"Sampo" World Premierat FinnFest USA '99
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World Premiere Musical "The Sampo" at FinnFest USA ’99
FinnFest audiences in Seattle will be the very first in the world to see and
enjoy a musical based on the Finnish epic Kalevala.
Add to Nick’s story and lyrics the skillful music by Kim Douglass, and you are in for a treat. Kim has worked on many Seattle theaters such as Seattle Repertory Theater, ACT, Village Theater and Civic Light Opera. She composed the music for Village Theater’s Babes in Toyland.
The Sampo will have two other performances during FinnFest: Friday, July 23, at 8 p.m. and Saturday at 3 p.m. All performances will be in the HUB auditorium. Thanks to the generosity of Finlandia Foundation Trust and Mr. Carl Jarvie, the shows are free to FinnFest registrants; others will be charged $10 at the door.
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FinnFest USA '99
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The performance is a great
example of culture transcending ethnic boundaries. It is entirely a product of
local Seattle artists. Playwright Nick DiMartino has been fascinated with
Kalevala and its stories for years and has wanted to tell the story in a form
approachable by all. He has done just that in writing the story of Sampo in a
down-to-earth dialogue that makes it suitable for all audiences. Just like the
whole FinnFest, this play is, indeed, for all generations. Nick is an
award-winning author with over 18 full-run plays to his credit. His plays have
been seen at Seattle Children’s Theater and stages in Nashville,TN, Honolulu,
HI, Dallas, TX, and Louisville, KY. He has also written three ghost stories,
which will be available for purchase as FinnFest mementos at the HUB branch of
the University BookStore..jpg)
Lori Larsen will be the director of the musical. She has extensive experience
with local music productions and has directed for the Seattle Opera, The Empty
Space, Act and Cornish College. She is close to her Nordic roots and has
toured Europe in performances in French and Norwegian. She has also performed
in her own translation of the Danish A Sunday on Amager. According to Nick,
“Kim and Lori both love Finnish folk and Finnish rock -- and there's a tango,
too.” Sound a little unorthodox for Kalevala? Maybe a little unusual, but as
the producer, Jared Shaver, said, it will “enrich another generation of Finns
with their own legends as well as introduce Finnish folklore to those
unfamiliar with the wonderful fables that make up the rich heritage of
Finland.” Jared is the Artistic Director at Civic Light Opera in Seattle.