UKRAINIAN MUSIC AND DRAMA THEATRE AFTER 2014: TRANSFORMATIONS, CHALLENGES, AND MODELS OF NATIONAL CULTURAL REPRESENTATION

Abstract

The article explores in detail the transformational processes in Ukrainian musical and dramatic theatre after 2014, situating them within the broader socio-political and cultural shifts provoked by the Revolution of Dignity, the annexation of Crimea, the ongoing armed aggression of the Russian Federation, the intensification of national self-awareness, and the wave of cultural decolonization. Under these complex historical conditions, theatre emerges not merely as an artistic phenomenon but also as a powerful instrument of civic education, a factor of social influence, a tool of cultural resistance, a medium for reflecting identity, and an effective platform for social therapy. Particular attention is devoted to the capacity of theatre to function as a mediator between personal experience and collective memory during wartime circumstances, social instability, and the struggle for the affirmation of national subjectivity. The study highlights the increasing presence of new artistic tendencies such as postdramatic theatre, documentary and verbatim practices, political and performative approaches, as well as inclusive forms of stage art that integrate visual, corporeal, musical, and audial components of performance. It is emphasized that Ukrainian theatre demonstrates a growing ability to interact with urgent social contexts, respond to contemporary political challenges, and construct new models of public communication. This dynamic process is facilitated through the application of modern technologies, interactive formats, and intermedial or cross-disciplinary artistic syntheses. The analysis focuses on the stage practices of both leading institutional and independent theatres, among them the Lesia Ukrainka Theatre in Lviv, PostPlay Theatre, the Kyiv Academic Drama and Comedy Theatre on the Left Bank of the Dnipro, together with innovative cultural initiatives such as “GogolFest,” “Veterans’ Theatre,” and “Week of Contemporary Play,” which actively redefine the role of theatre in society. The methodological framework of the article is grounded in cultural analysis of stage texts, supplemented by instruments of content analysis, principles of modern theatre criticism, and an interdisciplinary perspective that combines approaches from cultural studies, performance studies, and sociology of art. The research demonstrates that Ukrainian theatre after 2014 fulfills crucial social, humanitarian, and political functions: it acts as a space for open dialogue, collective reflection, and the symbolic construction of a new cultural reality. Furthermore, the article outlines the prospects for further development of theatre as a public institution capable of simultaneously shaping civic consciousness, safeguarding historical and cultural memory, and offering innovative modes of artistic thinking that correspond to the challenges of a rapidly changing world.