Oleg Liptsin


Oleg Liptsin, is a theatre director and professor of drama.
Mr. Liptsin studied theater at Russian University of Theatre Arts, GITIS in Moscow with Anatoly Vasiliev and Mikhail Butkevich. He worked as an actor and assistant director at the renowned Moscow State Theatre "School of Dramatic Arts" Théâtre de l'Europe under artistic direction of Anatoly Vasiliev. For several years Liptsin performed in the worldwide production of Six Characters in Search of an Author by L.Pirandello.
In 1989 Oleg Liptsin established one of the first independent theatre ensembles in Ukraine, TheaterClub/Kiev, which became a leading experimental and avant-garde theatre laboratory in the country. TheaterClub/Kiev has developed its own acting style based on the Russian improvisational tradition established by Michael Chekhov and revised in our times by Mikhail Butkevich. While practicing and exploring modern acting techniques, TheaterClub/Kiev produced more than a dozen of award-winning plays and experimental theatre projects, presented not only in Ukraine but also in Austria, Poland, Canada, Russia, USA and Spain. These productions, directed by Liptsin, including ANTIGONE by Sophocles, ME by M.Khviloviy, ULYSSES by J.Joyce, THE OLD WOMAN by N.Gogol and D.Kharms, were presented at numerous international festivals.
In early 90-th Oleg has started his directing and teaching career abroad, first in Europe and later in America. In 1991 - a short-term residence in Shaubuhne while Luc Bondy directed "The Winter's Tale". In 1993 - experimental theater/installation project KUSMA based on Andrey Platonov in Upper Austria. In 1993-94 - teaching at Konrad Wolf Film and TV Institute in Potstdam/Babelsberg, Germany. In 1995 - visiting teacher at the National School of Drama in Delhi, India.
From 1995 Liptsin began working in the USA and later in Canada, from 2003 - in Paris, since 2010 - in Taiwan. He directed and co-produced MARRIAGE and THE NOSE by N.Gogol, CHERRY ORCHARD and THREE SISTERS by A.Chekhov, OUTCRY by T.Williams, THE ELEPHANT MAN by B.Pomerance, NOTES FROM UNDERGROUND by F.Dostoevsky, LIVING CORPSE by L.Tolstoy in San Francisco, GILGAMESH in Canada, acted in M.Gorky's THE LOWER DEPTHS, S.Beckett's HAPPY DAYS and ENDGAME. He developed and conducted the post-graduate educational program in Directing at National Karpenko-Kary University of Theatre, Film and TV in Kiev, worked as professor of drama in Slavic University, Moscow, gave lectures in various universities in Taiwan. In 2011 Oleg edited and published a 2 volume collection of works by his teacher M.Butkevich.
Mr. Liptsin was awarded the National Award for Experimental Work in Theatre by the Theatre Union of Ukraine, won the "Best Director" award and 4 nominations for "Best Director" and "Best Actor" in Ukraine, participated in more than 30 international festivals. He holds the PhD in Art History.
Oleg Liptsin's most recent directing credits include: DEMIURGE based on his own adaptation of Bruno Schultz' short novels at the National I.Franko Drama in Ukraine, MEDEA by Euripides at National Molody Theater in Kiev, ENDGAME by S.Beckett in San Francisco, OVERCOAT by N.Gogol and COLLECTOR inspired by J.Fowles' novel in Taipei. He recently starred as Bertolt Brecht in the short fiction film WITNESS #11.
Currently Mr. Liptsin works as freelance director and professor of drama in different parts of the world, he is the founder and artistic leader of METATHEATER - innovative post-graduate educational program for actors/directors and production group.