Hilkka-Liisa Iivanainen and Aleksis Meaney Join the Artistic Team of Tampere Theatre Festival – Miko Jaakkola Continues as Third Member
11.8.2017
Tampere Theatre Festival’s board has chosen two new members to the artistic team for a triennial: writer-director Hilkka-Liisa Iivanainen and director Aleksis Meaney. Director Miko Jaakkola from the earlier composition of the team continues his work and the leaving members are writer-director Milja Sarkola and director Erik Söderblom. Hanna Rosendahl, the Executive Director of Tampere Theatre Festival, is also a part of the artistic team on behalf of her work.
Hilkka-Liisa (Hili) Iivanainen (born 1980 in Lieksa) has graduated from Theatre Academy in 2010 with a Masters Degree in Theatre, from the Directing degree programme. She has also studied theatre and performing arts in United States, Chicago. At the moment she is studying in Master’s Degree Program of Futures Studies in Turku School of Economics. In 2010–2012 she had a contract with Kotka City Theatre (Kotkan Kaupunginteatteri). From 2016 Iivanainen has worked as the artistic director of Teatteri Jurkka. The directions of Iivanainen are in general premieres of modern dramas and multi-artistic stage works, but also mini operas. The directions of Iivanainen have been performed in Finnish theatres and concert halls, and abroad in Drama Fest Mexico, among others. She has also made radio plays to Radioteatteri of the Finnish Broadcasting Company (YLE) and taught in Theatre Academy.
Aleksis Meaney (born 1979 in Joensuu) has graduated from Theatre Academy in 2010 with a Masters Degree in Theatre, from the Directing degree programme. In addition he has a Master of Arts degree from the University of Tampere. He is known for example from his directions Juurihoito (2016) and Metsäjätti (2013) to the Finnish National Theatre. Meaney has directed also to Svenska Teatern, Kokkola, Joensuu and Turku City Theatres and Ryhmäteatteri. He has also made reading drama directions and play translations. He has directed to four different languages (Finnish, English, Hungarian and Swedish) and his works have been performed abroad, including Scotland (at Edinburgh Fringe Festival), Hungary and China. In 2014–2015 Meaney worked as a member of STAGE Festival’s artistic group.
Miko Jaakkola (born 1969 in Orimattila) graduated from Theatre Academy in 2000 with a Masters Degree in Theatre, from the Directing degree programme. In 2009–2015 Jaakkola worked as Director of Kajaani Town Theatre. Before that he worked for five years as Artistic Director of Teatteri Takomo. He has made several directions both for municipal and free theatres. Jaakkola has been a member of Tampere Theatre Festival’s artistic team from 2015. At the beginning of August he started as Director of Kotka City Theatre.
Additional Information
Executive director Hanna Rosendahl, tel. +358 40 5944 600
Marketing and communications manager Tiina Hurskainen, tel. +358 40 865 5852