.png)
Biography
Education:
She received her education at the Dnipro Regional Theatre and Art College (specialization: painting and scenography) and at the Kyiv National I. K. Karpenko-Karyi University of Theatre, Cinema and Television, where she received a master’s degree in puppet theatre directing.
She began her professional career at the Kyiv Academic Municipal Puppet Theatre as a puppet artist-designer (2003–2006). She currently holds the position of chief artist at the Kyiv Academic Drama Theatre on Podil.
Teaching experience:
She teaches at the Department of Puppet Theatre Art at her native university, giving courses in “Fundamentals of Composition of Theatrical Space” and “Scenography of Puppet Theatre”.
She participated in Erasmus+ international mobility programs at the Aleksander Zelwerowicz National Academy of Dramatic Art in Warsaw and the Lithuanian Academy of Music and Theatre in Vilnius. She is the author of the workshop “Creating a Full-Size Character Mask. Contemporary Commedia dell’arte”.
In her teaching and artistic practice, Maria Pohrebniak emphasizes that what fascinates her most is the moment when a two-dimensional sketch begins to “breathe” on stage, coming to life thanks to the actor.
Performances:
Vitalii Malakhov Kyiv Academic Drama Theatre on Podil: set designer of the productions “Lyovushka” by Anatolii Krym, stage director Ihor Slavynskyi, costume designer Nina Rudenko (2010), “One Hundred Thousand” by Ivan Karpenko-Karyi, stage director Vitalii Malakhov, costume designer Nina Rudenko (2008), “The Jay’s Wing” by Ivan Franko, stage director Vitalii Malakhov, costume designer Nina Rudenko (2016), “Vernissage on Andriivskyi” based on the text and directed by Vitalii Malakhov, costume designer Nina Rudenko (2014);
scenography and costumes: “1984” based on the play by Michael Gene Sullivan after the novel by George Orwell, stage director Serhii Pavliuk (2019), “The Stranger”, stage director and author of the stage adaptation Volodymyr Kudlinskyi (2024), “Love Potion” based on works by the Kapranov Brothers, stage director Serhii Pavliuk (2021), “Comedians” in the version by Avtandil Varsimashvili, stage director and author of the musical concept Volodymyr Kudlinskyi (2023), “The Girl with a Teddy Bear, or The Minor…” based on the novel by Viktor Domontovych, director Stas Zhyrkov (2018); “When the Evil Hubbub Subsides”, “More Beauty Than Grief” by Richard Nelson, director Richard Nelson (2025, 2026), “Floating Island” by Roy Chen, director Polina Medvedieva (2025).
Ivan Franko National Academic Drama Theatre, Kyiv: scenographer, costume designer of the production “I, Zorba the Greek” by Vitalii Malakhov and Anatolii Khostikoiev based on the novel by Nikos Kazantzakis, director Vitalii Malakhov (2010). In tandem with director Andrii Prykhodko, the artist created the scenography and costumes for the productions: “Shakuntala” by Kalidasa (2005), “Persona” by Ingmar Bergman (2016), “Life Is a Dream” by Pedro Calderón de la Barca (2017), and “Lunasa” by Brian Friel (2019).
In 2018, at the National Operetta Theatre, she worked on the production “Moskalytsia” based on the work by Maria Matios, directed by Vlada Bielozorenko.
At the Golden Gate Theatre, she designed the production “Illusions” by Ivan Vyrypaiev, staged by Stas Zhyrkov (2016), “The Test” by Lukas Bärfuss with director Tamara Trunova (2022), and the production “Black Shawl” by Kateryna Penkova, directed by Khrystia Liuba (2025).
At the Kyiv Academic Drama and Comedy Theatre on the Left Bank of the Dnipro: scenographer and costume designer of the production “Draw Me a Plane” by E.-E. Schmitt, director Mykhailo Urytskyi (2023).
Viktor Afanasiev Kharkiv State Academic Puppet Theatre: scenographer and costume designer of the production “Parajanov. The Balcony of Childhood” by Alisa Hladkova, director Alisa Hladkova, animation by Asia Kravchenko (2025).
Educational Theatre “Arlek_inn” of the Kyiv National I. K. Karpenko-Karyi University of Theatre, Cinema and Television: scenographer and costume designer of the production “The Jack-in-the-Box” based on Ray Bradbury. Director Alisa Hladkova (2024).
Exhibitions:
2025 — Participation in the Danilo Lider Triennial of Scenography “Kyiv School” at the National Museum “Kyiv Art Gallery”
2025 — participant in the international exhibition “Lviv Quadrennial of Stage Design 2025. A Point Changes Space”
Participant in projects:
2023 — Ukrainian National Pavilion “Garden of Living Things” at the Prague Quadrennial, Prague, Czech Republic
2022 — Residency of Ukrainian scenographers in Georgia, Tbilisi Biennale of Scenography
Awards / Membership:
Member of the National Union of Theatre Artists of Ukraine and UNIMA Ukraine.
Honoured Artist of Ukraine.
Award for Best Scenography for “Parajanov. The Balcony of Childhood”, All-Ukrainian Online Festival of Puppet Theatres “Premieres of the Season” 2024–2025 (2026).
Laureate of the Kyiv Pectoral Award for scenography for the production “The Legend of Faust” (2008).
Laureate of the Kyiv Pectoral Award for scenography for the production “The Lower Depths” (2012).
Articles:
1. Buchma-Bernatska O. Ye., Pohrebniak M. S. Object Theatre as a Stage Trend of the Performative Turn in the Art of the Puppet. ART-platFORMA. 2025. Vol. 11, No. 1(11). P. 263–283. URL: https://art-platforma.kmaecm.edu.ua/index.php/art-platforma/issue/view/11-1-2025.
2. Pohrebniak M. Emotional Model-Making as a Method of Forming Spatial and Visual Thinking in the Training of Puppet Theatre Scenographers // Puppet Theatre of Ukraine: Historical Dimensions and the Present: Abstracts of the All-Ukrainian Scientific Conference with International Participation / responsible for the issue: S. Rosa-Lavrentii, R. Lavrentii, M. Tsyhanyk. – Lviv, 2026. – P. 62–65.
3. Pohrebniak M. Object and Dynamic Space in Puppet Theatre: The Problem of Forming Scenographic Thinking // Contemporary Theatre and Education: Performative Strategies and Practices: Collection of Materials of the IV All-Ukrainian Scientific and Creative Conference (March 27, 2026). – Kyiv: Kyiv National I. K. Karpenko-Karyi University of Theatre, Cinema and Television, 2026. – P. 90–95.
