On November 15, 1991, the State Academic Kazakh Music and Drama Theater named after K. Kuanyshbaev opened with the performance of Gabit Musrepov’s “Akan Seri-Aktokty”. The first performance was staged by Zhakyp Omarov, a talented director and a founder of the theater. The theater received its first prize at the “Tuganlyk” International Theater Festival held among the Turkic-speaking countries in 1996 in Ufa (Russia).
The theater was headed by such talented artists as Zhakyp Omarov, Kadyr Zhetpisbayev and People's Artist of the Soviet Union Azerbaijan Mambetov.
The repertoire of the State Academic Kazakh Music and Drama Theater consists of national and world-famous dramas and is regularly updated. The theater participated in several theater festivals in Kazakhstan and abroad promoting Kazakh theatrical art.
On December 14, 2011, the theater was awarded the status of State Academic Theater.
The theater’s creative team consists of Artistic Director – a famous theater and film actor Kuandyk Kystykbaev, directors – Bolat Uzakov, Nurlan Zhumaniyazov, Alimbek Orazbekov. The theater’s Chief Manager is Ernar Dzhumatayev.
The troupe includes 56 actors, four of whom are awarded the title of People's Artist of the Republic of Kazakhstan. Another four actors are awarded the title of Honored Artist of the Republic of Kazakhstan. 22 actors own the title of Honored Worker of the Republic of Kazakhstan, three actors are laureates of the Daryn State Youth Prize of the Republic of Kazakhstan, two actors are laureates of the Youth Union Award, ten people were awarded a Medal for Outstanding Work, and five people are the winners of the Serper Youth Union Awards.
The State Academic Kazakh Drama Theater named after K. Kuanyshbaev celebrates its 30th anniversary this year.
In 2020, on the initiative of the First President Nursultan Nazarbayev, with the support of President Kassym-Zhomart Tokayev, a new theater building was constructed.
