Actor

(Born August 22, 1969)

Shimko graduated from the School of Russian Drama (theater institute) in 1996 (class of Distinguished Artist of Russia Semen Sytnik). His roles in the diploma performances were Kuzovkin (“Sponger” by I. Turgenev, director S.D. Bryzgu) and Mudzafer (“The Happy Paupers” by C. Gozzi, director Semen Sytnik).

After graduation, the actor worked at the Children’s Theater on the Neva (1996-97); in 1997 – 2005, he worked at the Comedianty Theater where he was engaged in “Cyrano de Bergerac” (Ragno and later on, Cyrano), “Italian Passions” (Antonio), “Haughty   Arrogance or Anyuta’s Eyes” (Narcissus Motylev), and participated in the theater’s performances for children. 

As a guest actor he took part in performances of several St. Petersburg theaters: the Alexandrinsky Theater ("The Three Sisters" by A. Chekhov, baron Tuzenbakh);

Comedians’ Shelter Theater (“Moscow-Petushki” after V. Yerofeyev, Venechka Yerofeyev; “Pro-Turandot” after C. Gozzi, Altoum; “Not Hamlet,” Hamlet);

Young People’s Theater   (“Romeo and Juliett” by W. Shakespeare, Mercucio; “Dulcineya of Tobossa” by A. Volodin, Sancho Pansa);   
Farsa Theater (“Hamlet” by W. Shakespeare, Grave Digger; “Stepanchikovo Township and Its Inhabitants” after Fedor Dostoyevsky, Pier Obnoskin; “Fantasies or Six Characters Waiting for the Wind,” Hairdresser);

School Theater (“On the Other Side of Reason” by T. Petkevich; Investigator).

In 2005 – 2008, Andrey Shimko served at the Youth Theater on the Fontanka River where he keeps playing roles of Stepan (“The White Night” after Fedor Dostoyevsky, 2006), Hamlet (“The King and the Prince, or All the Truth about Hamlet” by A. Rodovsky, and Don Quixote (“Don Quixote” by M. Bulgakov, 2008).

Andrey Shimko was admitted to the troupe of the Alexandrinsky Theater in 2008, right after he had successfully played the role of Trigorin in the Krystian Lupa performance “The Seagull.” He had played another Chekhov’s part on the Alexandrinsky Stage in 1997, invited to play Baron Tuzenbakh in the Rostislav Goryayev performance “The Three Sisters.”  He plays the roleof Claudius in Valery Fokin's performance "Hamlet" by W. Shakespeare (2010).

He was introduced to the performance Man Equals Man by Berthold Brecht in 2009 in the role of Polly Baker (Director Yury Butusov).

Since 1999, Andrey Shimko taught at the Russian Drama School at the course of Semen Sytnik, where he directed his diploma performance “After the Two Rabbits.” Together with S.D. Byzgu and O. Karlenko, he teaches at the children’s studio “Class.” Three performances of this studio: “Balloons Fly in the Sky,” “Playing Shakespeare,” and “A Miracle” performed on the stages of the YST, the Lensoveta Theater, and the School Theater in Mokhovaya became noticeable events in the theater life of St. Petersburg.