The research deals with phenomenon of stage art as one of the components of mass art in modern independent Ukraine. An attempt to determine the essence of stage art as a phenomenon is made and its specifics in Ukrainian mass culture is analysed. Taking into account entertaining function of mass art as well as its focus on the average customer, we can tell of the existence of such elements of mass art as film industry, television and stage art. Clear words and content, simple plot lines built on the use of a system of binary oppositions (the hero – the anti-hero, love - hatred, romance – calculation, male - female) – all of them are the unifying features of mass art.
The first part of the work offers the definition of stage art as phenomenon. It includes the overview of origins and prerequisites of the emergence of Ukrainian stage art.
The second part of the work is devoted to the analysis of the peculiarities of development of stage art in Ukraine of the independence period. It highlights main stages of multifaceted evolution of our Ukrainian stage art in the context of non-Ukrainian, predominantly, harmful for national identity cultural and ideological influences. Nevertheless it succeeded and overcame the path from total Russification and neglect to its self-awareness and declaration of its self-identity and demonstration of its cultural products to the whole world.
