Theater in town and city in the theater: a single cultural space

Interaction between the city and the theater is regarded as a process of creating a common cultural space. At three examples the authors indicate how cultural space of the city called in the article «Ring of industrial culture» influences its citizens. The first example-сity of Essen receive the status of «Cultural Capital of Europe 2010», project «Ring of industrial culture». The second example taken from the history of Russian cities is the contribution of theaters of Samara (Kuibyshev) towards consolidation of the elites. The phenomenon of theater in the Russian industrial monotowns is introduced on example of town Novokuibyshevsk, the theater «Fringe» and the festival «PlatForm». The authors raise the question of the using of meaning «Rings of industrial culture» in the modern Russian monotowns.