At the beginning of the 20th century, the theater underwent serious changes: a new profession was established - director, a new understanding of the metaphorical space of performances came, and in parallel the science of theater was formed. Scattered circles and associations of people writing about theater required institutionalization, and in 1921, on the basis of the State Institute of Theater Studies, the Theater Section of the Russian Academy of Arts Sciences was organized. This book is an outline of the history of its creation, several years of hard work, and its dramatic death during the months of the “great turning point.” How was domestic theater studies born? What key scientific discussions took place within the walls of the Teasection, what methodological and theoretical tasks did scientists set for themselves? Who and how set the direction and structure of research on the art of theater? The book is written based on archival materials stored in RGALI. Violetta Gudkova – Doctor of Art History, leading researcher at the Institute of Art History, author of many works on the history of literature and theater.