Abstract:  
The subject of this research is the motives of activity of theatrical audience in rear during the initial period of the Great Patriotic War. Theatres, along with the other facilities, continued to function; and moreover, they were never empty. But the understanding of fact that people far from the frontline, working for the victory, suffered deprivations, raised the questions regarding the moral and ethical views, demands, and financial opportunities of population. The research is conducted on the example of entertainment events of Ufa – capital of Bashkir Autonomous Soviet Socialist Republic. The source base for writing this article consisted of the unpublished archive materials, as well as the published materials, including the reminiscences of participants of the events. During the course of the research, it was established that the theatre as far back as 1930’s was viewed by the government as agitation and educational platform, as a powerful and endowed with artistic virtue tool of interaction upon public consciousness that in the severe conditions were boosting the economy of the country. And because the agitation force of the theatre would have been worthless without the full audience halls, the party-state apparatus were putting effort into increasing the popularity of cultural entertainment. Namely during this period, the theatre began to define the personal prestige of a Soviet citizen. In other words, by 1941 the spectator potential in the country, especially in the cities, was rather high. The agitation-educational meaning of theatre highly increased with the beginning of war, which of course, affected the cultural policy of the state. Multiple famous theatrical troupes from Odessa, Kiev, and other cities, were evacuated to Ufa due to favorable circumstances that encouraged the interest towards theatre. The city provided affordable prices for such events, including free service for the wounded in battle and active duty sergeants. Overall, the author notes that the tragicalness of situation did not interrupt the cultural upturn.