Category
Latest news

“Diary of War” Debuts in Washington, Raising $60,000 for Ukrainian Frontline Medics

5 min read
Authors
Photo of Dariia Mykhailenko
Dariia Mykhailenko
Author
Photo of Tetiana Frolova
Tetiana Frolova
Author
“Diary of War” Debuts in Washington, Raising $60,000 for Ukrainian Frontline Medics
The cast and creative team of Diary of War, including producer Daria Kolomiec and director Musa Gurnis, gather on stage following the benefit reading in Washington, D.C. on May 30, 2025. (Source: press office)

The Atlas Performing Arts Center in Washington, D.C. hosted the local premiere of Diary of War — a theatrical reading based on real-life wartime diaries from Ukraine on May 30. The event featured some of the city’s leading stage actors and was produced by Ukrainian cultural advocate Daria Kolomiec.

It aimed to share personal accounts from the war with American audiences and raised $60,013 for the Hospitallers, a volunteer medical battalion providing frontline care in Ukraine, in partnership with United Help Ukraine (UHU).

The performance included seven stories selected from Kolomiec’s documentary podcast Diary of War, launched in 2022. The podcast originated from voice messages collected from civilians during the early stages of the full-scale Russian invasion. Edited and published while Kolomiec was sheltering in Kyiv, the stories are now being presented in English-language theater performances across the United States.

Promotional poster for Diary of War, a benefit reading held on May 30 at the Atlas Performing Arts Center in Washington, D.C. by Anastasiia Syvash. (Source: press office)
Promotional poster for Diary of War, a benefit reading held on May 30 at the Atlas Performing Arts Center in Washington, D.C. by Anastasiia Syvash. (Source: press office)

The Washington, D.C. performance also paid tribute to Iryna Tsybukh, a volunteer combat medic with the Hospitallers who was killed on May 29, 2024. Her diary was read by Holly Twyford, a prominent D.C. actress and multipleHelen Hayes Award  winner. Tsybukh was posthumously awarded the title “Hero of Ukraine” by President Volodymyr Zelenskyy.

The cast also featured Helen Hayes Award winner Lolita Marie Horne, as well as Renee Wilson, Emily Townley, Jeremy Keith Hunter, Tony K Nam, and Drew Kopas.

Since February 2024, Kolomiec’s benefit readings have been held in several New York City venues, including Bedlam’s West End Theater and the Brooklyn Center for Theatre Research, raising over $90,000 to support frontline medical evacuation efforts and programs for female veterans.

The Diary of War initiative continues to focus on sharing first-person perspectives from Ukraine’s war through documentary storytelling and live performance.

The creator of Diary of War brought the project to Washington, D.C. in collaboration with United Help Ukraine — a local nonprofit that has been providing humanitarian, medical, and psychological support to Ukrainians affected by Russia’s aggression since 2014, following the annexation of Crimea and occupation of parts of eastern Ukraine. In addition to direct aid, UHU works to raise awareness and advocate for Ukraine’s sovereignty and democratic future.

Daria Kolomiec during the beneficial reading in Washington, of Diary of War in Washington, D.C., on May 30, 2025. (Source: press office)
Daria Kolomiec during the beneficial reading in Washington, of Diary of War in Washington, D.C., on May 30, 2025. (Source: press office)
Musa Gurnis during the beneficial reading in Washington, of Diary of War in Washington, D.C., on May 30, 2025. (Source: press office)
Musa Gurnis during the beneficial reading in Washington, of Diary of War in Washington, D.C., on May 30, 2025. (Source: press office)

The Washington premiere drew a full audience, including representatives from the embassies of Estonia and France. Daria Kolomiec noted that the project’s themes resonated with attendees.

“Here in Washington, the political heart of the world, we're telling real stories from Russia's war against Ukraine – about how Russia destroyed a key volunteer medical hub and how Maksym Nikulin and other Azov defenders remain in captivity for more than three years later,” she said. “These stories still need to be heard. Until that changes, we will continue to tell them – because this is not only an artistic project, but also an advocacy one.”

Director Musa Gurnis emphasized the strategic value of staging the performance in D.C., where many audience members are directly involved in international policy.

“Part of the excitement for us, as a New York company, in bringing this work to D.C. is the opportunity to speak directly to people who work in politics — international lawyers, diplomats, and NGO professionals. These are individuals who help shape global decisions,” Gurnis said. “The stories we tell can inspire action — from those already supporting Ukraine, and from Americans who may not yet know how they can help. Whether it’s donating, contacting elected officials, sharing credible news, or choosing to support Ukrainian art — all of it matters.”

Emily Townley and Drew during the beneficial reading in Washington, of Diary of War in Washington, D.C., on May 30, 2025. (Source: press office)
Emily Townley and Drew during the beneficial reading in Washington, of Diary of War in Washington, D.C., on May 30, 2025. (Source: press office)
Holly Twyford and Lolita Marie Horne during the beneficial reading in Washington, of Diary of War in Washington, D.C., on May 30, 2025. (Source: press office)
Holly Twyford and Lolita Marie Horne during the beneficial reading in Washington, of Diary of War in Washington, D.C., on May 30, 2025. (Source: press office)

Gurnis closed with a reflection on cultural responsibility, recalling an image displayed during the auction: the ruins of the Donetsk Regional Academic Drama Theatre in Mariupol, bombed during the siege of the city, despite the word “KIDS” painted in large letters outside.

“I asked the audience to remember that image — and to think of it whenever they attend or produce a play by Chekhov,” Gurnis said. “Because as long as this illegal and inhumane invasion continues, every time we elevate Russian art, we risk devaluing Ukrainian lives.”

The fundraising campaign connected to Diary of War extended beyond the event itself. Donations were accepted from the time the event was announced, and a social media campaign encouraged continued support for two weeks following the performance.

On June 23, organizers reported that the campaign raised a total of $60,013

All proceeds, collected in partnership with United Help Ukraine, will be directed toward rebuilding the Hospitallers’ medical base, which was damaged in a Russian missile strike on April 25.

Earlier, five Ukrainian illustrators were longlisted for the prestigious 2025 World Illustration Awards.

See all

The Helen Hayes Award is one of the most prestigious theater honors in the United States, named after legendary American actress Helen Hayes.