The "quadrum" stage of the Chernihiv Music and Drama Theater is empty; every step on the parquet echoes with a dull thud, cracks run along the walls, and the luxurious auditorium is covered with a thick film. We protect it from dust, and sometimes the plaster still crumbles - explains Serhiy Moisienko, who has been the head of the theater for almost ten years. - People don't work in the theater; they serve, even the directors. 
He smiles and recalls how he has tried to do everything he could to make it cozy and aesthetically pleasing, to make actors want to create, and to make people come.
Before russia's full-scale invasion, the theater's troupe included 186 people: actors, musicians, and stagehands. The artistic director was Andriy Bakirov, one of the most sought-after theater directors in the country. They had performances and tours all over Ukraine and grateful audiences. All the efforts seemed to be finally justified, and the theater would have a bright future ahead.
The war changed the plans. Part of the troupe left the city surrounded by the enemy, some joined the Armed forces to defend Ukraine, and the theater became a temporary shelter for many Chernihiv residents. Even after the liberation of the Chernihiv region in April 2022, the resumption of the theater season seemed inappropriate. The damaged city had to resume everyday life, bring people back home, and get used to the new conditions. 
- But even when everything here was complicated and depressing: houses were destroyed, roads were broken, trolleybus lines were torn, some people still came to the theater underground, communicated with each other through social networks, and held creative meetings, - recalls Serhiy Moisienko.
The troupe gathered for the first rehearsals in August 2022, and in September, the first play was performed at the Chernihiv Music and Drama Theater. It was a sold-out performance. The theater gave Chernihiv residents hope and saved them. On August 19, 2023, the townspeople came to save the theater. At about 11:30 am, a russian Iskander cruise missile hit the building. 
The roof was destroyed, the facade, equipment, and decorations were damaged, almost all the windows were smashed, and the auditorium was damaged. - I could see the sun from our stage on the parquet, -says Serhiy Moisienko. - There were no windows and doors, the plaster was on the floor, the auditorium roof was destroyed, and the sky was visible. There was such an internal stupor, just no emotions, just numbness and an attempt to analyze, think, think, think how to get out of this situation.
Emergency workers, theater employees, and Chernihiv residents immediately joined in the rubble removal. Over 150 people gathered the day after the shelling for a cleanup and continued to come every day as long as needed despite the danger of collapses.
After the building was cleaned and inspected by the relevant services, it was declared an emergency, with 70% of the theater's premises unusable. But this did not stop the life of the Chernihiv Music and Drama Theater. 
The theater held its first rehearsal on August 22, the fourth day after the missile attack. The season was started almost on schedule on October 6, with the premiere of Sin by Volodymyr Vynnychenko. At the same time, the theater began to undergo the first repairs. The roof and walls needed immediate conservation to preserve the building and its interior before the autumn and winter. Initially, the theater installed new windows, replaced the doors, and decorated the entrance gallery for visitors' safety.
The International Fund, "Partnership for a Strong Ukraine," the French Agency for International Technical Expertise in France, and the Center for Art Assistance to Ukraine (Germany) were involved in the restoration of the building. In October 2023, during a working visit to Chernihiv, British Ambassador to Ukraine Martin Harris announced plans to provide 93,000 pounds to restore the drama theater.
These conservation works, not the final ones, will allow the theater to function stably.
- We are currently looking for a donor to produce project documentation; given that it is an architectural monument, there should be a restoration project. There are decorative stucco moldings everywhere and unique arched roof vault systems, and they need to be restored, so there is much work to be done, - says Serhiy Moisienko. 
After a detailed examination, the final budget for restoring the Chernihiv Music and Drama Theater will be formed.
The project is added to the DREAM ecosystem - https://bit.ly/3SHghLk
The DREAM Project Office created the material within the GIZ Ukraine Sustainable Society Cluster framework, funded by the German Government and implemented by Deutsche Gesellschaft für Internationale Zusammenarbeit (GIZ) GmbH.