Have you ever wondered what the childhood of a celebrated artist and genius was like?

An artist often surrounded by an aura of greatness – even mystique – that sometimes makes it hard to see the real, living person beneath, someone not so different from ourselves.

Inspired by the memoirs of M. K. Čiurlionis’ sister Jadvyga, the creative team embarks on a sensitive, light-filled journey to explore the question: how is a great artist shaped in childhood? Told from a child’s perspective, this story brings us into the early years of Čiurlionis – then just Kastukas – growing up in a large, warm, and loving family.

In Jadvyga’s stories, we discover not only a close-knit and caring household but also a unique parental approach to raising creative children. Their home encouraged dreaming, exploring, and self-discovery. The creators of the play believe that every child is born with a spark of creativity, and that with the right support and nurturing environment, this spark can grow into a bright flame.

Though Čiurlionis is often viewed as a distant and mystified genius, in this production he is seen through different eyes – as Kastukas, a curious, sensitive, sometimes mischievous boy, whose world was filled with sound, color, and endless imagination. The audience is invited to get to know not the legendary figure from textbooks, but a child not unlike themselves – full of wonder, questions, and joy.

The entire Čiurlionis family comes to life on stage – his father, an organist and choir director, his mother, and his eight siblings. We’re taken into the world where he grew up – first Varėna, then Druskininkai. By the age of five, Kastukas was already playing the piano, and by assisting his father, he quickly grasped the workings of the organ.

On stage, music becomes color, and paintings come alive as sound and rhythm. Viewers are invited to experience how Čiurlionis' creative world was born – and how deeply it was shaped by his childhood. The performance incorporates objects, puppets, and the Bunraku puppetry technique – a 300-year-old Japanese tradition where each puppet is operated by three actors in perfect harmony. Thanks to this method, not only characters but even animals come to life on stage – often appearing more alive than the actors themselves.

This production is full of tender, poetic moments, humor, imagination, and unexpected – sometimes even magical – characters. It invites not only to discover M. K. Čiurlionis, but also to awaken your own creativity, showing that every child can shine when given the space to grow.

Throughout the performance, we hear Čiurlionis’ own music – especially his iconic works “In the Forest” and “The Sea”. Scenes from his paintings are recreated using puppets and objects, forming moving, living images that interact with the young Kastukas and the audience, opening a personal, emotional window into the world of one of Lithuania’s greatest artists.

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CREATIVE TEAM

Playwright: Daiva Čepauskaitė

Director: Milda Mičiulytė

Set Designer: Artūras Šimonis

Puppet Director & Choreographer: Eugenijus Slavinskas

Composer: Martynas Bialobžeskis

Video Artist: Titas Jurjonas

Cast:

Indrė Endriukaitė

Arvydas Šaučiūnas

Vigita Rudytė

Remigijus Endriukaitis

Ramunė Degutytė

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EVENT INFORMATION

Date & Time: September 7, 2025, 1:30 PM

Venue: Kaunas State Puppet Theatre

Address: Laisvės Avenue 87A, Kaunas

Duration: ~45 min.

More: HERE

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ORGANIZER

Kaunas State Puppet Theatre

Contact: teatras@kaunoleles.lt / +370 37 22 71 58