Mother Russia takes place in St. Petersburg, Russia in autumn 1992, three years after the fall of the Berlin Wall and almost a year following the dissolution of the Soviet Union. Below are some key moments in the U.S. and Russia’s trade relationship over time, especially during Russia’s transition from Communism to capitalism, that have created the conditions we see on stage.

1763: Trade between Russia and the American colonies begins when the Wolfe, an American merchant ship, makes the first direct voyage from Boston to St. Petersburg, carrying a cargo of sugar, indigo, rum, mahogany, and sassafras.

1890s: In response to rapid industrialization in Russia, major American businesses like Singer, Westinghouse Electric Corporation, and New York Life Insurance establish subsidiaries there.

1917: The Bolshevik Revolution marks the ascendency of Communism and the establishment of a new republic in Russia. Five years later, Russia, Ukraine, Belarus, and what are now Armenia, Azerbaijan, and Georgia sign a treaty to create the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics (U.S.S.R.).

1918–1989: The Soviet government implements a centrally planned economy, which heavily controls foreign trade, prioritizes domestic production, and imposes significant restrictions on U.S. businesses. The Cold War fuels suspicion toward American companies, which face added scrutiny for potential espionage activities. In 1972, PepsiCo establishes a groundbreaking trade deal with the Soviet government by agreeing to manufacture Pepsi in Russia in exchange for marketing and importing Soviet liquors to the U.S., but Western brands remain mostly unknown to people living in the former Communist bloc.

1989–1990s: With the fall of the Berlin Wall, the Iron Curtain begins to collapse, and by 1991, so does the Soviet Union. New capitalist economic policies begin moving Russia toward a market economy and open the door for foreign companies to operate freely (though Russian consumer spending is hampered by massive inflation and a sustained economic recession).

• The first McDonald’s opens its doors on January 31, 1990, and thousands of people line up on the streets of Moscow to get their first taste of American fast food.
• Coca-Cola invests millions of dollars in this burgeoning new market, and PepsiCo—already well established in Russia—takes the rivalry to never-before-seen heights, arranging in 1996 for two Russian astronauts to advertise its brand from the Mir space station.
• In 1996, General Motors becomes the first of several U.S. automakers to open an assembly line in Russia.

2022: Following Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, McDonald's announces that it will sell its Russian business. Since then, hundreds of American consumer brands have also exited Russia, including Ford, GM, Nike, and Starbucks, while others suspend sales there, such as Apple, Goodyear, and Levi Strauss.

See Mother Russia on stage at Seattle Rep from March 6 – April 13, 2025. 

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