Helsinki City Theatre increases the arts and culture offering in Northeast Helsinki in the Spotlight Northeast project

In the spotlight, Koillinen will be implemented in the districts of Tapulikaupunki, Suutarila, Siltamäki, Puistola and Tapanila in 2019-2021, and in addition to the Helsinki City Theatre, it will also include the Zodiak Centre for New Dance, the North Helsinki Band School and Teatteri Tuike. At the heart of the project is the interaction between the residents of the area and the project. In the spotlight, Koillinen invites all residents of the area to participate in art activities, not only as spectators but also as creators. Together and separately, the operators will work in residential environments close to the residents’ everyday lives, out of traditional theatre and performance spaces. The project is part of the Helsinki model, which is part of the city’s Culture and Leisure Division.

At the Helsinki City Theatre’s Spotlight, Koillinen is led and implemented by theatre expression directors Laura Ikonen, Jenny Jumppanen and Janne Puustinen from HKT’s audience outreach. This dynamic trio works smoothly in different roles of theatre making, directing, scripting, teaching and performing themselves. Other staff members of the Helsinki City Theatre also participate in the implementation of the activities.

“We hope to meet as many people of different ages and backgrounds as possible, with whom we can start dealing with topics arising from the area through theatre. As professionals and artists of applied theatre, we are particularly interested in the people of the area and their stories, dreams and ideas – even the craziest ones!”, says the Spotlight Koillinen team from the Helsinki City Theatre.

Helsinki City Theatre began its three-year artistic work in the area by preparing a children’s theatre performance in cooperation with the North Helsinki Band School. In early 2019, the artists carried out workshops at the Suutarila and Tapulikaupunki daycare centres, which resulted in a children’s theatre performance based on children’s experiences and stories. The performance will be shown in the area for both open and daycare groups. During the spring, the performance will also be seen in the Siltamäki and Puistola service homes, where daycare children are invited to watch the performance together with the elderly.

Once upon a time there was a child

“When you can’t have everything, but you really can’t have everything.”

Five extraordinary researchers came to the Suutarila and Tapulikaupunki area to study a very interesting and even slightly confusing topic: children’s lives. The research went brilliantly, the answers surprised the research team, and in the end, the collected material resulted in a children’s theatre performance Once Upon a Time.

“When you came here, I was wondering
How cartoons can be made
Where are dogs born
How the world is made up
How you are made
And how do you do a flip?

I’m a little interested too
And I would like to investigate a little
See the snowflake in more detail
Being underwater
Buy Magic Sand
and a big slime.”

Once Upon a Time a Child open performances:
Mon 1.4. at 6 p.m. Tapulikaupunki Library (Note. Before the performance, you can get to know the makers of the Spotlight Northeast project from 5 p.m.)
Wed 3.4. at 6 p.m. Suutarila community center / primary school banquet hall

Duration approx. 35 min. The performances are free of charge. Age recommendation from 4 years and up.

Working group: Laura Ikonen, Jenny Jumppanen, Janne Puustinen, Anna-Maria Vänskä (Helsinki City Theatre) and Aleksi Kinnunen (North Helsinki Band School).

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Further information and interview requests: Helsinki City Theatre, Communications Officer Kaisa Pelkonen, kaisa.pelkonen@hkt.fi, 040 552 3788

Helsinki City Theatre, Ensi linja 2, 00530 Helsinki