About the theatre

Helsinki City Theatre’s extensive repertoire includes Finnish and international drama, comedies, musicals, productions by its resident dance company Helsinki Dance Company, children’s theatre, and Swedish-language productions at the bilingual Lilla Teatern.

The annual programme features more than 30 productions, including around 20 premieres, and over 800 performances. The theatre welcomes approximately 300,000 visitors each year.

In addition, some 12,000 theatre enthusiasts take part in our audience engagement activities every year. These include workshops, theatre tours, introductions to productions, theatre projects and rehearsals open to the public.

The theatre employs around 240 permanent theatre professionals, from actors and carpenters to box office staff and costume designers, as well as approximately 100 temporary employees. Artistic staff account for around 42% of our employees, technical staff for 43% and administrative staff for 15%.

Annual Report 2024

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Helsinki Dance Company, Helsinki City Theatre’s resident dance company, is the only professional dance company in Finland to operate as part of a permanent professional theatre.

Founded in 1973, the company has performed on all Helsinki City Theatre stages and toured extensively in Finland and abroad. Its dancers have also appeared in Helsinki City Theatre’s musicals and plays as dancers, singers and actors, as well as working as choreographers. Renowned for their versatility and compelling stage presence, they have brought their creative energy to productions by many leading Finnish and international choreographers and directors.

Helsinki City Theatre has two predecessors whose colourful histories form a significant part of Finnish theatre history. In 1948, Helsinki Workers’ Theatre (founded in 1902) and Helsinki People’s Theatre (founded in 1933) merged to form Helsinki People’s Theatre–Workers’ Theatre. Its most important venues were the stages at Koitto, Vallila and the Old Student House, Vanha Ylioppilastalo. It 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 design competition for the building was won by the young architect Timo Penttilä, who later gained international acclaim. The building was commissioned by the City of Helsinki and entrusted to the Theatre Foundation in September 1967.

During the renovation of the theatre building in 2015–2017, its building services were modernised and the staff and audience facilities restored with respect for the original spirit of the protected building.

Further mergers in the 2000s expanded the theatre’s activities to new stages: Studio Pasila (2001) and the Swedish-language Lilla Teatern (2005). Since 2010, Helsinki City Theatre has also used the Arena Stage on Hämeentie as one of its venues.

A visit to the theatre is a magical experience. Enjoy a magnificent evening with Dinner & Show, organise an unforgettable workplace wellbeing event for your staff, or celebrate with a large group of guests in our luxurious main foyer. Helsinki City Theatre offers a wide range of event options, combining high-quality restaurant services, workshops and theatre performances.

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Helsinki City Theatre offers a variety of ways to delve deeper into the world of theatre. We organise workshops, theatre visits, set tours and a wide range of events open to everyone. Through our audience engagement activities, we offer daycare centres, schools and other educational institutions opportunities to explore theatre and try their hand at making it themselves.