Kyiv exhibition highlights shared Ukrainian-Jewish theatrical history

On 4 November 2026, Ukraine's Museum of Theater, Music, and Cinema, located in the heart of Kyiv, hosted the grand opening of the exhibition "Shared Stage." The showcase is dedicated to the work of Ukrainian stage designers of Jewish origin and the shared Ukrainian-Jewish theatrical history.

The exhibition offers a chance to discover artists whose work became an essential part of Ukrainian theatrical arts, illustrating how the interplay of cultures, artistic traditions, and experiences shaped its development. The display features rare photographs from the museum's collection alongside dozens of original works by 20th-century theater artists. Among them are pieces by Mark Epstein, Nison Shifrin, Matvii Drak, Mykhailo Frenkel, Mykhailo Hleizer, and Viktor Hukailo. Visitors can also view works by Vadym Meller and Danylo Lider, iconic Ukrainian scenographers whose creative paths crossed with the stories of the featured artists.

The exhibition spans various periods of the 20th century, from avant-garde exploration and artistic experimentation to years of censorship, the dominance of Socialist Realism, and the cultural awakening of the late 1980s and early 1990s.

The official opening of the exhibition was inaugurated by Iryna Drobot, director of the Museum of Theater, Music, and Cinema. Welcoming attendees, she spoke about the museum's ongoing work and introduced the exhibition's curatorial and production team.

Exhibition curators Serhii and Tetiana Rudenko, who are Ukrainian scholars, art researchers, and museum professionals, shared the vision behind "Shared Stage" and spoke about the arduous journey of bringing these artifacts into the Ukrainian museum funds.

Iryna Meleshkina, a Ukrainian theater scholar, researcher of Jewish theater and the Ukrainian avant-garde, and author of Wandering Stars in Ukraine and Pages from the History of Jewish Theater, confirmed that theater history in Ukraine is genuinely multiethnic. She emphasized that it represents a history of parallel development, mutual enrichment, and solidarity between Ukrainian and Jewish cultures.

Among the special guests at the grand opening was Vladyslav Hrynevych, Jr., UJE's regional manager in Ukraine. Congratulating the curators on the launch of this landmark cultural and historical project, he noted the alignment between the exhibition's narrative and the values consistently promoted and supported in Ukraine by UJE. He also presented books published with UJE's support to Iryna Drobot.

The exhibition will run until the end of November at the Museum of Theater, Music, and Cinema on 9 Lavrska Str., 26. The project is implemented by the Lviv-based NGO "Scenography Gallery" in cooperation with the Museum of Theater, Music, and Cinema and in partnership with UNESCO in Ukraine, with financial support from the European Union in Ukraine.

The vibrant atmosphere at the Museum of Theater, Music, and Cinema during the grand opening of the "Shared Stage" exhibition. Kyiv, 4 November 2026.

Vladyslav Hrynevych, Jr., Regional Manager, UJE Ukraine