Ugala's Sõdalinna Theatre moves box office outdoors
Estonia's Sõdalinna Theatre has relocated its ticket office from inside the building to the street, aiming to keep backstage rehearsals hidden from the public. The new box office was marked with a festive opening and guided tours on Friday.
Sõdalinna Theatre has changed how audiences buy tickets, moving its box office from the building's interior directly onto the street, Estonian broadcaster's "Aktuaalne Kaamera" reported.
Theatre director Anne-Liis Päiv explained that the change allows the venue to keep backstage activity hidden from spectators. She noted that previously, while visitors queued for tickets near the Mirror Foyer, rehearsals with a vocal coach often took place nearby, and the theatre wanted to preserve the secrecy of such moments.
Reactions among theatregoers have been mixed. One visitor said standing outside in winter might be uncomfortable, while another expressed concern about cold weather and said the old indoor box office felt cosier.
Opening marked with tours
On Friday, the theatre held guided tours to mark the ceremonial opening of the new box office, giving visitors a chance to learn more about the building's architecture. Oksana Talisainen, the theatre's head of public relations, said that together with colleague and actress Tatjana Manevskaja, she led eight tours in a single day, drawing several hundred visitors.
The tours went beyond the theatre's formal halls, showing all three stage workshops where sets are built, costumes are sewn, and stage makeup is applied, along with a variety of hats used for props.
Behind the sets, costumes and rehearsals visitors glimpsed during the tours lies preparation for the theatre's new season, which opens on September 18 with a production of Alexander Ostrovsky's play "Without a Dowry".
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