Slava Ukraini! at Atwater Village Theater #3 (Photo – AFT)
A new stage production examining the human impact of the Russia-Ukraine War will premiere in Los Angeles this August, using J.R.R. Tolkien’s The Lord of the Rings as a framework to explore survival, morality, and the search for meaning amid conflict.
By Melanie Hooks
Written by Keith Szarabajka and directed by Tony Pasqualini, Slava Ukraini! (or Waiting for Elon) follows three soldiers—two Ukrainian and one Russian—trapped inside the bombed-out Azovstal Iron and Steel Works plant in Mariupol during the final days of the siege. All three share a love of Tolkien’s epic, while one young Ukrainian soldier, Vitaliy, remains convinced that Elon Musk will come to rescue them.
The play is set against a war that began in 2014 and escalated with Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine in 2022. The conflict has resulted in an estimated two million military casualties and displaced roughly 10 million Ukrainians.
“The play is from the Ukrainian point of view, while illustrating the causes of the war and its history,” said Szarabajka. “The story is seen through the lens of Lord of the Rings, searching for a righteous Gondor in a war fought entirely by Orcs.”
The cast includes Jasmine Kimiko as Olha, James Morris as Vitaliy and Christopher Reiling as Yevgeny. Brad Bentz serves as producer and scenic, costume and prop designer, with lighting and sound by Matt Richter.
Preview performances begin Aug. 2, with opening night at 8:00 pm on Aug. 8. The production runs Fridays, Saturdays and Mondays at 8:00 pm and Sundays at 3:00 pm through Aug. 31 (no performances Aug. 16–17) at Atwater Village Theater #3, 3269 Casitas Ave., Los Angeles.
Tickets are $40 general admission, $30 for seniors and $20 for students, with $20 previews. Reservations are available at afttheater.org.
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