City Theatre brings children’s and young people’s perspectives on climate change to the stage

For the first time, Helsinki City Theatre’s and ShedHelsinki’s Christmas in the Forest will also bring the perspective of children and young people with special needs to climate change. The Finnish musical theatre novelty is a Christmas story about a surprising friendship and the importance of forests.

The new Christmas musical Forest Christmas , which deviates from the mainstream and takes into account children and young people with special needs, will premiere at the Helsinki City Theatre’s Studio Pasila on 7 December. The script of the musical, directed by Heikki Sankari , is written by the ShedHelsinki working group, whose children and young people get to influence the content of the play’s text during the rehearsal process.

” At Metsä Christmas , I want to emphasize theatre play, and let children and young people come forward not only as performers, but also bring out their voices and perspectives on the subject. Last spring, young people raised their concerns about climate change under the leadership of Greta Thunberg , and in recent weeks, the forest fires in the Amazon have caused concern. Now young people can also have a voice on the topic on the theatre stage. A theatre group like this creates a good platform for solidarity-based growth,” says director Heikki Sankari.

Christmas in the Forest is a fast-paced and Christmassy story about a surprising friendship, the protection of biodiversity and what is most important about Christmas. 

The play tells the story of the Kuusinen family, who have just moved into a new home for Christmas. However, the anticipation of Christmas is overshadowed by her mother’s unemployment. The family’s children Usko, Toivo and Lempi decide to go to the forest to find a Christmas tree for the family, which they cannot afford to buy this year. In the forest, they meet the animals and trees of the forest, which can also speak. When the forest is threatened again by a new construction project, the children decide to work together with the animals to save the forest. First, they need to find a way to prevent the logging of the forest. They are faced with a greedy mayor and his assistants.

The musical features more than a hundred children and young people aged 8-21, most of whom have been involved in ShedHelsinki’s musical theatre activities since the beginning (2016), and some will take to the big stage for the first time. Some of the young people are reeling around in wheelchairs, others are helped by performing to concentrate – and everyone has the courage and desire to put themselves on the line.

The new music for the work was composed by Tuomas Kesälä, who also acts as the conductor of the four-piece orchestra. The choreography is designed by Tiina Peltonen and Jyri Numminen and the set and costumes by Vilma Mattila. The lighting design is by Teppo Saarinen.

Age recommendation from 4 years old.

ShedHelsinki in brief
ShedHelsinki is a musical theatre project that differs from the mainstream, where the journey is more meaningful than the destination. The activities enable children and young people to be presented as their own, unique individuals. Together and safely.

The goal is to establish musical theatre that emphasises diversity in Finland and to make Finland a place where people dare to believe in their dreams and be seen just as they are.

ShedHelsinki is inspired by the London-based Chickenshed Theatre, which has been making art out of diversity together with children and young people for more than 40 years.

ShedHelsinki Foundation in brief
A foundation established by Elisa in 2017 with the purpose of making ShedHelsinki’s operations long-term. The Foundation’s most important work is done through musical theatre activities. Thanks to it, children and young people find friends and get to try out and develop their skills. The Foundation enables diverse child and youth work that takes special needs children into account. Together with its partners, the Foundation supports creative performance events and events, such as musicals.

Christmas in the forest premieres on 7.12.2019 at 2 pm and 7 pm at the Helsinki City Theatre’s studio in Pasila (Ratamestarinkatu 5)
Tickets: 39 € (incl. pm)

Helsinki City Theatre ticket office, First Line 2, Mon-Fri 9 a.m. to 5.30 p.m., Eläintarhantie 5 Sat 11 a.m. to 7 p.m. and one hour before the performance and Lippupiste Mon-Sat 9 a.m. to 9 p.m., Sun 10 a.m. to 6 p.m., tel. 0600 900 900 (2 €/min + local network charge) 
www.hkt.fi 

https://www.shedhelsinki.fi/
https://hkt.fi/

@hktfi @ShedHelsinki #jokainenkelpaa

Further information and interview requests:
Helsinki City Theatre, Communications Manager Kaisa Pelkonen, 040 552 3788, kaisa.pelkonen@hkt.fi
Katiye Vuorela, Senior Vice President, Communications, Elisa Corporation, 050 66997, katiye.vuorela@elisa.fi
Riikka Kannas, Project Director, ShedHelsinki, 040 354 6331, riikka@shedhelsinki.fi

Press photos can be found in the image bank and press releases in the newsroom.
 

Helsinki City Theatre, Ensi linja 2, 00530 Helsinki