INFO

‘Stepfamily Carousel - almost a musical’ is an unbridled show about relationships and living in a family with all the hilarious opportunities and obstacles that may occur. In this carousel, written and directed by Ria Kataja, everybody has their own peculiar ride to ride on.

What’s it like to fall in love with a single person when you’re a divorced parent yourself? What’s it like to care for somebody else’s child? What to do when you get the feeling of not belonging? Or how do you keep everything in order while you’d rather lock yourself in the bathroom to do breathing exercises with a paper bag? (Or when you start to sing in a major key?)

‘...And speaking about blended families, one hasn’t learnt to live together in the same way as in a nuclear family. One hasn’t drifted into doing so. One is slammed into doing so. Suddenly, you’re in a situation where everyone brings their own culture into the dynamic. Their own points of view. Their habits. Broken hearts. Assumptions. Dreams…’

Ria Kataja has been living her entire life in a stepfamily. While writing this show, she interviewed the CEO of the Stepfamily Association of Finland, psychotherapist Kirsi Heikinheimo and therapists Anna Aarnio and Petteri Salonen from Tulenkantajat Pori. In this show we’ll see fragmentary images from the lives of people living in a stepfamily setting as well as the views of professionals who deal with stepfamilies.

Maarit and Teemu Niemelä are a couple of actor-musicians who are also a real-life couple living in a stepfamily. They play all the multiple characters in the show. Due to their background as musical theatre actors this show has plenty of musical numbers and choreographies!

Meno on välillä kuoppaista tai jopa liian kitkerää, toki aina riippuen kokijasta. Mutta koska suunta on sama, päämääräkin lopulta hahmottuu yhteiseksi. Vaan minkälainen on se polku, jota pitkin päästään perille? Sehän on tietenkin jokaisella uniikki ja omanlainen.

The road is oftentimes bumpy and hard to travel, depending on who you ask, of course. But since the heading is the same, the goal will also morph into a shared one. But how does the path to get there turn out to be? It is, of course, unique.

‘... And you there, sitting in the auditorium, you don’t need to be living in a stepfamily to enjoy this show. Of course not! On the other hand, you’ll never know what life throws in your way… Because, before a stepfamily can come into being, there has to be at least one child and one falling in love.’

Do you dare to jump in on this ride?

CAST & CREATIVE

Written and directed by Ria Kataja

Cast: Maarit Niemelä, Teemu Niemelä

Music: Teemu Niemelä

Costume design: Siru Kosonen

Costumer: Sara Lehtonen

Choreography: Tiina Santavuo

Lighting design: Jyrki Sinisalo

Sound design: Pedro García Diaz, Teemu Niemelä, Sami Rosnell

Technical staff: Jarno Santalähde, Pedro García Diaz, Andrew Ahtiainen, Sami Rosnell

Graphic design, projections and videos: Ville Salén

Additional graphic design: Christian Vaarapuro

​​​​​​​Animations: Mika Koskinen

​​​​​​​Photography: Eeva Meusel

Prompter: Roni Breilin

In collaboration with: Anna Aarnio and Petteri Salonen (Tulenkantajat), Kirsi Heikinheimo (Stepfamily Association of Finland)

Dates & Tickets

Autumn 2022

Venue: Kehräämö​​​​​​​
Thu Nov 24 7:00pm
Thu Dec 1 7:00pm
Thu Dec 12 7:00pm

Spring 2023

Thu Jan 5 6:30pm
Fri Jan 6 7:00pm
Sat Jan 14 2:00pm
Fri Feb 3 7:00pm
Sat Feb 18 2:00pm
Fri Mar 10 7:00pm
Sat Mar 18 2:00pm
Fri Mar 24 7:00pm
Sat Mar 25 2:00pm
Thu Mar 30 6:30pm
Thu Apr 6 6:30pm
Sat Apr 8 2:00pm
Sat Apr 22 6:00pm
Fri Apr 28 7:00pm
Sat Apr 29 6:00pm
Sat May 13 2:00pm

Tickets 30/26/17€​​​​​​​

The show is in Finnish

PG 15

Duration approx. 2h 15 min. (incl. interval)

Doors open 1h before show time.