The "Zhashtar" Theatre is a professional drama theatre in Astana, founded in 2007 under the direction of the renowned director Nurkanat Zhakypbay. The theatre building (formerly the Railway Workers' Cultural Palace) is an independent theatre venue with a professional stage and auditorium. The theatre's repertoire includes classical and contemporary dramatic performances in Kazakh and Russian, as well as productions for children and youth. The theatre company is a laureate of numerous republican and international theatre festivals.