Ukrainian theater actress Iryna Cherkaska dies in Odesa

Honored Artist of Ukraine Iryna Cherkaska, a longtime actress of the V. Vasylko Odesa Academic Ukrainian Music and Drama Theater, has died in Odesa. The funeral will take place on February 21 in the theater's lobby.

This was reported by the press service of the V. Vasylko Odesa Academic Ukrainian Music and Drama Theater.

Honored Artist of Ukraine Iryna Cherkaska, one of the brightest actresses of the Odesa Ukrainian stage and a longtime star of the Odesa Academic Ukrainian Music and Drama Theater named after V. Vasylko, passed away in Odesa.

According to the theater, Iryna Mykytivna was born in Odesa and spent her childhood in Kyiv, where she graduated from the Karpenko-Kary Kyiv Institute of Theater Arts. After graduating in 1962, she chose the Odesa Ukrainian Theater, although she had been invited from other cities. Her first role was Sofia in the play Talentless.

Over the years, the actress has created dozens of vivid images in productions of Ukrainian and world classics and contemporary drama. The audience remembers her in the plays On Sunday Morning She Dug Herbs, Tevye the Milkman, Murlin Murlo, Dinner at Sunlis and others. In 1981, she was awarded the title of Honored Artist of Ukraine. Among her awards are the Order of Princess Olga, the Labor Glory medal, and numerous honorary awards.

In addition to the stage, Cherkaska has acted in films, including Melody for a Sharmanka, as well as in the films and TV series Lonely Angel, Rubinchik's Shop, and Resort Police. Until her last days, she took to the stage, and during the celebration of the theater's 100th anniversary in November 2025, the audience gave her a standing ovation.

The farewell to the actress will take place on February 21 from 11:00 to 12:00 in the foyer of the Ukrainian Theater in Odesa.

Also in Odesa, Doctor of Philosophy, Professor at the I. I. Mechnikov Odesa National University, Liudmyla Terentyeva, died. She devoted more than half a century to science and educated many generations of students. She was the wife of Avenir Uyomov, Doctor of Philosophy at Odesa National University, who died in May 2012.

Анна Бальчінос