Lado Aleksi-Meskhishvili, after whom the theatre building is named, led the Kutaisi theatre from 1894 to 1905, before the current building existed. Although the building was not yet constructed, the Kutaisi theatrical community had been active for over a century. It all began on March 3, 1861, when the very first historic performance took place in Kutaisi, featuring stage enthusiasts performing the comedy “Gakra” (“Divorce”) by playwright Giorgi Eristavi – marking the beginning of a new era in the history of Georgian theatre.

Did you know that…

1. In 1880, a professional theatre troupe was established in Kutaisi, and in 1885, the renowned actor and director Kote Meshi took its leadership.

2. In 1928, the second state theatre was established in Kutaisi under the name Kutaisi-Batumi Theatre, led by Kote Marjanishvili. During two theatre seasons, the great director and reformer of Georgian theatre staged some of his best performances here, alongside a stellar ensemble of Georgian stage actors.

3. The Kutaisi Theatre was named after Lado Meskhishvili in 1940.