Today, the actor’s House on the Arbat is working for the theater community. This is a kind of club where theater people meet and communicate. He has a long and not always happy story. The central house of the actor on the Arbat was formed by Alexander Moiseevich Eskin in 1937. He was supported by many prominent figures of the theater. Initially, it was conceived as a kind of informal club for meetings and communication of people of art. For these purposes, the Government of the USSR allocated and transferred the building on Tverskaya Street in house No. 16. It housed a large concert hall (also known as a cinema hall), a restaurant, a cafe, many offices of employees and cozy rooms for creative evenings. Even in a very reserved Stalinist time, an atmosphere of relaxedness, wit and creativity reigned here.
Club of freedom and creativity
The atmosphere of free-thinking, games and humor quickly formed into skits, in which Rostislav Plyatt, Rina Zelenaya, Maria Mironova and many other legendary actors participated with pleasure. In 1964, the actor’s House was named after the great actress Alexandra Yablochkina, as she was not only the “sovereign of hearts” on the stage, but also for a long time headed the central and Moscow branches of the theater society. Alexander Eskin from the moment the Actor’s House was opened and until his death in 1985 was his permanent director. In addition to him, the House always had public directors: Mikhail Zharov, Evgeny Leonov, Nikolai Ozerov and others. Margarita Eskina was replaced by her father as the head of the CDA.
1991 fire and timelessness
The dashing 90s did not bypass the creative environment. In February 1991, the actor’s house was
set on fire and fell into complete disrepair. For almost two years, the theater community had no shelter, until almost two years later the Ministry of Culture sheltered it in its building on Old Arbat. Since then, the actor’s House on the Arbat has been known. As soon as the employees settled down in the room, the rooms were barely decorated and the meetings began, there were complaints about the transfer of the building to other hands: Rossvyazokhrankultura decided to place its apparatus in most of the building.
The decree of the President of Russia Boris Yeltsin on the transfer of the building on Stary Arbat to the CDA for
free use did not solve the situation. The decree was not accepted for execution by Rossvyazokhrankultura.
A new house on the Arbat: times of formation in the new conditions
The actor’s house on Arbat withstood all external attacks, but the intense creative life did not stop inside: the country was changing, the foundations were changing. Not only new forms of art were needed, but also, in difficult times, it was necessary to support stage veterans and help the formation of promising young people. The actor’s house on Arbat was supported by many famous creative people, Federation Council speaker Sergei Mironov and President Dmitry Medvedev. Rossvyazokhrankultura was abolished, and the claims were canceled. Since then, life in the House of Actor has been proceeding calmly, and a stable opportunity has formed to continue the traditions of the Soviet theater and create new ones. The head of the CDA is still Margarita Eskina.
Venue: Arbat, 35, Actor's House
Today, for participants in the theater community, the question is not where to meet. The place is known and dear to everyone: Arbat, 35, House of the actor. Mandatory skits are held here for the opening of the season and for the birthday of February 14th. The actor’s house on Arbat constantly meets foreign colleagues and holds various concerts. There is a restaurant in the CDA, where, upon prior request, a celebration can be held for mere mortals. But the main thing is that the House remains a concentration of creative people, and many interesting projects have been born within its walls that delight the audience of Moscow and Russia. Visiting theater workers always come to the CDA, because where, if not here, you can meet many colleagues at once.