Distinguished Artist of Russia

Svetlana Sheichenko graduated with excellence from the Leningrad State Theater of Music and Cinematography in 1973 (class of V. Merkuriev and I. Meyerhold) and was immediately admitted to the theater troupe. She debuted on the Alexandrinsky Stage in the role of Victoria in a romantic drama by A. Shtein “At Night, Without Stars” (1974).   A light, graceful and commanding biomechanical techniques young actress was quickly introduced into the performances of the current repertoire, where she had played a whole series of bit part roles: Secretary Bozhena and the Guest (“Rush Hour” by Y. Stavinsky, 1974), Musician (“Much Ado About Nothing” by W. Shakespeare, 1974), Alya Kozlova, Bride, Foreigner, Irina (“From the Life of a Business Woman” by A. Grebnev, 1974), a Girl at the ball, a Girl at Korobochka’s, Dancing Girl (“Chichikov’s Adventures” by N. Gogol, 1974), Zoya (“Alone, without Angels” by L Zhukhovitsky, 1974), Nina (“Fairness Is My Craft” by L. Zhukhovitsky, 1974), Anyuta (“Hurricane” by A. Sofronov, 1975),   Comedienne (“A Green Bird” by C. Gozzi, 1976), Nina (“From Lopatin’s Notes” by K. Simonov, 1975), Natasha (“While the Heart Is Beating” by D. Khrabrovitsky, 1977), etc. The role of Nastya Volnova in M. Alekseyev’s drama “A Non-Weeping Willow” (1977) became one of the most remarkable roles of the actress. In 1979, Svetlana Sheichenko was introduced into the role of Victosha in A. Arbuzov’s “Fairy Tales of the old Arbat,” which she had played over 100 times.   Svetlana Sheichenko had not too many principal roles, but they all were marked by accuracy and elegance of the plastic layout. That was true for the characters from soviet pieces of the 1970-80s (Asya Golikova in the “The Bounds of Possibility” by I. Gerasimov, 1981; Sonya Zemskova in the “Extreme Penalty” by V. Arro, 1981), and for the classic drama (Hero in “Much Ado About Nothing” by W. Shakespeare, 1983, Anitra in “Per Gyunt” by G. Ibsen, Anfisa in “Balzaminov’s Wedding” by A. Ostrovsky, 1987). A critic wrote about the duet of Svetlana Sheichenko and Bruno Freindlikh in “Per Gyunt: “The performance was traditional and solid. And here comes the episode with Per and Anitra. An eastern statuette, mischievous, artful and crafty, appeared from the tomb. The episode was played with exquisite humor, elegance and nice amorous flavor. This was a duet of two masters.” (A. Islentieva // Petersburg Theater Journal ? 18-19. 1999).  A work that could bring the actress well deserved popularity was the role of Reneva in a socially acute and theatrically daring Arseny Sagalchik’s performance “Shines but Does Not Warm.” But this performance was canceled.   Delphina, Baroness de Nucingen, the heroine of O. Balzac’s novel “Father Goriot,” became another major dramatic role of this period.

The role of Liza in Anatoly Praudin’s performance “Woes of Wits” could be called the brightest work of the actress in the 1990s (1996). There is no way her Liza could be called a rightless servant in the reach manorial house of Famusov. A crafty coquette, no less ambitious than her young lady, she had been easily ruling the entire master’s house, artfully exploiting favoritism of the voluptuous lord.

In the years of her work at the theater, Svetlana Sheichenko has played more than one hundred roles. Presently, the actress’s repertoire includes roles in Valery Fokin’s performances: The Inspector General by N. Gogol (2002); The Double after F. Dostoyevsky (2005); Ksenia. The History of Love by V. Levanov (2009), the role of Maria Kryukova, a friend of Liza Protasova in L.Tolstoy’s drama The Living Corps (2006), the role of a Comedienne from the company of traveling actors performing the scene from The Mousetrap in the performance Hamlet by W.Shakespeare (2010).

Svetlana Sheichenko is filming in the cinema and television series.