Marko Kropyvnytskyi

Marko Kropyvnytskyi
Марко Кропивницький
Kropyvnytskyi in the 1890s
Born22 May [O.S. 7 May] 1840
Bezhbairaky, Russian Empire
Died21 April [O.S. 8 April] 1910 (aged 69)
Resting placeKharkiv, Ukraine
OccupationWriter, dramaturge, composer, theatre actor and director
LanguageUkrainian
Signature

Marko Lukych Kropyvnytskyi (Ukrainian: Марко Лукич Кропивницький; 22 May [O.S. 7 May] 1840 – 21 April [O.S. 8 April] 1910) was a Ukrainian writer, dramaturge, composer, theatre actor and director. Over his career Kropyvnytskyi wrote 40 plays, played in over 500 roles of various repertoire, as well as writing several songs.

In 1875, he was invited by Theophilia Romanovich to the theatrical society Ruska Besida (in English: Ruthenian conversation), and is attributed to be one of the founders of the first professional Ukrainian theatre, The Ruska Besida Theater.