On 8 December, a miracle happened in the home where the children live. An ordinary school assembly hall turned into a magical theatre space: the lights went out, tiny lights appeared on stage in the deep darkness, and dozens of children’s eyes watched in awe as The Story of a Miracle—a performance by the Moscow theatre “Creative Association 9”—unfolded before them.
This format is very unusual for children’s institutions. Usually, the hall hosts children’s concerts, award ceremonies, and amateur performances. Children and adults recite poems and sing along to backing tracks, congratulate one another on the start or end of the school year, see off graduates, or hand out New Year’s gifts. But yesterday, everything was different. The performance we brought to the children’s home was deeply symbolic: it featured actors and objects that came to life on stage, accompanied by live music—harp, flute, and drums.
The story told so cleverly on stage was about Christmas—a Bible story in a language children can understand—filled with meaning, magic, laughter, curiosity, and wonder. After the performance, the children asked the actors questions, which doesn’t happen often. Perhaps this is the most important part of creative festivals, and of the people we invite to children’s homes and introduce to the children: inspiration, genuine interest, the chance to ask questions and receive honest answers, and a space for dreams, play, and real creativity. It is an experience that broadens horizons, carrying them beyond familiar walls and the everyday routine of life in a children’s home.
After the performance and a tea party with sweets, the children “sealed” their wonderful memories in jars, shared impressions, and simply had fun—sprinkling one another with glitter.
We thank “Creative Association 9” for a beautiful performance, for their openness and sincerity in communicating with the children, our friends at English Nursery & Primary School for supporting this visit, and of course our wonderful photographer Larisa Yershova for the magical shots. We are also deeply grateful to the children’s home administration for their openness to collaboration and their care for the children—without which this Miracle would not have happened.
This format is very unusual for children’s institutions. Usually, the hall hosts children’s concerts, award ceremonies, and amateur performances. Children and adults recite poems and sing along to backing tracks, congratulate one another on the start or end of the school year, see off graduates, or hand out New Year’s gifts. But yesterday, everything was different. The performance we brought to the children’s home was deeply symbolic: it featured actors and objects that came to life on stage, accompanied by live music—harp, flute, and drums.
The story told so cleverly on stage was about Christmas—a Bible story in a language children can understand—filled with meaning, magic, laughter, curiosity, and wonder. After the performance, the children asked the actors questions, which doesn’t happen often. Perhaps this is the most important part of creative festivals, and of the people we invite to children’s homes and introduce to the children: inspiration, genuine interest, the chance to ask questions and receive honest answers, and a space for dreams, play, and real creativity. It is an experience that broadens horizons, carrying them beyond familiar walls and the everyday routine of life in a children’s home.
After the performance and a tea party with sweets, the children “sealed” their wonderful memories in jars, shared impressions, and simply had fun—sprinkling one another with glitter.
We thank “Creative Association 9” for a beautiful performance, for their openness and sincerity in communicating with the children, our friends at English Nursery & Primary School for supporting this visit, and of course our wonderful photographer Larisa Yershova for the magical shots. We are also deeply grateful to the children’s home administration for their openness to collaboration and their care for the children—without which this Miracle would not have happened.