The Ugly Duckling Takes Flight

23 december 2025

A long-awaited event took place at School No. 17 in Tobolsk: a premiere of the inclusive show titled The Ugly Duckling! This touching and inspiring peroformance was brought to life through the efforts of corporate volunteers from ZapSibNeftekhim as part of the Theater for All project, implemented with support from SIBUR's Formula for Good Deeds social investment program.

The project was initiated and driven by caring employees of ZapSibNeftekhim, who were inspired by the idea of creating an artistic space for children with disabilities. The project’s implementation was facilitated by officials from the Tobolsk chapter of the All-Russian Association of the Disabled, Tobolsk’s Center for the Implementation of Youth and Preventive Programs, Quantorium, the Moya Territoriya multicenter, and, of course, Tobolsk’s School No. 17. Honored Artist of Russia Ivan Makarenko shared his precious acting experience with the young talents.

The children spent the whole year rehearsing their roles, immersing themselves in the world of fairy tales and theater. They committed to memory their lines, refined their stage movements, and learned to interact with each other while overcoming anxiety and stage fright.

December 14 had been set as the date of the long-awaited premiere, and it finally arrived! The audience received young actors’s performance very warmly, generously cheering them with their applause throughout the whole show.

Denis Kryukov, a lawyer at ZapSibNeftekhim, curator of the Theater for All project:
“Together with our partners, we fulfilled the dream of creating a theater for all. We are grateful for the premises provided for our rehearsals, we build the stage sets with our own hands, designed and ordered our costumes, worked on the text and the musical score of the fairy tale, trying to preserve the spirit of the original. And all of this was done to stun our audience with an unforgettable performance.”

Not only the show’s spectators but also the project’s participants and their parents were overflowing with emotions.

Lyuba Bublik, mother of one of the young actors:
“I’d like to thank everyone! It was really nerve-racking, but we coped fine in the end!”

Tatiana Penkova, mother of an actress:
“I’d like to thank the organizers and all others who took part in this! Our children did a great job. Although this was their debut, they handled it with finess!“

Elena Sergeevna Schneider, mother of the actor who played the cat:
”A huge thank you to everyone who helped! You gifted kind and joyous moments to our children”

Larisa Karyshkina, a lawyer at SIBUR, a volunteer:
“It was a pleasure to be a part of this project. I am glad to have helped a noble cause. I couldn’t help noticing the compassion and enthusiasm of the parents of the children with disabilities participating in the project and the hard work of the young actors who attended their rehearsal every Sunday throughout the whole year.”

Daria Cherepanova, an expert with the Department for Government Relations and Socio-Economic Projects at ZapSibNeftekhim:
“The main goal of the Theater for All project is to offer these children with disabilities the opportunity to unlock their potential on stage. This project did help them open up new horizons.”

The premiere of The Ugly Duckling show serves as a true testament to the fact that talent knows no boundaries and that art can unite people and bring joy to everyone. This project is a great example of social responsibility and care for the up-and-coming generation.

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Not only the show’s spectators but also the project’s participants and their parents were overflowing with emotions.

Lyuba Bublik, mother of one of the young actors:
“I’d like to thank everyone! It was really nerve-racking, but we coped fine in the end!”

Elena Sergeevna Schneider, mother of the actor who played the cat:
”A huge thank you to everyone who helped! You gifted kind and joyous moments to our children”

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Not only the show’s spectators but also the project’s participants and their parents were overflowing with emotions.

Lyuba Bublik, mother of one of the young actors:
“I’d like to thank everyone! It was really nerve-racking, but we coped fine in the end!”

Elena Sergeevna Schneider, mother of the actor who played the cat:
”A huge thank you to everyone who helped! You gifted kind and joyous moments to our children”

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