Leningrad Puppet Theater

founded in 1918 by L. V. Shaporina-Iakovleva as the Marionette Theater. In 1930 it merged with the Petrouchka-puppet theater organized by E. S. Demmeni in 1924. From 1930 to 1969 it was known as the Leningrad Puppet Theater Under the Direction of Evgenii Demmeni. Marionettes were used in the performances side by side with hand puppets. It exerted a great influence on the establishment of the Soviet puppet theater.

The Leningrad Puppet Theater’s company included (in 1973) Honored Artist of the RSFSR V. G. Forshtedt, Honored Artist of the RSFSR G. A. Moroz, and F. I. Kostina, V. M. Mel’nik, N. V. Okhochinskii, and I. P. Petrova; the chief director (since 1969) is Honored Artist of the RSFSR V. A. Il’in.