The Division
Project: Humanity and Pyretic Productions in Association with Crow’s Theatre
Written & Directed by Andrew Kushnir
Associate Directed & Coproducer - Lianna Makuch
WORLD PREMIERE PRODUCTION
Apr 21, 2026 - May 24, 2026
Studio Theatre
CRITIC’S PICK
“The Division is a stunning new play.”
— The Globe and Mail
After publishing a eulogy for his renowned watchmaker grandfather in a national newspaper, Andrew is confronted by an accusation in the comments section. The charge sends him on a 19,000-kilometre journey through Ukraine and Europe with daunting questions—and the rare timepiece he's inherited. Retracing his grandfather’s footsteps as a soldier and immigrant, he unearths a family mythology that has astonishing implications for the present.
In a landscape where history is both weapon and wound, Andrew’s search pulls him deep into the stories of a shrinking Ukrainian village, into the fallout of Russia’s full-scale invasion, and into the silence of the dead.
Originally featured at Lincoln Center, NYC, The Division is a gripping new work on identity, legacy, and the slyness of memory. With his acclaimed blend of documentary theatre and deeply personal storytelling, Kushnir faces the unspoken truths that shape both our individual and collective histories — and our here and now.
SELECT MEDIA
“Critic’s pick. A stunning new play... It’s not a history lesson, or even a call to action. It’s a love story.””
“***** (five stars) Intellectually, emotionally and morally demanding”
“(NNNNN) A gripping live investigation into memory and myth.”
“A standout production.”
“The cast of The Division delivers some of the most impressive performances I’ve seen thus far this year.”
THE TEAM
CAST
Karl Ang
Ivy Charles
Mariya Khomutova
Daniel Maslany
Alon Nashman
CREATIVE TEAM
Andrew Kushnir……. Playwright & Director
Lianna Makuch……. Associate Director & Co-Producer
Christian Horoszczak……. Lighting Designer
Thomas Ryder Payne……. Sound Designer
Sim Suzer…….Set & Costume Co-Designer
Niloufar Ziaee…….Set & Costume Co-Designer
Sam Hale…….Stage Manager
Evan Reid…….Apprentice Stage Manager
Chloë Dirksen…….Dialect Coach
Mariya Khomutova…….Cultural Consultant
Mary Ptucha…….Gallery Installation Artist
Katie Saunoris…………….Publicist
PRODUCTION
Gabby Noga.................... Producer
Nathan Gregory.................... Technical Director
Amelia Mielke-O'Grady .................... Head of Props & Scenic Artist
Kalina Popova .................... Head of Wardrobe
Photos by Dahlia Katz
PRODUCTION
Gabby Noga.................... Producer
Nathan Gregory.................... Technical Director
Amelia Mielke-O'Grady .................... Head of Props & Scenic Artist
Kalina Popova .................... Head of Wardrobe
Photos by Dahlia Katz
Producer Notes - Lianna Makuch
In a moment shaped by speed, reaction, and information overload, art can offer something increasingly rare: the chance to slow down. Not to disengage from the world, but to encounter it more fully, together in a shared space.
The Division is an expression of this kind of work. As we enter the fourth year of Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine, and the twelfth year of ongoing war, the urgency of how stories are told, and who tells them, feels increasingly vital. While grounded in Ukrainian experience, this story reaches far beyond it, speaking to the realities of war, memory, and identity. It exists within the cultural front of this war, where art itself is part of the battleground, shaping identity, culture, and the narratives through which people understand both. It also demonstrates the sophistication and global relevance of Ukrainian storytelling.
We believe these Ukrainian stories are not niche. We can and should honour the singularity of lived experience while recognizing that specificity does not divide us, it connects us. Not because our experiences are the same, but because they open pathways to empathy and understanding. Ukrainian art is for everyone.
This work sits within a broader practice we are committed to: storytelling that trusts audiences to be adventurous and curious, and that reminds us that attention itself, and the choice to witness, can be a profound act of resistance. At its best, theatre does not tell us what to think, but invites us to consider how we think, with rigour, empathy, and imagination.
We are incredibly appreciative to be sharing in this pursuit with our partners, Project: Humanity and Crow’s Theatre. Work like this does not happen in isolation. It takes partnership, shared vision, and a collective commitment to creating space for stories that ask more of us.
Pyretic Productions believes theatre does not end at the stage, but lives in the conversations it sparks beyond it. Without this, theatre is not doing its work. As audiences witness this particular testimony, you become part of an evolving archive of this story. And it asks something of you: now that you have witnessed this, what will you carry forward?
Щиро дякую. Слава Україні.
Lianna Makuch
Artistic Director, Pyretic Productions