
ALINA
by Lianna Makuch
About the Play
Alina is inspired by the true experiences of a 19-year-old volunteer Ukrainian combat medic who leaves everything behind to go to the front line of one of the deadliest battles of the war in Eastern Ukraine in 2015 — the battle for the Donetsk Airport. But it is when she returns home to the shock of “peaceful” civilian life that she realizes her struggle does not end at the front.
Alina is an exhilarating, breathless journey toward and away from war.

In Feb 2020, Pyretic participated in an inspiring artistic residency at IZOLYATSIA Institute in Kyiv, Ukraine. We conducted in-depth interviews with a young woman named Alina Viatkina about her remarkable experience as a volunteer frontline combat medic in 2015. Being a 19-year-old young woman, Alina was unable to join either the official military or volunteer battalions. In spite of this, she posed as a journalist and independently made her way to the war zone.
AWARDS & RECOGNITION
Alina – Shortlisted for 2022 Alberta Playwrighting Award – Lianna Makuch
Nominated for 4 Elizabeth Sterling Haynes Awards (Edmonton)
- Outstanding New Play
- Outstanding Movement Direction
- Outstanding Set Design
- Outstanding Sound Design
media
Review: Alina a timely tale of war and courageous choices
Liane Faulder, Edmonton Journal, May 27, 2022
The one-way time portal into war: Alina, a review
Liz Nicholls, 12thNight, May 27, 2022
Preview: The inheritance of war and the passion for freedom: Alina is a Ukrainian story
Edmonton playwright helping donation drive for Ukrainian defence supplies
CKUA – On Theatre: New work from Lianna Makuch at Collider Festival.
Grant Stovel, April 07, 2022
productions
Premiered: May 24 – June 5, 2022
STUDIO THEATRE at the ATB Financial Arts Barns (10330 – 84 Ave)

Cast
Alina – Christina Nguyen
Featuring Lora Brovold
Creative Team
Written by Lianna Makuch
Directed by Patrick Lundeen
Movement Direction by Amber Borotsik
Dramaturgy by Matthew MacKenzie
Production Design by Stephanie Bahniuk
Electronic Composition by Noor Dean Musani
Video Design by Amelia Scott
Sound Design by Aaron Macri
Stage Management by Lore Green
Produced by Sheiny Satanove
Outreach Coordinator & Associate Producer – Mel Bahniuk
Production Management & Technical Direction – Chris Kavanagh & Simon Wicks
Head Carpenter – Will Chichak
Emily Randall – Scenic Painter
Andrée Simard – Production Assistant

Thank you to our funders
ALBERTA UKRAINIAN COMMEMORATIVE SOCIETY
SUPPORT UKRAINE AND DONATE TO ALINA VIATKINA
WWW.SUPPORTALINAUKRAINE.COM
The unimaginable full-scale Russian invasion of Ukraine has shaken the world. At the time of writing this, tens of thousands have been killed in just over a month, over 5 million refugees have fled Ukraine, and a humanitarian crisis looms over Europe. This is in addition to the impacts of the Russian-backed invasion of Ukraine since 2014, which had already killed over 13,000 people and displaced over 1.7 million.
Since Russia waged war on Ukraine on February 24, 2022, we have put out a call to our community for donations to purchase medical supplies, life-saving protective equipment and medical aid for our friends defending Kyiv and we have already raised over $60,000. We have been sending funds to Alina directly. She has been sourcing and purchasing supplies, using Michael Rubenfeld’s flat in Krakow as a base of operations, then bringing it back across the border to Lviv, where it is being delivered directly to volunteers and then onto those on the front line who need it now, including her own husband.
DONATE NOW
We are trying to raise 120,000 EURO to help Alina Viatkina purchase and deliver critical, life-saving protective equipment to front-line volunteers.
Your funds will go directly toward helping people on the front line, and avoid red tape and fees associated with NGOs. Please still donate to those organizations as well — but this is a fast and reliable way to help those who need it now.
Ways to donate:
Paypal
Directly to Alina vyangelina@gmail.com
Canadian Etransfer
Send etransfers within Canada to lianna.makuch@gmail.com. Note “For Alina.”
*Lianna is keeping diligent accounting of donations made on behalf of Alina Viatkina
Bank Transfer
UAH (hryvnia)
On the card:
5169 3305 3010 2455
_______________________________
UAH (hryvnia)
To the account:
UA533052990000026002021025872
44904807 EDRPOU
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USD
213052990000026004021017747
44904807 EDRPOU
________________________________
EUR
UA523052990000026000011025549
44904807 EDRPOU