“This year, “Guardians of Dreams” showed an updated program after the nine-year premiere. The performance combines circus acrobatics, dynamic dance performances and stunning visual effects. After hundreds of passionate…”, — write: www.unian.ua
This year, “Guardians of Dreams” showed an updated program after the nine-year premiere. The performance combines circus acrobatics, dynamic dance performances and stunning visual effects. After hundreds of enthusiastic reviews during the tour of Ukraine, the show will be shown in European countries. Meanwhile, two locations of “Santa’s Residence” started working for the first time in the capital. One of them opened for the first time in the Gulliver shopping center on the eighth floor, and the other – at VDNG (pavilion 7A). They will work until January 5 (inclusive) from 10:00 a.m. to 7:30 p.m.Oleg Kritskyi, CEO of Stage Show, in an exclusive interview for UNIAN, told why it is worth visiting “Santa’s Residence” this year, what novelties and special offers have been prepared by the organizers, the charitable component, and also what challenges currently arise when organizing large-scale shows for the family.
“Santa’s residence – a powerful brand that has been a dream for children of all ages throughout Ukraine for 9 years. Tell us how it all started and what was the main idea?
At that time, I did not work for the company. But I am sure that we continue their desire to make a magical Christmas location for children. Every year we not only change the program, but also work on its features and features. Another location was created this season. And next year, we plan to develop this universe of “Santa’s Residence” throughout Ukraine. So that visitors can meet Santa in other areas as well. The war took away the happiest moments of Ukrainian children’s lives. Therefore, our team tries to bring back the smiles on their faces and the joy of meeting Santa or other favorite characters. During the show, children are distracted from reality, carefully watching the artists. And this is our main mission – not only to impress, but also to teach friendship, kindness and give positive emotions, at least for the duration of the show.
This year, “Santa’s Residence” started working in parallel at two locations: in Gulliver Shopping Center and VDNG. In one of the interviews, you said that the programs are different. What is the difference and why did you decide to do different shows?
“Santa’s Residence” on VDNG is already a New Year’s classic. This year, we realized that there is not enough festive interactive location in the center of Kyiv. The Gulliver Shopping Center team also planned this for the first time. We have already cooperated with them when we presented the show “Guardians of Dreams” in the mall. It turned out cool, so we decided to continue our cooperation. We put a lot of effort together to create a fabulous Residence. I am glad that we have such a creative synergy. And as a result — an incredible location that you can visit until January 5.
At both locations, the sessions last 45 minutes, but have two completely different plots. One of them has a negative character who spoils the holiday. And in another, the light unexpectedly goes out, so guests must help the elves charge the magic generator with their New Year’s energy. “Santa’s Residence” is my festive must-visit of the capital. So buy tickets faster on the sites of ticket operators!
This year, the official soundtrack to “Residence” was the song by the singer Tayanna – Divo. How did your collaboration begin? What were the expectations from the star collaboration?
Our guests are mainly mothers with children. And Tayanna is not only a talented singer, but also a mother herself, so audiences overlap. We were looking for an artist who would create not just a song, but a magical soundtrack for “Santa’s Residence”. So that the song was easy to remember and became a Ukrainian-language hit for all New Year’s holidays.
We called Tayanna and her team, told them about our project, and within a few days she showed us the first drafts. Tayanna in the song “Miracle” was able to convey all the warmth and miracles of this season. Thanks for the cooperation and the cool track!
This project has a place for a charitable component. Tell us more about it?
No Stage Show project was complete without a charitable component. We always try to allocate tickets for charitable organizations and foundations. In particular, those who take care of military children. After all, children live in constant stress, and this is an opportunity to get positive emotions.
So, together with the team of the “Make a dream come true” project from 1+1 media, we invited wards of the “Children of Heroes” charity fund to the show. Children lost the most precious thing – one or both parents because of the war. Therefore, our mission is to support them in every possible way and, indeed, to carry the memory of their relatives through the years. Currently, together with “Make a dream come true”, we are developing another activity for children of heroes. We strive to do everything possible to turn their material desires into reality in our fabulous location.
How do you come up with ideas for each new show? Are there certain stages that no creative process can do without? And how long does it take to prepare such a large-scale show as “Santa’s residence“?
It takes from 4 months to six months to implement such a project as “Santa’s Residence”. When we start developing a new show, it is our duty to do pitching. Everyone can present their idea and we develop different concepts for the show. Like any media product, there are certain stages: preproduction (development of the script, costumes, scenery, casting of artists) and production, when the show goes on tour in Ukraine or Europe. Of course, we choose the most relevant topics and integrate them into our shows. So that they respond to visitors and they can both laugh and sympathize with the heroes. For example, the main theme of “Santa’s Residence” this year is digitization: the elves call each other via video link and use their own security system. Let’s keep up with the times! But we want to convey that nothing can replace sincere human relations and warm emotions.
“Guardians of Dreams”, “Cyber Santa”, “Santa’s Residence”, “Mavka’s Residence”, “Winterra. “Legend of Fairyland” are all your projects of recent years, where the target audience is children. What is the biggest difficulty in creating such shows? And which show, in your opinion, was the most difficult and why?
During the war, it is especially difficult to make projects because of an abnormal neighbor next door. All because of air alarms and blackouts. Many artists went to work abroad or took up another business. Therefore, even casting is not easy now.
Personally for me the most difficult project was “Cyber Santa”, which at that time I was doing as a producer even before the full-scale invasion. It was an innovative show in which the audience traveled between scenes. It was made “from scratch”in the ninth pavilion at VDNG across the entire plane.
How have your team’s priorities and values changed since the start of the full-scale invasion? Did that influence the theme of the show?
The first project that we implemented after the start of the full-scale invasion was “Mavka Show”. This show is based on the animated film “Mavka. Forest Song”, and aerial gymnasts, dancers, and circus artists performed in the show. We hesitated for a long time whether it would be “on time”, but the history of Mavka is our culture, which we must carry through the years and update for new generations.
As the full-scale invasion began, we realized that our shows had become more than just an entertainment product. This is moral support, consolation for children and adults, promotion of Ukrainian culture and a reminder that faith is the most important thing in our lives. Faith in a bright future, one’s dreams and, of course, the victory of Ukraine.
Do you notice how your shows affect the emotional state of children and adults? Perhaps there are touching stories from visitors?
It is touching to see how children’s eyes light up during the show and they ask their parents to come again. Interestingly, parents like it no less. They participate in flash mobs, write a letter to Santa. In the summer, when the Mavka Residence was open, a grandfather came with his grandson. After the session was over, he came out no less happy than the boy. Last year, a military man came to “Santa’s Residence” without children. He said that his childhood dream was to meet Santa and take a picture on stage. It turned out to be his only day off, and he had to return to the front the next day. It is valuable when adults can feel like children again and realize their most cherished wishes at our shows and locations. And children become involved in interactive show programs and are transported to another world created by us for a happy childhood despite everything.
Tell us about your plans for next year. Do you have ideas for completely new projects or formats?
First of all, we plan to expand the universes of “Guardians of Dreams” and “Santa’s Residence” so that as many visitors as possible in different cities can enjoy the magical shows and give children happy childhood memories. In addition, next year we plan to create a show that Ukraine has never seen before. And we want to work on a new format for the whole team. We believe that our projects inspire and energize the audience in the same way that we work on various shows.
Ukrainians can immerse themselves in the magical festive atmosphere of “Santa’s Residence” until January 5 (inclusive) from 10:00 a.m. to 7:30 p.m. at two locations: at Gulliver shopping center on the eighth floor and at VDNG (pavilion 7A). Find tickets here: https://concert.ua/uk/set/rezidencijia-santy/
The partners of the project are 1+1 media and Kyivstar TV.