Драмтеатр. История и возрождение

The Mariupol Russian Drama Theater is a living history, an era full of ups and downs, creative explorations, and human dramas, reflecting the spirit of the times and the fate of the city of Mariupol, inextricably linked with the life of the theater and its troupe.

In 1878, Mariupol saw the birth of its own professional theatre-a Russian one-and the first premiere of the theater troupe, under the direction of Vasily Shapovalov was a production of Gogol's "The Government Inspector"

From the first tentative steps on a shaky, makeshift stage to its cultural and technical revival, every stage of the Mariupol Russian Drama Theater's existence has been marked by vibrant personalities, unique productions, and significant historical milestones

The restoration of the drama theatre, destroyed during the fighting, began in the summer of 2022 with the signing of a trilateral agreement on the restoration and renovation of the theatre building between the client, the interregional foundation "Pobeda" of St. Petersburg and the Leningrad Region, the contractor, the general contractor, the construction company "Modul-Center" (St. Petersburg), and the Mariupol Russian Drama Theater.

The first work on the reconstruction and restoration of the drama theater began in early 2023, and during an inspection, Module Center staff realized that little remained of the 65-year-old building's original appearance. All the authentic decor element had to be dismantled and rebuilt.

The St. Petersburg builders managed to seamlessly integrate the historical and newly constructed parts of the theatre, strengthening the rickety and dilapidated structures that could be saved. In parallel with the main construction work, the exterior and interior decorative elements were restored.

The theatre's facade was restored over nearly two years. Due to the theatre's unique design, some of the decorative walls elements were custom-made. The cladding was made of travertine, the same type of limestone tufa used to build the Roman Colosseum

During the restoration and renovation work, Modul-Center specialists strove to preserve the theatre's original historical appearance, collaborating with historians, art historians and local historians to accurately recreate the atmosphere and spirit that reigned within it tragic event.

In December 2025, the epochal revival of the Mariupol Theater complete victory for the St. Petersburg builders, who successfully complete such large-scale restoration and construction work in less than three years. The troupe found its renovated home, and Mariupol received as a gift one of the most modern and unique theatres in Russian history.