Interview with the producer of legendary musicals Vyacheslav Gnedak
Hello Vyacheslav! Tell our readers a little about yourself. Where were you born and raised, where did you study and what kind of education did you receive!
I was born in the glorious military town of Akhtubinsk in the Astrakhan region. In Soviet times, it was an Institute of military aviation and the population itself consisted mainly of young engineers and pilots, whose wives by profession are teachers who came for their husbands from large urban centers, with pleasure invested an incredible amount of knowledge in our children’s consciousness. Moreover, they did it so joyfully and recklessly that now I can appreciate and frankly say that thanks to this I am well-read, well-mannered, courteous and can do a lot in life, especially with regard to creativity. Yes, what can I say, by the third grade I was writing essays at school, no other than poems. And in fact, many children could.
There I successfully graduated from music school in the accordion class, and since then, I have never touched this instrument. But I put together a musical group of my friends, and with pleasure “starred” around the area wherever possible. Then, by inertia, I entered, like all my friends, a military school, where I successfully took place as a musician and vocalist, moving from competition to competition.
How did you get into show business?
My youth fell on the 90s, and despite my futile attempts to do business, I realized in time that my path was a show, and to the surprise of the household, having abandoned everything that brought money, I went to work in the “”Trudnoye Detstvo” of Vladimir Markin”. I can say that I got surrounded by the “stars” of our stage, which made me insanely happy. And already in this glorious company, I quickly earned myself a reputation as a showman, presenter, organizer and scriptwriter of events from small to great. To appreciate how it was, suffice it to say that a year later I was singing in Vladimir Markin’s ensemble, and behind me were legendary musicians whose names I knew from childhood and pronounced them, no other than with trepidation.
What motivated you to start a career as an artist?
Even as a small child, I realized that an artist is the very pretzel that is the center of attention in any party. So, in addition to the potential salary, there is also a big emotional bonus that brings joy and pleasure. And any six-year-old child who knows Khazanov’s monologue by heart can easily force himself to listen to adult uncles and aunts. So there was no doubt…
What collectives and productions have you participated in?
It’s hard to list everything that happened. I was the screenwriter of the program “Sireneviy tuman” on RTR, I was the host of the program on the youth channel of the radio station “Mayak”, which was broadcasting to the whole USSR back then. Finally, I was one of the first to found a touring musical theater, became a producer and actor of the French musical “Romeo and Juliet”, the legendary musical “Cabaret”, the musical “The Three Musketeers”. He built the Musical Academy in Moscow, where everyone can get the experience of a musical artist. And, of course, to this day, our joint Musical show project with the artists is one of the most popular by the audience of our country. In general, being on tour is my normal state. I am rarely at home-this is the only disadvantage of the profession.
How did you discover your creative skills as a screenwriter and director?
Ambition. As a child, I decided that since Chekhov and Stanislavsky could, then why shouldn’t I take a chance… In fact, greed for information. We didn’t have enough literature, we didn’t have enough films, performances. Hence the desire to fill in the gap, to do something of your own.
Why did you decide to become a producer? A producer is a person, the same as others, only risking taking responsibility for the project. I became independent early. At the age of 17, he left his parents’ home and quickly learned to rely only on myself and my work. Plus, I have a great desire for everything to be exactly as I planned, and not otherwise.
What can you wish for those who are just starting their career in art? Don’t be afraid. It’s not the Gods who burn pots. Create a vision and every day, at least take a step towards the fulfillment of a dream. And take responsibility! Bumps are not scary, it will heal. But your reward will be the fulfillment of your cherished desires.
