Riihimäki's new, magnificent summer theater is one of the finest in Finland

The new summer theater will become Riksu's lively cultural grove

Riihimäki city theatergoers and youth theatergoers can't seem to stay in their skins when describing the modern and functional summer theater that will be completed this summer. It will be completed in a familiar place in Allinna's monttu, where a covered grandstand, technical space, public toilets and a cafe building have been built. The staff has its own dressing room, toilet and maintenance facilities.

"To think that we have a covered grandstand, decent seats for spectators instead of benches on the slope, service facilities, eight water toilets and a cafe run by an entrepreneur. This has been long overdue. I'm not sure if any of us believed that this would ever become a reality. I move every time I visit a theater site. It will be such a wonderful summer cultural grove. The covered space gives a lot of opportunities for different occasions", enthuses the producer of the Riihimäki Youth Theatre Mint Seppo.

Actor Maija Siljander thank the actors' dressing rooms, which even have a washing machine. In the past, the social space for the actors was a workhouse, where water was brought in canisters with milk carts. Now you can just open the tap.

"The dressing rooms as well as the equipment and costume maintenance facilities are truly luxurious," Siljander describes.

Director of the Riihimäki Theater Simo Jokinen also paints the summer theater audience relaxing on comfortable benches under the canopy. The cafe's terrace also has space for 100–150 coffee or sparkling wine drinkers.

"There are more than 600 summer theaters in Finland, and I claim that we now have one of the finest theaters in our country. The entertaining plays of the summer theaters will always be watched by audiences who don't go to the theater in the winter," says Jokinen.

Riihimäki Youth Theater brings the play to the summer theater stage for the 17th time. The most popular of all time was Risto Räppääja and Pakastaja-Elvi, shown in 2018, which was seen by 5 viewers.

Assistant Principal Juhana Rönnkvist praises this summer's play, Three Happy Bandits, as a spectacular and colorful experience for the whole family.

"You can see both a tram and a lion on stage. Summer theater is a big part of our youth theater's identity, and it is expected. We have students between the ages of 4 and 75, and the youngest actor in Three Merry Thieves is 10 years old. Investing in summer theater facilities shows that the city of Riihimäki values ​​theater."

The essence of Finnishness

Summer theater is Finnishness at its best. The rain, the cold and the ivy don't hurt the pace. Finnish actors and musicians are also used to modest back rooms.

"After all, this new, great summer theater of ours has fallen from space compared to the old one. Before there were wooden benches, two bajamajas and a small sales counter behind the table. The action was hobbyist, homey and warm, but now we're taking summer theater to the next level! We have 451 seats, six of which are wheelchair seats. We expect a lot from the coming summers, and Allinna's montu will surely become the summer meeting place of the whole city. In addition to the theater, it is suitable for organizing music, dance and film performances, singing together and fair presentations. In the summer, there are three stand-up nights, one drag show, the Lempi festival and Arja Koriseva's concert," Minttu Seppo lists.

Riihimäki Teatteri and Riihimäki Youth Theater bring two captivating theater performances to the public. The season starts on 21.6. My wife is in another country with the comedy, where a house party turns into chaos when a misunderstanding grows to huge proportions. In the play, we will see someone familiar from the band Ultra Bra Vuokko Hovatta, Riihimäki's favorite face Maija Siljander, of modern men Iikka Forss and also seen in Roba and Munkkivuori Antti Peltola.

Riihimäki Youth Theatre's Three Merry Bandits for the whole family starts on July 5.7. The story of Kasper, Jesper and Joonatan in the town of Kaardemumma charms theatergoers of all ages with its funny plot twists.

Actress Maija Siljander concludes that it is wonderful to be able to open a new summer theater in her hometown.

"We have a funny farce comedy where you are guaranteed to laugh. I believe that the people of Riihmäki will have a good time with us."

Reija Ypyä