Vaasa city theatre stages Kaija Koo musical directed by Marco Bjurström at 60

The Vaasa City Theatre will premiere a new musical based on the life and career of Finnish pop singer Kaija Koo this autumn, directed by choreographer and theatre veteran Marco Bjurström, who turns 60 this week.

Bjurström, known for large-scale productions like Heathers at Helsinki’s Aleksanterin Theatre, called the Vaasa project an unexpected but welcome challenge. “My first thought was whether an old part-time retiree like me could handle travelling far from home,” he told Yle, though his recent output—including multiple hit musicals—suggests otherwise.

The production, titled Tinakenkätyttö (Tin Shoe Girl), draws from a script by Hanna-Mari Mantere and Elina Ylisuwanne that explores Koo’s decades-long career, a trajectory Bjurström has followed closely. “Our paths crossed often in the 1990s,” he noted, recalling Koo’s rise to fame and his own company StepUp’s dancers touring with her. “Her career took off in the early ’90s, just as my public profile grew around 1997.”

While the Vaasa theatre provided a core team, Bjurström brought in long-time collaborators, including choreographer Mindy Lindbolm and set designer Tinde Lappalainen. The musical avoids traditional documentary theatre, instead dramatising Koo’s emotional landscape. “We’ve built it around the feelings we believe shaped her,” Bjurström explained, praising the ensemble’s cohesion. “In musicals, teamwork is everything. If that fails, the whole thing falls apart.”

The production features multiple actors portraying Koo at different ages, with Mari Hirvi as the young singer and musical director Sauli Perälä arranging 29 of her songs. Bjurström—who still teaches 11 open dance classes weekly despite professed dislike of exercise—called the project a highlight. “I hate gyms and running, but I love dance. You can’t dance without moving.”

Reflecting on his six decades, he admitted to mellowing with age. “I used to be more impulsive, less reflective. Now I listen more, step back, and consider before acting.” Yet retirement isn’t on the agenda. “I’ve got a few more musicals in mind. Teaching and advancing theatre—that’s my life’s work.”

Bjurström will mark his 60th birthday quietly this weekend, a contrast to his 50th, celebrated with a large event at Helsinki’s Kulttuuritalo. “This time, it’s just close friends and family.”