🇪🇺 TEEN European Digital Community: Olive Tree from Hlukhiv, Ukraine

Olive Tree

I’ve always felt that life is a bit too quiet, so I found theatre to turn up the volume. To me, theatre is the only place where ‘weird’ is a compliment and where truth doesn’t need a filter. My ‘roots’ are in the dusty wings of the stage and the mentors who taught me that vulnerability is a superpower, not a weakness.
​I’m the kind of person who looks for the ‘spark’ in every rehearsal—that electric moment when a script stops being paper and starts breathing.
​I’m here to connect with fellow storytellers who believe that a play can change a perspective. Whether we’re cracking a difficult scene or debating the ‘why’ behind a character, I’m all in. Let’s create something that lingers in the air long after the curtains close.

The soil / the need

At that moment, my ‘soil’ was a sense of isolation. I was looking for a space where being ‘different’ wasn’t just accepted, but celebrated. I felt a profound need for authentic connection—to find people who spoke the same language of metaphors and emotions. Theatre gave me the community I didn’t know I was missing.

The first seed

A friend.

Tell us about that first spark

The spark wasn’t a slow burn; it was a sudden realization. I remember sitting in a darkened theater, the air thick with anticipation. When the lights hit the stage and the first lines were spoken, the world outside simply ceased to exist. I wasn’t just watching a story; I was in it. In that moment, I realized that theatre wasn’t just entertainment—it was a mirror reflecting parts of myself I hadn’t yet named. I knew then that I didn’t want to just be a witness; I wanted to be part of the magic.

Roots (people & experiences that shaped your path)

My roots are firmly planted in the guidance of my first mentors. I was shaped by a teacher who didn’t just teach me how to speak lines, but how to listen—truly listen—to the silence between them. They pushed me to embrace my discomfort and taught me that vulnerability is a performer’s greatest strength. It was their belief in my voice that allowed me to find it in the first place.

The trunk (what keeps you in theatre)

What keeps me in theatre is the transient nature of the craft. Unlike a film that is captured forever, a play happens once and then it’s gone. That shared electricity between the actors and the audience—that ‘live’ heartbeat—is addictive. It’s the only place where I feel truly present, anchored in the ‘now.’ That connection is what sustains me through the long hours and the challenges.

Branches (future / desire)

I want to be theatre. I want to experiment. Try everything. See what I like and what is not for me. I want to make others like theatre, be inclusive. Share. I want to be good at what I like. I want to bring something new to the theatre.

Are you currently involved in cultural activities?

Yes, regularly

If you were a tree, what kind of tree would you be? Why?

If I were a tree, I’d be an Olive Tree: resilient, deeply rooted in history, and always growing, much like the ancient landscapes I’m about to explore on my school trip to Italy.

Contact

Email: katapincuk40@gmail.com

Instagram: @kettiwxx