U.S. Embassy Grant: Turkmen Theater and Choir Directors’ Cultural Exchange for Musical Theater Production

Please see the attachments/related documents section for the full announcement and supporting documents.

Executive Summary: Based on funding availability, this project will send six Turkmen theater and choir directors to the United States for about 7 to 10 days for a cultural exchange on musical production. Exchange participants will participate in musical theater production workshops with their U.S. counterparts, observe productions of musicals, view at least one live musical and engage in follow-up virtual mentorship sessions with their U.S. colleagues. Upon their return from the trip, they will produce a musical based on the acquired knowledge and use newly learned techniques and methods in their routine theatrical productions. The key audiences for this project are theater directors and choir directors from theaters in Ashgabat and the regions, as well as Ministry of Culture officials responsible for supervising local theaters.

Background:

Current Situation and Problem Statement: Key mission goals for Turkmenistan are to broaden access to information, educate about American values, and build a positive image of the United States. Theater directors and choir conductors at Turkmenistan’s educational and cultural institutions can only study conservative genres approved by the government and demonstrated in state media. Turkmen conductors have expressed interest in producing American style musicals with the Embassy’s support as there are not enough educational and instructional resources on this genre in Turkmenistan. Therefore, Post is seeking to advance its mission priorities through an exchange for theater directors and choir conductors.

We would like to familiarize theater directors and choir conductors, and in the future, the general Turkmen public, with American musical culture and its diversity and freedom of artistic expression. Popularizing a rich U.S. cultural staple such as musicals, which is mostly unknown in Turkmen theater scene, will encourage audiences to think of new ways of expressing themselves. 

Review of Past Projects: Although the Embassy has cooperated with local theaters for a long time to conduct various programs like film screenings and concerts, it is the first exchange program of this type.

Proposed Project Introduction: Grantee will provide training in the United States for Turkmen theater and choir directors in techniques of musical theater production. Workshop participants will also observe productions of musicals, view at least one live musical and engage in follow-up virtual mentorship sessions with their U.S. colleagues. Within one year of the completion of their trip to the United States, the participants will be expected to produce a musical based on their acquired knowledge and use newly learned techniques and methods in their routine theatrical productions.

Project Goal: Increase awareness of American culture, values, and diversity, using musicals to promote freedom of artistic expression. 

Project Audience(s): Theater directors and choir directors from theaters in Ashgabat and the regions, as well as Turkmenistan Ministry of Culture officials responsible for supervising local theaters.

· Gender – 35% female, 65% male

· Geographic Location – Turkmenistan, Central Asia

· Age Group – 35 to 55

· Level of Education – Bachelor’s

Project Objectives:

· Increase participant’s awareness of American music and culture through a cultural exchange to the United States;

· Increase capacity of Turkmen exchange participants in the following skills through mentorship with US mentors and experts:

· Adding choreography to productions;

· Simultaneously coordinating choir, orchestra, and dance groups on stage;

· Training actors in song and dance.