CPPM WORKSHOP
Mirko Rajas and Taavi Tõnisson

ESTONIAN THEATRE FOR YOUNG AUDIENCES

Estonia

Workshop
13.-18.10.2025

Open class
18.10.2025 19:00
tbc

Mirko Rajas

Mirko Rajas, born in 1988, is a versatile Estonian actor and director who has served as the Artistic Director of the Estonian Theatre for Young Audiences since 2017. He honed his skills at the Vanalinna Hariduskolleegium Theatre class and further specialised in puppet and visual theatre directing at the Turku Arts Academy. Beyond his directorial roles, Rajas has been a dedicated special instructor for the Estonian Theatre for Young Audiences’s youth studio and the Vanalinna Hariduskolleegium theatre department for a considerable period.

As a director, Rajas has brought numerous productions to the stage for children, young audiences, and adults. His work consistently explores the fascinating intersection of visual and psychological theatre. He excels at delving deep into characters’ inner worlds, examining complex psychological relationships and conflicts through a rich visual language, all while maintaining a meaningful dialogue with classical drama theatre. In addition to his stage work, Rajas has run several masterclasses on the fundamentals of puppet animation for young actors. These workshops emphasise acquiring basic techniques, nurturing imagination, cultivating attention, and fostering a strong sense of ensemble. Through a blend of exercises and playful scenarios, participants explore the versatility of puppet theatre while expressing their personal artistic creativity.

Taavi Tõnisson

Taavi Tõnisson is an accomplished Estonian actor, puppeteer, and director working with the Estonian Theatre for Young Audiences. His artistic journey began with a drama acting degree from the Culture Academy of Viljandi, Estonia, followed by specialised training as a puppeteer and director at the Russian State Institute of Performing Arts. Tõnisson’s career took off in musicals like “Oliver Twist” and “Romeo and Juliet.” In 2004, he joined the Estonian Theatre for Young Audiences (formerly NUKU), where he has since played leading roles in numerous acclaimed puppet performances, including “The Gamblers,” “Buratino” (directed by Evgeny Ibragimov), and “Detox the Dummy” (directed by Duda Paiva). From 2013 to 2017, he also held the position of Artistic Director at the theatre. Beyond the stage, he has lent his talents to Estonian TV series and voiced many animated characters.

Tõnisson’s distinctive work seamlessly combines drama with elements of puppetry, physical theatre, and visual theatre. His productions are known for being dynamic and multi-layered, offering rich narrative experiences. Notable examples of his versatile directorial and performance work include “Little Gavroche,” “Gulliver,” “The Process,” and “The Metamorphosis,” among many others.

About the workshop

Welcome to our intensive 6-day workshop, where we’ll plunge into the captivating worlds of Object Theatre and Puppet Animation Fundamentals. Get ready to unlock new creative dimensions and transform the seemingly inanimate into vibrant storytellers. In the Object Theatre masterclass, we’ll explore the profound connections between individuals and objects, as well as the dynamic interactions among objects themselves. We’ll investigate how these everyday items influence people and shape their relationships, delving into the hidden layers of significance objects bring to human interactions and the narratives that can be unearthed from their very essence. We’ll also consider how rhythm and animation enrich these narratives, and ponder if objects can possess an inherent “charge” that transcends their physical form.

Our main goal for Object Theatre is to encourage you to think more abstractly and symbolically, discovering the immense potential for play and meaning-making through physical objects. We’ll craft compelling visual representations and narrate stories through them, embracing the idea that there isn’t one ultimate truth. Instead, we’ll rely on intuition and a desire to explore. This workshop isn’t about finding definitive answers; it’s about fostering a spirit of bold experimentation, celebrating errors, and continuously exploring every conceivable avenue for infusing meaning into an object. No one is expected to prove anything here; the aim is simply to revel in the delight of creation and ignite the imagination.

Following this, we’ll embark on a journey into the realm of bringing inanimate objects to life during the Puppet Animation Fundamentals masterclass. We’ll explore how even a simple paper doll can achieve an equal partnership with an actor by being infused with breath, character, and the performer’s will through imaginative play. Together, we’ll craft these essential tools, our dolls, during the workshop, then dive into a series of practical exercises that move fluidly between abstraction and concreteness. The core objective of this masterclass is to swiftly instil a “puppet mindset” in performers and actors, equipping you with the fundamental techniques of puppet animation.

Throughout these six days, prepare to challenge your perceptions, experiment freely, and discover the extraordinary power of objects and puppets to tell compelling stories. We’re excited to see the unique narratives you’ll bring to life!

Professional Development Workshop

This workshop is open to external participants as part of the CPPM Professional Development series, and artists from all fields of the performing arts are warmly invited to join, to deepen their practice, refresh their creative tools, and connect with an international artistic community.

You will participate in the workshop alongside students of the MA in Contemporary Physical Performance Making (CPPM) at the Estonian Academy of Music and Theatre (EAMT). Upon successful completion, you will receive a certificate of attendance issued by EAMT, which will specify the workshop title, tutors, and the total number of contact hours completed.

Please note that places at this workshop are very limited, so we strongly recommend applying early. You can find the full list of all available workshops along with details about the application process on our Professional Development website.

Workshop Details

Dates: 13.-18.10.2025
Location: tbc
Duration: 1 week | 6 days | Monday to Saturday | 38 contact hours 
Fee: 500 EUR

Workshop Schedule