Alexander Ostrovsky (1823-1886) lived for the theater and single-handedly created Russian theater as we know it. In the course of his career he wrote 47 original plays, many of which are still immensely popular, and began the tradition of Russian acting which we associate with Stanislavsky. He was a master of realist drama, writing plays which were so accurate in exposing the abuses of power that he was in constant trouble with the censors.