Photo1. The Solovtsov’s theater building constructed on project of E.P.Bradtman in 1898 year	Photo2. Ivan Franko.	Photo3. Oleg Skripka in musical dramatic rococo show "Natalka Poltavka" by Lisenko

Address:  3, Ivan Franko’s Square, Kiev. 

Phone: +38 (044) 2795921, 2795991. 

One of the most famous Ukrainian theaters was founded in Vinnitsa in January 1920. It was headed by outstanding Ukrainian artist Ignat Petrovich Yura. The very first night took place on Jan. 28, 1920 when the “Sin" play of the famous writer and statesman Vynnychenko was performed. The well known actors such as A. Buchma, I. Girnyak, A. Dobrovolskya, M. Krushelnitsky, F. Barvinska, P. Nyatko and others started their careers then. In 1923-26 the company worked in Kharkov. Franko’s theater was a worthy competitor to the well-known "Berezil" theater headed by Les Kurbas. On Sept. 30, 1926, the theater was moved to Kiev. The former Solovtsov’s theater building was used by the company. The first performance on that stage was "Viy" by Ostap Vishnya.

In 1898 the theater building was constructed on the site of the pond in the estate of known in Kiev medical professors M. Mehring. Theater building was constructed on the project of known Kievan architects E. Bradtman and G. Shleifer.

After receiving their "registration" in the Solovtsov’s theater building the company provided the local audience with the modern Ukrainian drama which was being developed during the 1920s and during the first half of 1930s. The plays by N. Kulish, I. Mikitenko, I. Kocherga, O. Korneychuck , L. Pershamayskiy and others were performed. The troupe was joined by such outstanding artists as I. Maryanenko, D. Milyutenko, N. Uzhviy, Yuri Shumsky, A. Borisoglebskaya, V. Dobrovolsky, P. Nyatko, E. Ponomarenko and N. Yakovtchenko.

In 1941 the theater was evacuated in Central Asia. The company participated in concert tours to the front. Many actors took part in shooting films.

In autumn 1941 the theater building was destroyed.  In 1950s during the reconstruction one more floor was added. The decoration was changed in some dry and austere style with no decadent elements.

Gnat Yura led the company of theater named after Ivan Franko for 46 years until 1966. In 1930s some world famous classics were staged. They were "The Marriage of Figaro", "The Adventures of the Good Soldier". "Don Carlos", "Boris Godunov". In 1940 the theater was awarded with the title Academic Theater.

In 1940s -  1970s many talented directors such as B. Nord, B. Tyagno, B. Balaban, V. Ivchenko, V. Gakkebush, V. Ogloblin, V. Kraynichenko, V. Kharchenko, V. Sklyarenko, D. Lizogub , B. Meshkis, A. Barseghyan, D. Tchaikovsky and S. Smeyan worked in the theater.

Music composed by N. Pruslin, Yu. Meitus, S. Zhdanov, K. Dankevich, L. Revutskiy, P. Kozitskiy, V. Rozhdestvensky, A. Filippenko, A. Bilash and M. Skorik is used in the performances.

From 1987 till 2001 Sergey Danchenko was a theater director. During that period the current star company was formed including Bogdan Stupka, Stepan Oleksenko, Julia Tkachenko, Stanislav Stankevich, Anatoly Khostikoyev, Natalia Sumskaya, Bogdan Benyuk, Irina Doroshenko, Pauline Lazova, Lyudmila Smorodina and many others. In 2002 Bogdan Stupka started his job as the artistic director of the theater.

The popular plays "Aeneid" by Kotlyarevsky, " Tevye the Dairyman " by Shalom Aleichem, "White Crow" by Yury Ribchinsky, "Klein Zaches" by T. Hoffman, "The Master and Margarita" by Bulgakov, "Three Sisters" by Chekhov, "Pygmalion" by Show, "Švejk" by Hašek and "King Lear" by Shakespeare are included in the current repertory.

It was the initiative of B. Stupka to organize an experimental stage group called «Theater in the foyer”. It has not only gained the popularity among viewers but also has been transformed in a kind of laboratory in order to search for new expressive means, the director's decisions and the dramatic discoveries. There are more than 10 plays in the repertory of Theater in the foyer. They are "Overture for a meeting” by Ivan Franko, “Father” by A. Strinberg, "Love dowry” by Gabriel Garcia Marquez, “Cain" by George Byron, "Enchanted Desna" by Dovzhenko, "Dreadnoughts" by E. Grishkovets, "Sarah Bernhardt - against all odds"  by Z. Hshanovsky, "The court of Henry III» by Alexandre Dumas, "All of us cats" by M. Zalite, "Hungry sin" by V. Stefanek and “On the field of blood" by Lesya Ukrainka.