About the Theatre
Helsinki City Theatre is Finland’s largest and most diverse professional theatre, offering audiences unforgettable experiences and meaningful stories across its five stages.
The City Theatre’s extensive programme includes Finnish and international drama, comedy, musical theatre, productions by its own dance company Helsinki Dance Company, children’s performances and performances in Swedish at the bilingual Lilla Teatern.
The programme features more than 30 different productions each year, including over 20 premieres and more than 800 performances. The theatre welcomes approximately 300,000 audience members annually.
In addition, around 12,000 theatre enthusiasts take part in the theatre’s audience engagement activities each year, including workshops, open rehearsals, guided tours, introductions to productions and theatre projects.
The theatre employs around 240 permanent theatre professionals, from actors and carpenters to ticket sales staff and costume designers, as well as approximately 100 temporary employees. Artistic personnel account for around 42% of the staff, technical personnel for around 43% and administrative personnel for around 15%.
The theatre’s turnover is approximately 10 million euros, and its annual budget is approximately 29 million euros, including operating, renovation and rent subsidies. The theatre’s self-financing share is around 40 percent.
Helsinki City Theatre is maintained by the Helsinki Theatre Foundation (1965 -), whose board is appointed by the Group Sub-committee of the Helsinki City Executive Committee. The current Chair of the Board is Veronika Honkasalo (Left Alliance), and the Vice-Chair is Minna Lindgren (Greens). The other members are Maaret Castrén (National Coalition Party), Erkki Tuomioja (Social Democratic Party), Sampo Laurikainen (Left Alliance), Lukas Korpelainen (Greens), and official member Katri Vänttinen (Director of Library Services, City of Helsinki).
The staff representatives on the Board are stage manager Sasu Tuominen, actors Antti Timonen and Vappu Nalbantoglu, dramaturg Sanna Niemeläinen and dancer Mikko Paloniemi.
Theatre Director is Kari Arffman, Production Director Antti Rehtijärvi, Director of Finance and Administration Viena Loire, and Director of Marketing and Communications Vilma Karvonen.
Our own dance company, Helsinki Dance Company
Helsinki City Theatre’s dance company, Helsinki Dance Company, is the only dance company in Finland to operate as part of a permanent professional theatre.
Founded in 1973, the company has created productions for all of the City Theatre’s stages and toured both in Finland and abroad. Its dancers have also taken part in musicals and plays produced by Helsinki City Theatre, working as dancers, singers, actors and choreographers. They have distinguished themselves as versatile stage artists whose creative energy has inspired many leading Finnish and international choreographers and directors.
The company’s artistic directors have been Jorma Uotinen (1987-90), Carolyn Carlson (1991-92), Marjo Kuusela (1992-96), Kenneth Kvarnström (1996-99), Ari Tenhula (2000-02), Nigel Charnock (2003-05), Ville Sormunen (2006-09), Kenneth Kvarnström (2010-13), Jyrki Karttunen (2013-17), Antti Lahti (2020-2024) and Valtteri Raekallio (from 1.8.2024).
History
Helsinki City Theatre has two predecessors whose colourful histories form an important part of Finnish theatre history. Helsingin Työväenteatteri, founded in 1902, and Helsingin Kansanteatteri, founded in 1933, merged in 1948 to form Helsingin Kansanteatteri-Työväenteatteri. Its most important performance venues were Koiton näyttämö, Vallilan näyttämö and Vanha Ylioppilastalo. Kansanteatteri-Työväenteatteri became Helsinki City Theatre in 1965, when the Helsinki Theatre Foundation was established and the decision was made to construct a new theatre building.
The architectural competition for the theatre building was won by the young architect Timo Penttilä, who would later achieve international acclaim. The building was commissioned by the City of Helsinki and transferred to the Theatre Foundation’s administration in September 1967.
The theatre was later extended with the Elsa wing, completed in autumn 1989 and designed by Arkkitehdit Oy Timo Penttilä-Kari Lind-Sakari Tilanterä.
During the theatre building’s renovation in 2015-2017, its building services were upgraded and the staff and public areas restored in keeping with the spirit of the protected building. The renovation was commissioned by the Premises Centre of the City of Helsinki Real Estate Department, with SRV serving as the building contractor. The architectural design was carried out by LPR-Arkkitehdit Oy in collaboration with Helsinki City Museum.
In the 2000s, the theatre also expanded its operations to new stages. Through mergers, it began operating at Studio Pasila in the former premises of Teatteri Pieni Suomi (2001) and at the Swedish-language Lilla Teatern (2005). Since 2010, HKT productions have also been staged at the Arena Stage on Hämeentie.
Directors of HKT
Sakari Puurunen 1965-70
Timo Tiusanen and Eugen Terttula 1970-74
Paavo Liski and Jouko Turkka 1975-82
Ralf Långbacka 1983-87
Aulis Salovaara (Managing Director) 1974-75, 1982-83, 1987-91
Jotaarkka Pennanen (Main Stage), Kalle and Ritva Holmberg (Small Stage), Jorma Uotinen (dance company) 1987-90
Raija-Sinikka Rantala 1991-31.7.1997
Risto Ruohonen 1.8.-31.12.1997
Asko Sarkola 1998-2016
Kari Arffman 2016-
Seating capacity by stage (including wheelchair spaces):
- Main Stage 923
- Small Stage 318
- Lilla Teatern 250
- Arena Stage 500
- Studio Pasila 328
- Foyers 50-100