions from various cities across the country, including the Moscow theater "Sovremennik," the "Na Liteynom" theater from St. Petersburg, the Novosibirsk State Academic Theater of Opera and Ballet, the Arkhangelsk Puppet Theater, and many others. The complete list of winners of the program can be found on the website https://specialviewportal.ru. The theaters will be able to develop audio descriptions for dramatic and comedic performances, as well as for operettas, operas, and ballet productions.

      Thanks to the support of the "Special View" program, the Nizhny Novgorod Academic Puppet Theater will adapt five productions for blind and visually impaired audiences in the new season: the performance "The Queen of Spades" (12+) based on the work of A.S. Pushkin; the production "Doctor Faustus" (18+) based on the play by C. Marlowe "The Tragical History of the Life and Death of Doctor Faustus"; a performance based on the story of the real feat of Matryona Volskaya "Snow in July" (12+); the production "Nervous People" (18+) based on the stories of M. Zoshchenko; and the witty performance about the creation of the world "Divine Comedy" (12+).

      In addition, the theater will develop a new educational product—an audio guide consisting of several thematic sections. Listeners will be able to learn about the history of the theater and its building, as well as about performances with audio description. The audio guide will contain information about the productions and creative teams, plots, literary sources, and musical design. Special attention will be paid to describing the visual components of the performances: decorations and props, lighting design, characters and their costumes, as well as other significant details. The audio guide will be freely available to everyone. It will help prepare for a visit to the theater in advance, provide a more complete understanding of the performance, and become a new tool for creating a comprehensive inclusive environment.

      "For us, it is essential that every viewer can fully perceive the performance, get acquainted with the artistic world of the production, and feel like a welcome guest. Inclusivity for us is not a separate project but an important part of the theater's systematic work. We strive to be an open cultural space where art unites people and creates opportunities for communication, new impressions, and emotional responses. It is important for us not only to make productions accessible for blind and visually impaired viewers but also to break the stereotype of 'childishness' and open the complex, multifaceted art of the puppet theater to adult audiences. Our performances address serious literary works, eternal themes, and complex questions, revealing them through the expressive possibilities of puppets, scenography, light, and music," noted Alla Zabegalova, director of the Nizhny Novgorod State Academic Puppet Theater.

      Let us remind you that the Nizhny Novgorod State Academic Puppet Theater has been conducting performances with audio description since 2021. To date, 17 productions have been adapted for blind and visually impaired viewers, allowing children and adults with visual impairments to get the most out of their theater visits. Before the performance, viewers will be able to take a tactile tour and get acquainted with the main characters—the theatrical puppets. Audio description is conducted by the top category specialist Vera Trubnikova.

      The "Special View" program of the charitable foundation "Art, Science and Sports" is a unique national-scale project that is forming new standards of inclusion in Russia. Audio description is an important component of the inclusive strategy of theaters, as it allows blind people to "watch" performances alongside other viewers. Thanks to the program, more than 150 theaters, 85 museums, and 15 circuses have already received grant support, and over 150,000 people with visual impairments have been able to engage with art and history.

      More news about the event:

      "The Queen of Spades" and "Doctor Faustus" will be adapted for the blind in Nizhny Novgorod

      The Puppet Theater received a grant for audio description of five more performances for adult audiences

      Five more performances of the Nizhny Novgorod State Academic Puppet Theater will become more accessible for the blind and visually impaired 18:09 04.09.2026 Newsroom24.Ru - Nizhny Novgorod

      The Nizhny Novgorod Puppet Theater has become one of the winners of the grant competition

      Five repertoire performances will be adapted for blind guests.

      The Nizhny Novgorod State Academic Puppet Theater has become the winner of the grant competition of the "Special View" program of the charitable foundation "Art, Science and Sports" for organizing audio description in theaters. 16:48 04.09.2026 NTA-Privolzhye - Nizhny Novgorod

      The Nizhny Novgorod Puppet Theater received a grant from the "Special View" program

      The Nizhny Novgorod State Academic Puppet Theater has become the winner of the grant competition of the "Special View" program of the charitable foundation "Art, Science and Sports" for organizing audio description in theaters. 16:46 04.09.2026 Nizhny Novgorod Truth - Nizhny Novgorod

      The Nizhny Novgorod Puppet Theater has become one of the winners of the "Special View" competition

      The Nizhny Novgorod State Academic Puppet Theater has become the winner of the grant competition of the "Special View" program of the charitable foundation "Art, Science and Sports" for organizing audio description in theaters. 16:31 04.09.2026 Government of the Nizhny Novgorod Region - Nizhny Novgorod

      News from neighboring regions on the topic:

      Volgograd theaters are preparing premieres for the new season

      Concert institutions in Volgograd have opened a new theatrical season with the arrival of autumn. 21:02 04.09.2026 Volgograd Truth Newspaper - Volgograd

      A new theatrical season begins in Volgograd: what premieres await viewers

      After the summer break, creative teams are actively preparing for new productions, some of which are already available for viewers. 18:39 04.09.2026 Riac34.Ru - Volgograd

      Volgograd theaters are starting a new season

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      The Volgograd Puppet Theater presents performances in Moscow

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      The Volgograd Puppet Theater presents performances in Moscow

      The Volgograd Regional Puppet Theater has become a participant in the All-Russian Festival-Review "Atlas of Theatrical Russia." 16:07 04.09.2026 Culture Portal - Volgograd

      The Kaluga Puppet Theater began its 35th season by creating a time capsule

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      The theater held an artistic council dedicated to the New Year's performance

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      The Ivanovo Puppet Theater held an artistic council dedicated to the performance that will be a gift for our viewers on New Year—"Snow Maiden"! 14:13 04.09.2026 Ivanovo Puppet Theater - Ivanovo

      The Astrakhan Puppet Theater opens its anniversary season with a premiere

      The Puppet Theater invites you to the grand opening of its 40th season on September 5 and 6. 13:45 04.09.2026 Ast-News.Ru - Astrakhan

      Tickets for October performances at the puppet theater are now on sale

      Image without description. In October, the V. Volkhovsky Puppet Theater will present the anniversary performance-concert "1935." 09:49 04.09.2026 Ministry of Culture - Chelyabinsk

      The Altai Youth Theater adapts four more performances for blind viewers

      The Altai Youth Theater adapts four more performances for blind viewers

      The charitable foundation "Art, 09:32 03.09.2026 Ministry of Culture - Barnaul