Gaja mara

Director: Ieva JACKEVIČIŪTĖ Scenography: Indrė PAČĖSAITĖ Early musical education consultant: Dr. Lolita Jolanta PILIČIAUSKAITĖ Folk songs selected by: Dr. Brigita BUBLYTĖ Music for kanklės composed by: Agota ZDANAVIČIUTĖ Cast: Viola KLIMČIAUSKAITĖ and Kristina SAVICKYTĖ Photos: Remis ŠČERBAUSKAS and Gintarė ŽALTAUSKAITĖ Performance for expectant mothers and children under 3 years old. "Gaja-Mara" is an interactive musical movement performance that tells the story of the time of light (Gaja) and darkness (Mara), using folk songs, games, rituals, and folklore used in ancient Baltic traditions. Gaja is a time of life, prosperity, and bright forces. Mara is a period of life fading, when everything calms down, dies, and rests. In the performance, Gaja and Mara (actresses Viola Klimčiauskaitė and Kristina Savickytė) become a conversation between mothers and other mothers about how giving birth to a child is like dying, giving up oneself and one's needs, but as the child grows, one is born anew, discovering new qualities and the meaning of existence. Therefore, the main creators and only performers of the play are two mature women, mothers who have already raised their own children. The main artistic idea of the "Gaja-Mara" performance is based on the ancient Baltic worldview, the concept of the natural cycle, the connection with light and darkness, the ritualistic nature of time, and the primordial sensations through which the unborn, infants, and those just starting to walk experience the world. The performance features folk music, games, and play, which utilize scenographic elements created on the principle of tactile toys – their textures, shapes, and colors. Another goal of the performance is to stimulate the brain activity of the young participants through a connection of sound, color, movement, touch, and evocative emotion. After all, through such an integrative experience, the neural connections of infants already born are encouraged to develop (this affects the entire psychophysical development of the toddler), and expectant mothers, by experiencing positive artistic emotions and participating in the performance, also nurture the child still under their heart. In 2024, the performance's creative team became laureates of the Kaunas Theatre Awards and won the FORTŪNA statuette. Performance review, Menų faktūra. The project "Theatre Travels to Children" by the Lithuanian Association of Theatres for Children and Young People ASSITEJ and this publication are supported by the Lithuanian Council for Culture.

Important information: It is mandatory to take off your shoes before entering the performance space, so you may bring warmer, wool socks if needed. English Friendly, as language is not the basis of the performance. A ticket is required for both the adult and the child (regardless of the child's age). A co-production of No Shoes and Kaunas City Chamber Theatre. The co-producer of the performance is the "No Shoes" theatre, founded by the performance's director Ieva Jackevičiūtė and her husband, actor Raimondas Klezys, which aims to achieve important goals. One of them is to raise children in the environment of Lithuanian folklore harmonies and aesthetics, which is no longer naturally passed down today. Therefore, this performance, among other things, also fosters the need to maintain a connection with one's cultural roots. The production of the performance was funded by the LITHUANIAN COUNCIL FOR CULTURE and KAUNAS CITY MUNICIPALITY