Amateur theater

Amateur theater. In the 1920s the number of amateur theaters in Soviet Ukraine performing works by local authors and professional playwrights for millions of spectators was estimated at 7,000. Some of their repertoire was taken from the journal Sil’s’kyi teatr (later Masovyi teatr). From 1930 amateur theaters were regulated by central registration and instruction facilities. During periodic performing competitions held by the Ukrainian Ministry of Culture and republican trade-union councils, a few amateur theatrical circles (eg, 58 from approx 10,000 in 1964) were granted the higher designation Amateur People's Theater, with a drama, opera, ballet, or musical comedy profile. These theaters were also responsible for preparing cultural-educational programs for tekhnikums. Because of their controlled activity and restricted repertoire and the dominance of Russian-language performances, amateur theaters did not have a positive impact in Ukraine.

[This article originally appeared in the Encyclopedia of Ukraine, vol. 5 (1993).]