Christmas Stories at the Lighthouse | Burger Project – En Dynamei Ensemble, Santa’s Postal Workers

Like every year at Christmas time, the Christmas Stories of the Stavros Niarchos Foundation Cultural Center (SNFCC) come to life at the Lighthouse.

The Burger Project, the beloved band of young and old, collaborate with Endynamei Ensemble, the iconic collective of artists with and without disabilities, to form a mixed troupe and set up an original musical performance, specially created for the Christmas Stories at the SNFCC Lighthouse. Thanos Kosmidis, the legendary Professor Cosmic of the Burger Project, is in charge of the artistic direction, and Eleni Efthymiou, director, actor and constant collaborator of Endynamei Ensemble, is directing this festive show filled with humor, songs and sensitivity, addressed to children and the entire family.

The Christmas village is amidst the yearly hustle and bustle as everyone is preparing for the holidays! Santa’s postal workers have read all the letters, making sure everything is in place in order to convey the children’s wishes to the toy factory, when they suddenly discover four letters that are quite unusual! Their mission now is to find the Christmas Spirits that will be able to fulfill these special wishes!

With lots of live music, interactive games and many adventures, the end will come with a twist!

Credits:
Artistic Direction - Text: Thanos Kosmidis
Music - Songs: Burger Project
Directed by: Eleni Efthymiou

Stage Design: Evangelia Kirkiné
Costume Design: Olga Evangelidou
Lighting Design: Valentina Tamiolaki
Assistant Director: Vassilis Petrou
Assistant set designer: Ariana Nikou

Musicians:
Keys – Ukulele – Vocals – Professor Cosmic: Thanos Kosmidis
Guitar – Vocals – Al Malapolas Kalabokis: Alexis Ioannou
Bass – Vocals – Mister Finger: Alekos Georgoulopoulos
Drums – Vocals – Barbie G.: Yiorgos Barberis

Cast (alphabetically):
Sofia Bletsou, Alexandros Hatsios, Elias Kougioumtzis, Thanos Nanasis, Haris Serdari

Executive Producers: POLYPLANITY Productions / Vicky Strataki & Nick Charalampidis

Special thanks to the Greek National Opera for the courtesy of costumes from its Wardrobe.

The Burger Project

The Burger Project were created in 2007, playing covers in the band’s special way. They stood out for their theatricality, energy and sense of humor in their live performances, using disguises and featuring a repertoire that covers the entire spectrum of contemporary foreign and Greek music. Since 2012, the Burger Project have been actively engaged in musical shows for children.

Their children’s concerts are an original experience for young and old alike. The creative presentation of the instruments and their role in a music band; improvisation; the multiple possibilities of the human voice; the secrets of rhythm in dance and song — these are some of the themes that bring children close to music and stimulate their imagination. Through their children’s songs, their humorous prose and their interaction with the audience, the Burger Project invite young and old to participate in rhythmic, melodic and movement games, as well as to dance as crazily as they can!

Some of their shows for families include, indicatively: “Mom, I will set up a band” [Hellenic Cosmos of the Foundation of the Hellenic World, 2012–2015]; “Touring the Galaxy” [Hellenic Cosmos, 2015–2016]. Together with shadow puppet master Elias Karellas, “Karagiozis Captain” and “Karagiozis's Christmas in Hawaii” [Athens Concert Hall, 2015], as well as “In the Ark at eight” [Kappa Theatre, 2016]; in 2017–2019, “Music and Friends” [Porta Theatre] and “Fiesta Kourabié" [Alsos Theatre, 2019]. Over the past two years, they have been collaborating with Attiki Odos in the musical performance for schools “The Asphalt Troubadours,” a show about road users’ behavior.          

En Dynamei Ensemble

We are a collective of artists with and without disabilities. Through our activities, we propose a new paradigm of art and life, where the “unfamiliar,” the “strange,” the “different” and the “foreign” are integrated into the “whole” making it stronger. Our work is based on equality amongst all our members, as we attempt to inspire other people to stop perceiving the social system through stereotypes and conventional forms. Using research into new methods of communication as our basic tool, we organize and produce comprehensive artistic propositions in the fields of visual arts, theatre, music, and multimedia arts. We are in permanent collaboration with professionals from various artistic fields, and actively participate in events and festivals in Greece and abroad. The artistic director of our group is Eleni Dimopoulou. Our headquarters are in Thessaloniki.

Christmas Stories at the Lighthouse
Burger Project – Endynamei Ensemble
Santa’s Postal Workers

Premiering December 23, for 12 performances as follows:

Saturday, Dec. 23

Monday, Dec. 25 | start time 17.30
Wednesday, Dec. 27
Thursday, Dec. 28
Friday, Dec. 29
Saturday, Dec. 30

Monday, Jan. 01 | start time 17.30
Tuesday, Jan. 02
Wednesday, Jan. 03
Friday, Jan. 05
Saturday, Jan. 06
Sunday, Jan. 07

Start time 18.30 | On Dec. 25 & Jan 01, start time 17.30

Αccessibility Services: 

•    Interpretation to Greek Sign Language
Efi Psaradelli | December 28, 29 

•    Acoustic description and tactile tour
liminal | December 28, 29

•    Sensory friendly performance 
TheHappyAct | January 3

Lighthouse
For families | For children aged 5+
Tickets: General admission €10, reduced price €5

Advance Ticket Sales Points:

• Online on Ticket Services website 
• By phone: 210 7234567 (Ticket Services)
• At the Ticket Services Box Office (Panepistimiou 39, Athens)

Online tickets pre-sales (Members)
Online tickets pre-sales (Public)

Pre-sale for Members starts on 01/11 at 12.00 (limited number of tickets).
Pre-sale for the public starts on 02/11 at 12.00.

Concession tickets of 5€ are available to students, people aged 65+, minors up to 17 years old, the unemployed, companions of Persons with Disabilities, multi-child families and residents of the Municipality of Kallithea.

Free tickets are available to Persons with Disabilities, by contacting the call center at 210 7234567 or via email at info@ticketservices.gr and by showing their ID and certification of disability on the day of the event.

Important information:

• All SNFCC areas are accessible to people with disabilities.
• Doors open at 18.00.
• Entrance will be possible up to 10 minutes before the event's commencement.
• Pre-sale is required. No order of priority will be available on-site.
• For more information or clarifications, please contact the SNFCC switchboard on 216 8091000.

This event comes under a grant by the Stavros Niarchos Foundation (SNF). Alongside the majority of its events, which are free thanks to a series of SNF grants, the Stavros Niarchos Foundation Cultural Center also organizes a number of events with affordable tickets, thus enriching its income sources and securing its long-term financial integrity.

Photographs: Yiannis Kouskoutis