Igor Golyak (born 1979) is a Ukrainian-American theatre director. He has received recognition for his work off-Broadway and in his adopted hometown of Boston. Golyak’s productions have won or been nominated for numerous awards, including winning four Lucille Lortel Awards in 2025 for his production of Our Class by Tadeusz Słobodzianek in the categories of outstanding revival, outstanding director, outstanding ensemble and scenic design.
In Boston, he has won Elliot Norton Awards in the categories of outstanding production (small) for The Dybbuk in 2025, and outstanding direction and production (small) for The Stone (Der Stein) by Marius von Mayenburg in 2020. Two of his virtual productions were named The New York Times Critic’s Picks: chekhovOS/an experimental game and State vs. Natasha Banina. The Wall Street Journal included Our Class in their Best Theater of 2024 list.
Early life and education Born in Kyiv, Ukraine, when it was part of the Soviet Union, Golyak was the first child of Sofiya and Mikhail Golyak. He learned that he was Jewish when he was 7 or 8 years old as his family prepared to emigrate to the U.S. In 1990 when Golyak was 11, his family settled near Boston, Massachusetts. Golyak attended Brookline High School where he first discovered his passion for theater after being cast in the lead role of a school play.
After graduating from high school in 1998, Golyak went to Moscow, Russia to study theatre. He earned a master’s degree in directing from the Russian Institute of Theatre Arts and a master’s in acting from the Boris Shchukin Theatre Institute under the Vakhtangov State Academic Theatre.
Career After returning from Russia to the Boston area in 2004, Golyak found it difficult to break into the professional theater world and he worked a variety of jobs for several years.
In 2009, Golyak founded -Arlekin! (then “Arlekin Players Theatre”) in Needham, Massachusetts with a group of Russian immigrant actor friends and continues to serve as its producing artistic director. "Arlekin" means "harlequin" in both Russian and Ukrainian. For the first several years, the group mostly performed in Russian for the immigrant community. Golyak’s virtual and hybrid productions during the COVID lockdown period allowed his work to be seen by much broader audiences, including viewers in 55 countries. They also attracted the attention of high-profile future collaborators, such as Mikhail Baryshnikov and Jessica Hecht, who appeared in both the live and virtual performances of The Orchard, Golyak’s adaptation of The Cherry Orchard. He also worked with Chulpan Khamatova on Our Class and with Andrey Burkovsky on both Our Class and The Dybbuk.
In 2020, Golyak launched the Zero Gravity (Zero-G) Lab, through which he has produced several virtual plays incorporating experimental technologies in theater.
In addition to directing, Golyak has taught acting at the Boston Conservatory at Berklee and has served as a guest lecturer at several colleges and universities in the Boston area.
Selected works +YearTitleRoleVenueReference2016Natasha's DreamDirectorArlekin Players Theatre2017Dead Man's DiaryDirector (adapted)2018We/UsDirector (conceived, adapted)2019The Stone (Der Stein)DirectorThe SeagullDirector2020State vs. Natasha BaninaDirector (conceived, adapted)Virtual/onlineInsulted. Belarus(sia)DirectorVirtual/online2021WitnessDirector (conceived, adapted)Virtual/onlineThe Merchant of VeniceDirectorBoston Center for the Arts2022The OrchardDirector (conceived, adapted)Baryshnikov Arts Center, NYCThe Orchard ExperienceVirtual/online2023Just Tell No OneDirector (adapted)Lincoln Center, NYCHuntington Theatre, Boston, MAArlekin Players TheatreThe GaagaDirector of virtual productionBeat Brew Hall, Cambridge, MA2024The Dybbuk: Between Two WorldsDirectorVilna Shul, Boston, MAThe Merchant of VeniceDirectorClassic Stage Company, NYCOur Class (Nasza Klasa)DirectorBrooklyn Academy of Music, NYCClassic Stage Company, NYC2025Our Class (Nasza Klasa)DirectorBoston Center for the ArtsThe WanderersDirectorMarylebone Theatre, London2026DeliriumDirector (translated, adapted)Boston Center for the Arts The Space at Irondale, NYC
Selected awards and honors +YearAwardCategoryWorkResultReference2020Elliot Norton AwardsOutstanding direction, small theaterThe Stone (Der Stein)WonOutstanding Production, small companyWonNew York Times Critic’s PickCritic's PickState vs. Natasha BaninaSelected2021New York Times Critic’s PickCritic's PickchekhovOS/an experimental gameSelected2022Elliot Norton AwardsSpecial CitationState vs. Natasha Banina, Witness, chekhovOScited for creating "a new genre of theater”2024Elliot Norton AwardsOutstanding play, smallThe GaagaNominatedOutstanding DirectorWon, with Sasha DenisovaWall Street JournalBest Theater of 2024 ListOur ClassSelectedDrama League AwardsOutstanding revival of a playNominated2025Lucille Lortel AwardsOutstanding revivalWonOutstanding directorWonOutstanding projection designNominated, with Eric Dunlap, and Andreea MincicElliot Norton AwardsOutstanding play, smallThe DybbukWonOutstanding directorNominated
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