Svetlana Chernitskaya first started working with children at the age of fifteen helping out and later working for an orphanage in her home city Khmel'nitsky, Ukraine. After completing her degree in music theory, literature and piano Svetlana moved to Saint Petersburg, Russia to pursue a career as a music instructor. In Saint Petersburg she had a long and rewarding career as a public school educator. Svetlana brings over 25 years of experience.
For the past 12 years Svetlana has worked closely with the emigre community in the San Francisco Bay Area. She is often called on as a host for big community events at the San Francisco Jewish Community Center. Feeling very comfortable on stage and in front of any audience Svetlana has built a reputation as an entertaining and thoughtful host. Her dedication and hard work have been praised by many on lookers who sent in warm editorials to Forward, New Life, West-East, 24-Hours, Kstati and other Russian daily and weekly news papers.
Dmitry Rashkin is a professional Master-puppeteer, founder and Artistic Director of D.R. Artists & Puppets, Inc. Dmitry studied under Master-Puppeteer Sergey Obrazsov and graduated with MA in Stage Directing from Russian Academy of Theatrical Arts (formerly GITIS) in Moscow, Russia. After graduation, Dmitry worked in "MosConcert" (Moscow Concert Company).
In 1988, Dmirty immigrated into USA as a political refugee and created D.R. Puppet Theater in 1992. In 1994, the Theater was qualified for non-profit 501(c) (3) status. For 16 years Dmitry lives in Salt Lake City, Utah and in 2005 moved to San Francisco, CA
As director, play writer and actor he produced numerous plays for Drama and Puppet Theater - folk stories, fairytales, classical and modern masterpieces such as Wizard of OZ (graduation project), Kipling's Rikki-Tikki-Tavi, Red Riding Hood, Goldoni's Servant of Two Masters, Hans Christian Anderson's Snow Queen, and Russian Fairy Tale Snow Maiden in cooperation with University of Utah Ballet Department.
The reviews about Dmitry Rashkin's performances were published almost in all Salt Lake City's newspapers and magazines including leading Salt Lake City's newspapers Salt Lake Tribune and Deseret
News. The interviews with him and story about his works were showed on all local TV channels.