Kajaani City Theatre Regional Group Presents

Minna Hyvönen’s photo exhibition On the Road – Kajaani City Theatre Regional Group Presents is an ode to theatre in its most authentic form. The regional theatre brings the art of theatre to places where people might not otherwise have access to performances. Day-care centres, elderly care facilities, school gyms, and cultural venues are transformed into stages when the Kajaani Regional Theatre team arrives – opening a small suitcase or the boot of a large truck, carrying in the equipment, and beginning the performance.

This exhibition highlights the people behind the work and the magic that is regional theatre. Kajaani City Theatre tours mainly in Kainuu and North Ostrobothnia and is one of five theatres in Finland that maintain a regional theatre program. The aim of this exhibition is to bring greater awareness to this essential work.

The exhibition is not about theatre performances themselves, but about everything else that goes into bringing a production from home to the world: packing and unpacking a car, rolling out a dance mat, hanging lights, pulling cables, reversing a lorry, carrying a truss, setting up the sound system, drinking coffee, and spending long hours on the road.

On the Road – Kajaani City Theatre Regional Group Presents will be open to the public from 4 March to 31 August 2025.

Minna Hyvönen is a 39-year-old photographer and theatre professional. Since 2006, she has worked at Kajaani City Theatre in various roles, including production manager, props manager, props maker, prompter, stagehand, dresser, usher, and backdrop weight. She has gained experience in theatre arts both on the main stage of Kajaani City Theatre on Kauppakatu and while touring with the regional theatre group.

Hyvönen developed a passion for photography – especially theatre photography – after first admiring the work of fellow photographers and then offering to capture anything that moved on stage. For her, the performing artist is the most rewarding subject to photograph, and in addition to performance photography, she is particularly drawn to documentary-style moments.

Beyond Kajaani City Theatre, Hyvönen has also photographed dance and theatre productions for other artistic communities in Kajaani, including Routa Company’s dance productions, Vaara Collective’s theatre events, Rauniokaupunki ry’s interdisciplinary art projects, and the works of individual artists.