The exhibition “Urmas Alender. Actor in the Puppet Theatre” in the Vault of the Museum of Puppetry Arts visualises an actor’s journey in a theatre – starting work, rehearsals, performances and leavings. The time that Urmas Alender (1953–1994), the beloved singer and author of many well-known songs, worked in the Puppet Theatre is divided into two periods, which brought him eleven premieres with roles both behind as well in front of the puppet screen – a dog, a cobbler, an old man, an oven fork, Mister Father, second guard, Kalev the Rooster etc. But his list of roles also included many appearances as a singer, sound designer and song writer.
The exhibition focuses on Urmas Alender’s roles in eleven productions of the Puppet Theatre along with related excerpts from his personal diary. In the room you can hear the poem “Rahu” (Peace”), which Alender recorded himself and which he performed in the poetry reading programme staged in the Puppet Theatre, titled “Vaikusse, valgusse, puhtusse minna” (“To Go Into Silence, Into Light, Into Purity”; 1980). The programme was directed and poems and music written by Urmas Alender himself.
The exhibition “Urmas Alender. Actor in the Puppet Theatre” is open in the Vault of the Museum of Puppetry Arts from 2nd December 2020.
Curators: Gerli Mägi and Iti Niinemets
Graphic design: Helmi-Elfriede Arrak
Working group: Peep Ehasalu, Andres Josing, Maarja Kalmet, Revo Koplus, Kati Kuusemets, Laura Linna, Liisa Luhakivi, Mihkel Niinemets, Ahto Paju, Marie Pullerits, Anni Rajas, Indrek Rammus
We are grateful to: Yoko Alender, Theatre and Music Museum, Helle Laas, Heino Seljamaa, Riho Tammert, Are Uder
Photo: Urmas Alender in mono show “The Turnip Laughed”, 1984. Theatre and Music Museum
