An evening of powerful contemporary Ukrainian theater, this performative reading brings to life the work of Alina Sarnatska—a veteran, former frontline medic, and one of the most compelling new voices in Ukrainian drama.

Audience members will experience Balance, a deeply personal play shaped by war, service, memory, and survival. It follows a woman veteran as she tries to make sense of war and preserve her sense of self in a world where everything seems broken. It is a searching, intimate work about trauma, memory, and the struggle to hold on to one's humanity.

The reading will be followed by a live Q&A with Alina Sarnatska, whose writing draws on her experience serving as a frontline medic in the Armed Forces of Ukraine in Bakhmut. Her work explores the realities of war, the role of women in the military, and the often painful disconnect between soldiers and civilians.

The play was created as part of Theater of Veterans, a joint initiative of TRO Media and the Playwrights' Theater.

Alina Sarnatska's debut play, Balance, won the July Honey–2024 literary contest and the Festival of Contemporary Play award. The rights to Balance were acquired by the Maria Zankovetska National Academic Drama Theatre in Lviv for its 2025/2026 season premiere.

The event is organized by:

Leleka Foundation, a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization that provides humanitarian aid—including medical supplies and devices, medical evacuation vehicles, and anti-drone protection systems—to Ukrainian field medics serving in frontline areas.

Ukraine House is a home away from home for many Ukrainians by birth and Ukrainians by choice in Washington DC. It’s a place where ideas meet with people who are passionate about freedom and democracy and ready to fight for it. It is a center where Ukrainian heritage meets Ukrainian modern and digital future.

Theater of Veterans: Voices from Ukraine