Theatre of Coryphaei

The Theatre of Coryphaei first opened in 1882 in the city of Yelizavetgrad within the Russian Empire (now Kropyvnytskyi, Ukraine). The theatre was founded by Marko Lukich Kropyvnytskyi. After him, the most active head of the theatre was Mykola Karpovich Sadovsky, who promoted the use of Ukrainian language and the Ukrainian theatre at a time when both were banned by the Russian empire.
The names of Maria Zankovetska and are also associated with the theatre.
The style of syncretic theatre, which combined dramatic and comedic action with musical and vocal scenes, including choral and dance ensembles, struck a purely folk freshness and dissimilarity to any existing theatre. 
Origin of the term.
The book "Coryphaei of the Ukrainian Stage" was published in Kyiv in the year 1901. Due to censorship, it was written anonymously by leading Ukrainian intellectuals. Marko Kropyvnytskyi, Mykhailo Starytsky Ivan Tobilevich and others were first named as part of coryphaei Ukrainian theatre in this book. This somewhat poetic term has become inseparable from the theatre.
History.
In 1881, after many years of struggle of the coryphaei, Ukrainians were able to stage performances in the Ukrainian language. Although many restrictions remained (for example, before each Ukrainian performance, a Russian one had to take place), this step by the Ministry of Internal Affairs nevertheless legalized the Ukrainian theatre.
In 1885, the only theatre troupe at that time split up: Marko Kropyvnytskyi and his actors separated from Mikhailo Starytsky and his supporters. Both groups immediately began independent and creative lives.
In 1887, they performed in Kazan. The performances were attended by many Polish people, who, according to the journalist of the magazine "Kurjer Lwowski," "Shevchenko's speech is more understandable than local Russians."
In 1907, Mikola Karpovich Sadovsky managed to open the first permanent Ukrainian theatre in Kyiv, .
The theatre's repertoire included performances such as "A Zaporozhian beyond the Danube," "The Bartered Bride," "Gal'ka", "Kateryna," and Kotlyarevsky's "Eneyida." Of note was the production of Gogol's "The Government Inspector" in Ukrainian.
Mykola Sadovsky made his theatre truly popular, offering an accessible repertoire and ticket prices that were significantly lower than the other Kyiv theatres.
The Sadovsky Theatre lasted for seven years, until the outbreak of the World War I (1914), when the authorities closed not only the theatre but also all Ukrainian newspapers, magazines, and bookstores.