Heart of a Dog

Mikhail Bulgakov's Heart of a Dog officially opens Theater 86's new home, directed by Aleksey Burago.

Theater 86 opens its new permanent Midtown Manhattan home with a bold stage adaptation of Mikhail Bulgakov’s darkly comic masterpiece, Heart of a Dog, directed by founder and Artistic Director Aleksey Burago.

Written in 1925, Heart of a Dog follows a celebrated Moscow surgeon whose experiment transforms a stray dog into a man—with chaotic and unsettling consequences. Blending satire, absurdist humor, and philosophical inquiry, Bulgakov’s story explores scientific ambition, social engineering, and the dangers of attempting to redesign human nature.

The production marks a major new chapter for Theater 86. After losing its longtime performance space at West-Park Presbyterian Church, the award-winning nonprofit continued presenting work across New York City without a dedicated home. Now, Theater 86 once again has a permanent stage.

The company has a long artistic connection to Bulgakov. Burago’s adaptation of The Master and Margarita, or, The Devil Comes to Moscow returned for four sold-out engagements, and The New York Times has described his work as “visually stunning.”

Opening Night on November 5 will be followed by a celebration with the cast and creative team.

Cast

Hazen Cuyler, Michael Donaldson, James Hallett, Ariel Polanco, Tom Schubert, Mark K. Simmons, and Di Zhu

Creative Team

Directed by Aleksey Burago
Set design by Valery Yershov