Calgary-based Ukrainian theatre Strum UA returns to West Village stage with Lost & Found

Anna Lupeko and Snizhana Gukasian-Korobeinkova, two Ukrainian artists who emigrated to Calgary in April 2023 and launched a new Ukrainian theatre company in the city called STRUM are presenting a new show, Lost & Found at the West Village Theatre through June 15. (Photo courtesy STRUM UA Theatre)

Strum UA, a Calgary theatre company of Ukrainian theatre artists, is back with a new show.

Lost & Found, written by Laura J. Cutler, blends English with Ukrainian monologues to tell the story of Kateryna, a Ukrainian immigrant.

“This play dives into the emotional, psychological, and cultural challenges of starting over in Canada,” the company says on its Instagram page.

“From language barriers to hilarious misunderstandings, from deep struggles to hope and connection, this story captures the real-life journeys of people from around the world who now call Canada home.”

Lost & Found is directed by company co-founder Snizhana Gukasian-Korobeinikova, who talked about the company’s experience since it was founded one year ago in Calgary by Gukasian-Korobeinikova and Anna Lupeko in a story the duo wrote for Critically Speaking, the newsletter of the Canadian Theatre Critics Association.

In it, they explain what the company name means.

“The name ‘Strum’ in English evokes the search for melody,” they wrote, “while in Ukrainian, it symbolizes a powerful flow of energy driven by creativity and inspiration.

“United by this dual meaning, the name reflects the theatre’s mission: to bridge Ukrainian traditions and Canadian society through the transformative power of theatre.”

Company members have worked with a variety of Calgary arts organizations, including Workshop Theatre Society, The Collectors’ Gallery of Art, West Village Theatre, Scorpio Theatre and Calgary Arts Development, which has provided some funding for Lost & Found, to find its theatrical footing in a new country and new language.

“Starting life anew in a foreign country isn’t easy, especially with the trauma of war,” said Gukasian-Korobeinikova. “My first year in Calgary was about adjusting and learning about the local theatre landscape. I participated in various productions as an actress to better understand the city’s cultural context and theatre management.”

Lost & Found opens Thursday at the West Village Theatre on 10th Avenue S.W. and runs through June 15.

Tickets are available for purchase via e-transfer to [e-mail]. Please include your name, date, and the number of seats you wish to reserve in the payment description.

You can also buy tickets through Strum UA’s Instagram page.