Gallery: Russian dropped as Tallinn theater renamed Downtown Theater
Tallinn's former Russian Theater installed a new Downtown Theater (Südalinna teater) sign Tuesday, part of a rebranding confirmed in June.
The theater's supervisory board began considering a new name in 2024, weighing 55 options. Supervisory board chair Margus Allikmaa said "Downtown Theater" immediately felt right.
"It fit with the theater's new slogan — 'Theater in the Heart of the City,'" he said.
The Südalinn name, he added, sounded warm and pleasant in Estonian, like the theater itself.
The change also reflects practical challenges. The theater can no longer bring in directors or artists from Russia, affecting both programming and operations. A generational shift is underway too.
"We have a new artistic director, who has outlined their vision of what a contemporary, clearly European-focused theater should look like," Allikmaa said.
The new artistic director, he added, is concerned that the current audience, mostly 55 and older, is shrinking and that the theater needs to attract younger viewers.
The rebranding to Downtown Theater comes with a 15 percent budget cut, which saw eight actors laid off last week.
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Editor: Neit-Eerik Nestor, Aili Vahtla
