Vladimir Dubrovsky is a Russian actor best known for his roles on the stage of the Maly Theater, where he has been serving for almost half a century. During this time, he played in more than 80 productions, captivating the audience with a combination of comic talent, tremendous charm and subtle psychology of his characters. For merits in art and fruitful creative activity on June 22, 2006, Vladimir Dubrovsky was awarded the honorary title "People's Artist of the Russian Federation".
Biography and theatrical career
Vladimir Alekseevich Dubrovsky was born on May 1, 1947. He studied at the Shchepkin Higher Theater School, which at all times was the main supplier of young personnel for the Maly Theater. He mastered acting under the guidance of experienced teachers - Veniamin Ivanovich Tsygankov and Leonid Andreevich Volkov. The famous actor Boris Klyuev, who studied with Dubrovsky, in one interview shared his student memories of a fellow student: “He gave the impression of a mischievous person who is given a lot, but who is lazy. Nevertheless, he has an interesting personality …"
Already during his studies, the talented student began to trust the first roles on the stage of the Maly Theater. He played small roles in the productions of "The Robbers" by Schiller, "The Magic Creature" by Platonov, "The Man from Stratford" by Alyoshin.
On August 1, 1969, Dubrovsky was hired at the Maly Theater. And from that moment on, the actor has remained faithful to him for nearly 50 years. Speaking about his first steps in the profession, Vladimir Alekseevich emphasized that it is in the theater that real teaching of acting begins. “While studying, you are given the alphabet, but you get a real theatrical education only when you are placed in the very cauldron of this life. What's good about the Maly Theater is that everything here is real and very professional,”he said at a meeting with students in Syktyvkar in 2013.
In the theater, the comic talent of the artist turned out to be the most in demand. In the first years of work, he played mainly small roles: a servant, student, soldier, policeman, groom, tourist, schoolboy, young man from the episode. But even these small scenic sketches Dubrovsky was able to present brightly, spectacularly, uncommonly.
There were also more significant characters through whom the true talent of Vladimir Alekseevich was fully revealed. The first notable roles of an actor at the dawn of his theatrical career include:
- Janek "Means Makropulos" K. Chapek (1977);
- Oleg Morozov "Your Uncle Misha" G. Mdivani (1978);
- Ivan "Hurricane" by A. Sofronov (1979);
- Bulanov "Forest" by A. Ostrovsky (1981);
- Epikhodov "The Cherry Orchard" by A. Chekhov (1982);
- Oleshunin "Handsome Man" by A. Ostrovsky (1982);
- Oras "Mamure" by J. Sarman (1983).
For the role of Don Luis in the play "Jealous of Herself" by Tirso de Molina, which premiered in July 1978, Dubrovsky was awarded a Diploma and a Moscow Prize. The actor's comic roles, despite the outward lightness, make the viewer feel the whole gamut of emotions: from laughter to empathy, sadness, sympathy. Vladimir Dubrovsky is also involved in historical productions of the Maly Theater:
- Tsar Fyodor Ioannovich (1990);
- Tsar Peter and Alexei (1991);
- Tsar Fyodor Ioannovich (1993);
- Tsar Boris (1993);
- "Chronicle of a palace coup" (1999);
- "Dmitry the Pretender and Vasily Shuisky" (2007).
During his long stage career, Dubrovsky collaborated with the best theater directors: Boris Lvov-Anokhin, Igor Ilyinsky, Boris Ravensky, Boris Morozov. One of the first who noticed the young promising actor was the director Ilyinsky. They worked together in the performances "Forest", "Back to square one", "The Cherry Orchard".
In October 1991 Dubrovsky was awarded the title "Honored Artist of the RSFSR". Step by step, role by role, he turned into one of the main stars of the Maly Theater, without which no production based on the classical works of Ostrovsky, Chekhov, Gogol, Tolstoy can do. For the role of Khalymov in the play "Heart is not a stone" (2015), the actor was awarded a Golden Diploma at the theatrical forum "Golden Knight". By presidential decree of January 24, 2018, Vladimir Dubrovsky was awarded the Order of Honor for the development of Russian culture and art.
Other creative activities
Although the artist never had a particular craving for cinema, he played in several films and TV series:
- Nerves-Nerves (1972);
- “You Remember Sometimes” (1977);
- The Strongest (1973);
- "Made in the USSR" (1991);
- "You are my happiness" (2005);
- "Dark Kingdom" (2012).
Characters of Russian and foreign animated films speak in the voice of Vladimir Dubrovsky, works of classical literature sound on the radio. As a representative of the Maly Theater, he participates in the Union of Theater Workers, where he is a member of the social welfare committee. The actor takes an active part in the theater's touring life, during his trips he conducts master classes for young artists. Since 2016, he has hosted memorial evenings at the Maly Theater dedicated to his untimely departed colleagues.
Vladimir Alekseevich is a member of the All-Russian Society for the Protection of Monuments. The Maly Theater, represented by the actor, oversees the cultural heritage of A. N. Ostrovsky. Especially dear to him is the fate of the museum-reserve of the great playwright "Shchelykovo", where Dubrovsky has his own house.
Personal life
Vladimir Dubrovsky and his wife Irina have two children - son Alexei (1977) and daughter Anastasia (1986). Also, the actor is growing up a granddaughter. Colleague at the Maly Theater, Alexander Korshunov, who built a house in Shchelykovo next to Vladimir Alekseevich, spoke a little about his daily life: “You can rarely meet such a caring, zealous, hardworking owner and father of a family like Dubrovsky. He is madly in love with his home and his family. Resting in Shchelykovo, Volodya is always busy with something, making something, fussing, planting, collecting, salting, cooking …"
Dubrovsky's children, following the example of their father, also chose the acting profession. The son studied at the Shchepkin Theater School, the daughter - at the Moscow Art Theater School. Today they both work at the Maly Theater. In addition, since 2009, Alexey Dubrovsky has been teaching acting at the Shchepkin School. He tries himself in directing. For example, in 2018 he staged Alexander Pushkin's "Snowstorm" on the stage of the Maly Theater. On account of Alexei, there are already over 20 movie roles.
Anastasia Dubrovskaya, after receiving her diploma, worked at the Chekhov Moscow Art Theater. She made her screen debut in 2004 in the TV series Always Say Always-2. Her work can be seen in the films "Motley Twilight", "All Day Will Be Morning" and the TV series "Rails of Happiness", "Adaptation", "Executioner" and many others. The young actress also takes part in recording performances on Radio Russia.
