🇪🇺 TEEN European Digital Community: Wisteria Tree from Lahti, Finland

Wisteria

I am a Mongolian theatre lover, designer, and cultural bridge currently based in Lahti, Finland. My background is rooted in visual arts and digital design, and I enjoy working creatively behind the scenes through illustration, poster design, and visual storytelling. Right now, I am focused on my studies, while continuing to design posters and promotional materials for cultural and creative projects at my university.

I am especially interested in theatre for children and teenagers, and in finding ways to make theatre more accessible, engaging, and relevant for younger audiences. I believe early encounters with art can ignite curiosity, confidence, and imagination, and I care deeply about creating spaces where young people feel welcome and inspired.

I enjoy collaborating with artists, learning from different cultural contexts, and forming meaningful connections. I’m here to meet like-minded people, exchange ideas, and build friendships with others who are passionate about theatre, creativity, and community across borders.

The soil / the need

When my older brother went abroad to study, I suddenly became an only child for a long period of time, until my younger brother was born. During that time, I spent a lot of time playing alone. Instead of seeing it as loneliness, I filled that space by imagining different worlds and stepping into them.
I created characters, stories, and situations on my own. I would sit my parents down and perform little shows using my plushies and barbie dolls, giving them roles and voices. Sometimes I would take one of my mother’s beauty products and pretend I was acting in a commercial, inventing lines and gestures as if there was a real audience watching me. Looking back, I realize that I wasn’t just playing, I was looking for connection, for an audience, or simply for someone to share these imagined worlds with.
Theatre later gave shape to that need. It offered me a space where imagination could be shared, where stories didn’t have to stay inside my head, and where creating together felt natural. What I was looking for back then was a way to connect, to be seen, and to build worlds with others instead of alone. Theatre quietly became the answer to that need.

The first seed

A parent / Family

Tell us about that first spark

It was in fifth grade, during music class. Our music teacher at the time was a former band member and his classes felt completely different from anything I had experienced before. For the first time, we didn’t stay in our usual classroom but went to the music room, which already made it feel special and unfamiliar.

Instead of only teaching us children’s songs, he showed us musical worlds. He played scores and symphonies, showed us clips from animations and musical storytelling like Fantasia, and introduced us to musicals as something alive and expressive, not distant or formal. I was fascinated, but the moment that truly stayed with me was when he showed us The Phantom of the Opera.

I fell in love immediately. The music, the drama, the costumes, the emotion, and the way the story lived on stage truly fascinated me. I asked my teacher if I could borrow the CD, and I rewatched it more times than I can count. That obsession never really left me. I still love it deeply, and years later I even dressed as the Phantom for Halloween.

After that, he introduced us to more stage works like Cats and Notre-Dame de Paris. Looking back, that class was the moment when performance stopped being something distant and became something personal. It was when I truly fell in love with stage performances and realized how powerful theatre could be. Not just as entertainment, but as a world you could step into and carry with you.

Roots (people & experiences that shaped your path)

My theatre journey did not grow from a single root, but from many different ones slowly finding each other.
One of the first was the fifth-grade music teacher I mentioned. For a very sheltered child, he opened a door to an entirely new world. Looking back, I think he helped uncover a seed that was always there, even if I didn’t know how to name it yet.

Another strong root has always been my parents. They supported me with active encouragement and unconditional trust, allowing me to explore whatever interested me without fear. It always felt like they somehow knew this path mattered to me, even before I did. Their support gave me the confidence to keep choosing creativity, even when it wasn’t the obvious or easy option.

For a long time, however, my journey was quite solitary. My school did not offer many arts programs, and I often felt out of place in an environment focused on rigid structures and subjects that made me feel trapped and unintelligent. Theatre and art, when I finally encountered them, felt like a breath of fresh air. Welcoming, kind, and expansive. I realized that passion and curiosity mattered just as much as skill, and that I didn’t need to be “perfect” to belong.

A major turning point came in 2023, when I was introduced to Bamboo Children’s Theatre in Mongolia. Working there as a translator for a visiting drama teacher and as a counselor for children was the first time I truly stepped behind the scenes. For the first time, I felt useful, heard, and valued for my ideas and creative choices. It was also where I understood how theatre could be a shared, living process.

Shortly after, I joined ASSITEJ Mongolia, which became a deeply important root system for me. Through the Next Generation program, I found a community where people leaned on each other, shared knowledge generously, and encouraged growth. Meeting other young people who shared my passion made me feel less alone and more courageous. It gave me direction and the confidence to keep stepping forward.

My placement at the Opening Doors Festival in Wales was another defining experience. It was my first time abroad and my first time living independently. Everything felt intimidating at first, but I quickly realized I was capable of more than I thought. The warmth and care of the theatre staff, and witnessing the behind-the-scenes work of international productions, made theatre feel real and reachable. It made me want to bring what I learned back home and imagine similar spaces in my own context.

The trunk (what keeps you in theatre)

What has kept me connected to theatre and made me continue on this path is the sense of community it creates. Theatre has never felt like a solitary practice to me. It is built through friendships, shared effort, and people leaning on one another like a strong trunk holding many branches together.

My friends and the people I meet through theatre constantly motivate me to keep going. Being surrounded by individuals who are curious, creative, and open makes me feel supported and understood. Even outside physical spaces, the internet has played an important role in helping me stay connected. Through online platforms, I can discover performances, ideas, and people from all over the world, which reminds me that theatre is not limited by geography.

ASSITEJ has been especially important in keeping me grounded in theatre. It offers continuity like new activities, events, and opportunities that allow me to keep learning and participating. Knowing that there is always a space where I can return, contribute, and grow gives me stability and direction.

Together, these communities form the trunk of my journey. They support me during moments of doubt, encourage me during moments of excitement, and remind me why I chose theatre in the first place. Not just for the art itself, but for the people and connections that grow through it.

Branches (future / desire)

I imagine theatre as a lifelong companion rather than a fixed destination. It is something I want to carry with me throughout my life. A place I can always return to as I grow and change.

In the future, I hope theatre allows me to work internationally and experience different cultures and perspectives. The size of the audience matters less to me than the act of sharing. As long as there are people willing to engage, theatre feels meaningful. I feel especially drawn to working with children and younger audiences, whose openness and imagination reflect why I first connected with theatre.

I see myself growing into roles that combine creating, educating, and building behind the scenes. I enjoy supporting processes, helping ideas take form, and contributing to collaborative environments. In the coming years, I hope theatre continues to give me confidence, community, and skills, while allowing me to give back care and new perspectives shaped by my experiences.

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 think I would be a wisteria. I am drawn to it first simply because it is beautiful and gentle, but also because of how it grows. Wisteria doesn’t grow upright on its own. It climbs, wraps around structures, and grows alongside others. It needs support, but it also gives something back by transforming spaces into something softer and more alive.

I relate to this because I grow best in connection with people and communities. I learn, adapt, and expand by being around others, sharing ideas, and building things together. Wisteria also takes time to bloom, but when it does, it creates something lasting and memorable. I like the idea of growing patiently, staying curious, and allowing creativity to unfold in its own time.

Contact

Instagram: @narngoh

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