Iryna Cherkaska has died — the voice of Odesa's Ukrainian scene
The Honored Artist of Ukraine and longtime star of the Odesa Academic Musical and Drama Theatre named after V. Vasilko has died at the age of 86. The farewell will take place on February 21; we analyze why her work is part of Odesa’s cultural memory.
By Tetiana Suchkova-Ladik
February 19, 2026 · 2 min read
In brief
In Odesa, Iryna Mykytiivna Cherkaska has died — a Merited Artist of Ukraine and a long‑time actress of the Odesa Academic Ukrainian Music and Drama Theatre named after V. Vasylyk. The source of the report is the theatre’s official Facebook page; the news was also circulated by UNN. The theatre did not specify the circumstances of her death. The farewell will take place on February 21 from 11:00 to 12:00 in the foyer of the Ukrainian Theatre.
Who Iryna Cherkaska was
Iryna Cherkaska was born in Odesa, and her family moved to Kyiv while she was still a child. She graduated from the acting department of the Kyiv Institute of Theatrical Arts named after I. Karpenko‑Kary in 1962. Despite invitations from other theatres, she chose the Odesa stage — a defining professional decision for her whole life.
Notable roles and artistic contribution
Cherkaska left behind a number of notable parts in musical and dramatic productions remembered by several generations of audiences. Among them are the role of the gypsy Mavra in the 1981 production «У неділю рано зілля копала», Adela in «Тев’є‑молочник» (1984), as well as the roles of Nina in «Поріг» and Inna in «Мурлін Мурло». These works demonstrate her versatility across genres — from musical comedy to dramatic pantomime.
“The actress joyfully performed roles in numerous musical productions… she left vivid roles on stage and the love of audiences that will last for generations.”
— Odesa Academic Ukrainian Music and Drama Theatre named after V. Vasylyk (official page)
Reaction and significance for the community
The farewell for Iryna Cherkaska is being organized in the theatre’s foyer — a symbolic place where she was known not only as an actress but as part of the everyday life of the stage. Colleagues and audience members are already responding on social networks and in local media; their messages emphasize that her work was a bridge between generations — from the Soviet school of stagecraft to the modern repertoire of an independent Ukraine.
What this means
The loss of Iryna Cherkaska is not only a sad loss of an individual, but also a reminder of the role of theatre as an institution that preserves and passes on cultural memory. Her career shows how choosing a local stage can become a lasting contribution to national culture. Now the question for the community and institutions is: how to document, promote, and pass on what makes the Odesa stage unique to future generations?
Practical information
The farewell will take place on February 21 from 11:00 to 12:00 in the foyer of the Ukrainian Theatre (Odesa region). Other details from the theatre are available on its official Facebook page.
