The Latvian Puppet Theatre has announced that in October and November, it will be visiting five specialised boarding schools in Latvia’s various regions to present the concert performance “One, Two, Three, Now You are Free!” In partnership with the Citadele Bank, the puppet theatre will delight nearly 1,000 children throughout the country.
“Guest performances are always special for the Puppet Theatre,” says the marketing and communications director of the Latvian Puppet Theatre, Liene Paukšēna. “It is a celebration for the actors and for audience members, particularly when we visit Latvia’s regions. Not all children in those regions can attend performances in Rīga, and that is particularly difficult for children with special needs. We believe that these guest performances are vitally necessary to educate and delight young viewers in Latvia’s regions. This kind of concert performance is special, and the Puppet Theatre has not performed that kind of show for quite some time. Children at regional boarding schools will see one of the most important additions to the repertoire of our theatre, which is currently celebrating its 70th anniversary.
“Citadele will finance the Puppet Theatre’s performance at boarding schools in Gaujiena, Purmsāti, Pamūša, Adamova and Upesgrīva,” says the director for corporate communications at the Citadele Bank, Baiba Ābelniece. “We are delighted at the response from schools and local governments, which have looked for appropriate facilities at schools or cultural centres so that other children from the local parish can also be invited to attend the show. We hope that this will help to integrate differently abled people into society so that the show can be attended by differently abled children from the specialised boarding schools, as well as by other local children. It is essential for every child to be able to experience such wonderful cultural events irrespective of where they live and how healthy they are. We are convinced that by joining together in being delighted about the exciting performance by actors from the Latvian Puppet Theatre, the children will feel equal in other life situations, as well.”
One of the Citadele Bank’s goals is to expand opportunities for differently abled people and to help them to become integrated into society. This social responsibility programme involves the “You Are. You Can” movement, which is open to anyone who supports these ideas and wants to help to strengthen the belief of differently abled people in their own strengths, also dealing with others who have become confused because of difficulties and shifting economic circumstances. Now the Latvian Puppet Theatre has joined in this activity.
“We have always tried to bring joy to children in Latvia’s regions, and we have supported poor children, differently abled children, crisis centres and charitable organisations,” says Paukšēna. “The Latvian Puppet Theatre is special among Latvia’s theatres, because its target audience relates to preschool and elementary school children. Audience members at the Puppet Theatre are still developing their personalities, and that very much involves learning about the surrounding world.”
“One, Two, Three, Now You are Free!” is a 40-minute puppet show about how the puppets are going on holiday. They find themselves in an unaccustomed environment, and together with the actors, they have to deal with various peculiar events. The puppets and the actors work together to survive the challenges and to return home safely. The performance is also interesting in that the music was composed by the well-known musician and composer Aigars Voitišķis. This is the maestro’s first experience with the Puppet Theatre, and this concert performance will have an unprecedented sound. Lyrics from the song come from the poetess Mirdza Ķempe, who was the first artistic director of the Latvian Puppet Theatre from 1944 until 1947.
“One, Two, Three, Now You are Free!” is staged by director Laila Kirmuška, with music by Aigars Voitišķis, set design by Anita Znutiņa-Šēve, and choreographer Lilija Lipora. The actors from the Latvian Puppet Theatre who take part have lovely voices – Dace Vītola, Anrijs Sirmais and Arnita Jaunzeme.
“One, Two, Three, Now You are Free!” will be staged at the school in Gaujiena at 2:30 PM on October 14, at the Pamūša school at 11:00 AM on October 16, at the Adamova school at 3:00 PM on October 21, at the Abava Parish Cultural Centre for students from the Upesgrīva school and others at 3:00 PM on October 21, and at the Priekule Cultural Centre for students from the Purmsāti school and others at 11:00 AM on October 15.