Vasily Pekteev, the head of the Mari Drama Theater, died at the age of 71.

Vasily Pekteev, a theatrical and public figure, director, and artistic director of the Mari National Drama Theater named after M. Shketan, died at the age of 71. This was announced on October 10 by the press service of the theater.

"Vasily Alexandrovich Pekteev, a well-known theatrical and public figure, a talented director, and the artistic director of the Mari National Drama Theater named after M. Shketan, died suddenly at the age of 72," the theater said in a statement on the VKontakte social network.

Vasily Pekteev was born on January 23, 1954. In 1987, he became the chief director of the Mari Theater, and in 1992, he assumed the post of artistic director. In addition, Pekteev also starred in films. Some of his most popular projects were roles in "Ivan the Terrible" and "The Split."

In 1995, Pekteev was awarded the title of Honored Artist of the Republic of Mari El. Two years later, in 1997, he became the winner of the I.S. Palantai State Prize of the Russian Academy of Economics in the field of art.

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