On May 30, 2025, at the Atlas Performing Arts Center in partnership with United Help Ukraine, Diary of War makes its DC premiere – a benefit reading that brings to the stage powerful firsthand accounts from Ukrainians living through Russia’s full-scale invasion. Featuring a cast of acclaimed local actors, the event offers an intimate, emotional window into resilience, loss, and survival in wartime Ukraine. Diary of War will open with a 7 PM Bandura performance by Olga Perepelytsia and folk singing by Sophie Villy, followed by a 7:30 PM reading and 9 PM live auction to benefit United Help Ukraine.
Collected and produced by Daria Kolomiec and directed by Musa Gurnis, the reading at Atlas Performing Arts Center will share the testimonies of seven Ukrainians whose lives were irrevocably changed by war. Their stories will be brought to life by beloved DC actors:
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Holly Twyford as Iryna Tsybukh, a film producer and project manager who served as a volunteer combat medic with Hospitallers.
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Emily Townley as Julia Kochetova, a photojournalist documenting Russian war crimes. Emmy winner (2023), World Press Photo Award recipient (2024).
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Tony Nam as Denys Khrystov, a former TV host evacuating people and animals from destroyed frontline towns.
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Lolita Marie Horne as Olha Bulkina, a hospital clown at Ohmatdyt, Ukraine’s largest children’s hospital, struck by a Russian missile in July 2024.
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Drew Kopas as Yurii Marchenko, a journalist who shares the loss of his dog during the chaotic early days of the full-scale invasion.
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Renee Wilson as Olena Nikulina, a mother giving birth and raising children alone after her husband, a captured Azov defender, went missing.
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Jeremy Keith Hunter as Marat Shevchenko, a DJ and stageman who fled Russian occupation on a motorcycle with only his records and an embroidered shirt.
The performance honors Iryna Tsybukh, whose death on May 29, 2024, became a turning point for the Diary of War project. Since then, every reading has been dedicated to her memory. This event continues that tradition, with all funds raised in partnership with United Help Ukraine supporting the rebuilding of a Hospitallers medical base destroyed by Russian forces in April 2025.
2X Donation Match: All proceeds go to United Help Ukraine, with donations doubled up to $20,000 by an anonymous donor. Those unable to attend are encouraged to support this vital frontline medical effort.
Partners:
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United Help Ukraine is a registered 501(c)(3) non-profit providing humanitarian, medical, and psychological assistance to those affected by the Russian war in Ukraine since 2014, when Russia annexed Crimea and occupied part of eastern Ukraine. UHU also raises awareness and advocates for Ukraine to remain a free, democratic, and independent nation.
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Hospitallers is a Ukrainian volunteer organization that delivers crucial medical care on the battlefield, facilitates the evacuation of the wounded, and assists with their recovery. Since its inception in 2014, Hospitallers have been instrumental in evacuating over 20,000 people from combat zones and continue their essential work to this day.
Diary of War performs one night only, Friday, May 30, 2025, at 7:00 PM at the Atlas Performing Arts Center, 1333 H St NE, Washington, DC 20002. Tickets are $70.75 general admission (including fees) and can be purchased online. All proceeds go to United Help Ukraine to benefit Hospitallers. Those who cannot attend but wish to donate may do so here.
Ages: Ages 13+
Content Warnings: This performance includes mild swearing or ‘coarse’ language and mild references to violence and grief. This performance includes personal accounts of war, displacement, military service, and experiences in life-threatening conditions during the full-scale Russian invasion of Ukraine.
ABOUT DIARY OF WAR
Based on the Diary of War podcast by Ukrainian cultural activist, producer and Time Magazine Next Generation Leader Daria Kolomiec, the project evolved into powerful performances with NY’s Private Theatre, bringing to life raw, emotional stories of Ukrainians living through the full-scale Russian invasion.
Since February 2024, Diary of War benefit readings produced by Kolomiec have repeatedly sold out venues across New York City, including Bedlam’s West End Theater and the Brooklyn Center for Theatre Research, raising over $90,000 for Ukrainian volunteer organizations conducting frontline medical evacuations and supporting female veterans.