“The word „tomorrow“ no longer existed after February 24, 2022”

„We are a group of Ukrainian students for whom the word „tomorrow“ no longer existed after February 24, 2022. We had no plans for the future“, – students from Ukraine say. After the war started, they were accepted to continue their studies at the Lithuanian Academy of Music and Theater. In solidarity with Ukraine and its people, we share the authentic story of the students.

These students came from Kyiv National I.K. Karpenko-Karyi Theater, Cinema and Television University. They have been studying at LMTA since the beginning of the war, here Ukrainian students attends lectures by professor Valentina Masalskis of the Faculty of Klaipėda. Students say:

“Kids, you will have your own theater!” It was strange and funny for us to hear such words at the first meeting. We are a group of Ukrainian students for whom the word “tomorrow” no longer existed after February 24, 2022. We had no plans for the future. But then we still didn’t know who Valentinas was. But when we understood who we were dealing with, the words spoken at the first meeting no longer seemed so crazy.  This is how the creative association “Amæntes” was formed – it is a play on the Latin words “amentes” – crazy and “amantes” – lovers. We would hardly have come up with such a name if we had not met Valentinas on our life path. It was he who taught us to be madly in love with the theater. We call him “Batko” (Ukrainian: Father) among ourselves and hope to be a worthy continuation of his cause, which will be embodied in our performances and creative projects, which we will certainly continue to create in Ukraine after the victory. We even had a joke that later in the textbooks they would write: “Valentinas Masalskis is the founder of the new wave of Ukrainian theater.”  “You can imagine how many things had to happen for you and I to meet, it’s not just like that” Valentinas.

LMTA information
24 February 2023