The sixth New Drama Festival of contemporary plays is about to open in Moscow. With eleven productions from Russia and abroad, and new projects including a bloggers' competition, the event offers a broad overview of contemporary drama.

This year there are several innovations. The New Drama Festival will be just half as long as usual. It will consist of two parts, the first one being a travelling actors’ and directors' workshop at Yasnaya Polyana, near the house of Leo Tolstoy.

Actors and directors will get the chance to come together for a few hours a day to practice reading and directing, and learning how to improvise.  

The second part of the Festival will be held in Moscow.

In the past, productions have focussed mainly on society, but this year it is the individual who will be in the centre of attention.

“Today, contemporary drama is holding out in some kind of a closed space. So it doesn't examine global processes, happening in the world, in general. It tries to examine one single person and his fate,” explains Yury Muravitsky, Director.

The New Drama Festival will also feature some special projects, such as a bloggers' competition for the best play on the web. It is run jointly with the Russian LiveJournal.

With so many activities and choices, the festival is likely to draw crowds.