Publicity helped: the Khabarovsk Youth Theatre will not lay off key staff members.

Minister of Culture of the region Dmitry Kuznetsov cancelled the decision to cut staff at the Khabarovsk Regional Youth Theatre.

"I invited the theater's management and reminded them that, in the event of necessary optimization, the first thing to be done is to cut vacant positions, administrative positions, and the positions of part-time workers who have other jobs... Artists and other employees involved in the production process will not be laid off,"
сказал Kuznetsov.

However, the optimization will still take place. Options for cuts will be discussed by the end of November.

Cuts: Nine employees were set to be laid off

Last week it became known that the theatre will be closed on January 1, 2027. plan Fire nine key employees: the stage director, the artistic director, the head of literary affairs, the speech coach, the prop master, the musical director, the fashion designer, and the assistant director. The theater employs more than 100 people, including 79 creative staff.

Conflict at the Khabarovsk Youth Theater since 2022

Disagreements within the theater began back in 2022. Then the director of the Youth Theater was fired. Anna Yakunina. Team published Petitions demanding her reinstatement were launched, but the Ministry of Culture ignored them. She was accused of the Youth Theatre's performances containing "elements of LGBT propaganda" and "promoting conflicts between society and the authorities."

Now Directs theater Galina Dodenko — former senior assistant to the Khabarovsk prosecutor. Assistant director, actor Alexander Zverev He criticized the Youth Theater's performance under its new management on social media, and was sued. Some of the staff supported him.