Sergei Prokhanov, serving as artistic director of the Moon Theater, has long treated the appearance of the actresses as a significant aspect of the company’s public persona. During an interview on the program Secret to a Million on NTV, he candidly discussed the practices once used in the studio, noting that he weighed his performers and imposed penalties based on weight, a policy that many saw as unnecessary or unfair. He explained that the focus on physical metrics shaped the mood around performances and influenced ongoing personnel decisions, highlighting a moment when the emphasis on figure was emphasized even before the stage lights came up. The conversation painted a portrait of a leadership style that valued discipline and visibility, and also admitted a level of rigidity that some colleagues viewed as excessive.
Prokhanov recalled a specific policy that reflected this approach: he noted that payments for performances could be withheld if a performer’s weight exceeded a certain threshold, a rule he described as weighing the balance between stage presence and compensation. The acknowledgment of such a practice underscored the complex relationship between artistic demands and personal autonomy within the troupe, a tension that often accompanies high-profile theater work.
In the same recollection, Prokhanov spoke about a young artist, Anastasia Stotskaya, and an episode involving a cake. He described the moment as part of a broader expectation that a performer maintain a particular physical standard. He also recalled articulating a clear goal for one performer, insisting on a visible difference in waist measurement, a demand he conveyed as part of shaping the overall stage image the theater aimed to present. The narrative illustrates how guiding an ensemble can sometimes blur lines between artistic direction and personal boundaries, a topic that has sparked much discussion in the performing arts world.
The trajectory of Sergei Prokhanov’s career brought him into the spotlight with the lead role in the film Nyan with a Mustache. In 1993, he established the Moon Theater in Moscow, a venture that would become a focal point for contemporary stage work in the cultural capital. Over the years, the theater has welcomed a diverse cast, including Irina Metlitskaya, Dmitry Pevtsov, Chulpan Khamatova, Elena Kondulainen, Elena Zakharova, Andrey Sokolov, Igor Livanov, Oleg Marusev, Evgeny Stychkin, and many others. Today, the theater continues under the direction of Prokhanov, with Yevgeny Gerasimov serving as artistic director, guiding the company’s artistic vision while Prokhanov maintains a leadership role.
Earlier in its history, the Moon Theater hosted a premiere of the musical Mayakovsky, featuring performances by Alexander Peskov and Yanina Studilina. That production stands as a testament to the theater’s commitment to embracing bold, literary-inspired material and presenting it through a contemporary lens. The ensemble’s collaborations across generations reflect a dynamic approach to storytelling that has helped shape Moscow’s performing arts landscape.