Leikkonen will take up the post in August. She has not previously worked in theatre management, but as a teacher in the field.
Leikkonen has worked for almost 30 years as a theatre teacher, director of training, and as a teacher and director in various theatre schools.
This is her first theatre management post, but she has been interested in the field for a long time.
– For the last couple of years I’ve been applying for theatre director positions and have often made it to the interview stage, the final round. Luckily, I got it,” Leikkonen tells Yle.
Leikkonen has conducted various trainings, for example, at the continuing education center of the Theater Academy. He has also worked as a lecturer and teacher in charge of acting in music theater education at Lahti University of Applied Sciences and as director of the theater department at Lahti Folk College.
Kokkola’s theater director’s term of office is three years.
Leikkonen believes that he can make use of his long experience in the theater industry and his networks in the management of the city theater.
– Kokkola has traditionally had an interesting, versatile and ambitious program. I want to continue this line and at the same time strengthen the importance of theater as a regional influence, commented Leikkonen in the press release.
Leikkonen also applied for the management of the theater three years ago.
He will take responsibility for the performance season starting next fall.