An extraordinary event took place on the stage of the Pushkin State Russian Drama Theater, Kerim Ataev, a student of the Turkmen State Institute of Culture, directed a play "Butterflies Are Free" by American playwright Leonard Gershe with professional actors. This production is not even a diploma project, but the term paper of a third-year student of the theater faculty specializing in drama directing. It is remarkable because Kerim Ataev had served in the Pushkin Theater for almost 15 years before studying at the institute and immediately, thanks to his talent, from the novice actors became a leading one.

Agreeing to such an experiment, the theater staff knew that Kerim Ataev would not disappoint. And he didn't - the play "Butterflies Are Free" is perceived in one breath. There are many reasons for such ease. Firstly, the play itself is interesting, which, by the way, was suggested to the aspiring director by his teacher Ashyrmukhammet Rahmanov.

The main character of the play "Butterflies Are Free" is a blind young man who, for the first time, leaves the care of his mother for two months. He takes his first independent steps in life. He gets burned. In desperation, he asks his mother to take him home.

But Mrs. Baker has had a reset of her convictions: from a staunch opponent of her blind son's independence, she unexpectedly became a fierce supporter. Life is cruel, she decided, and her son will still face difficulties, but in return, he will gain the right to control his own life.

At the beginning and end of the play, a pantomime takes place: according to the director's idea, guardian angels hover around the main character, protecting him from misfortunes. And at the same time, they are so much like moths that want to fly away in different directions, like butterflies, but they are connected to Don by threads - they are not free butterflies. The free butterfly is Jill, his neighbor, who lives one day at a time, fluttering through life without thinking about the consequences.

However, the play is about something else - about how much people can give to each other. Blind Don gives careless Jill advice. Jill shares secrets with Mrs. Baker and brings joy into Don's life with the hope of personal happiness.

And the play "Butterflies Are Free" also reveals to us the peculiarities of the lives of blind people, their difficult destinies and their natural desire to be happy.

The main role was played by Magtymguly Gurbanov, Jill - Anna Khommadova, Mrs. Baker - Tatiana Ovezmyradova, Ralph Austin - Gulmukhammet Charyev. Everyone, as one creative family, enthusiastically participated in the production of the play.

The play turned out to be interesting, thought-provoking, and evoked empathy.