Bolshoi Drama Theater named after G. A. Tovstonogov

The theater appeared thanks to the writer Maxim Gorky. The artist Alexander Benois helped him. The decree on the establishment of such an institution was signed in 1918, and a year later the citizens saw the first performance based on the play by F. Schiller. The Great Hall of the Conservatory building was allocated for the theater.

The first director of the drama theater was the writer A.A. Blok. He also served as artistic director. In 1964 the theater received the status of Academic. The theater troupe every day showed performances based on the works of classics, and also toured throughout Russia. Once on the stage of the St. Petersburg Theatre began his career I.M. Smoktunovsky, A.B. Freundlikh, O.V. Basilashvili and many others.

He did a lot for the theater. He assembled a troupe that for 10 years represented the best theater in the country. He had a difficult period in history - the end of the 60s of the XX century, when many did not know what theater is. Then the director had to attract people from the street. Thanks to him, the theater received numerous awards and received the status of the cultural heritage of the country.