On Saturday, February 25, the San Francisco Bay Area Estonian community celebrated Estonia’s 99th birthday with an outstanding theater performance of Andrus Kivirähk’s “Sinised Kilesussid Jalas,” performed by Indrek Taalma.
The event, which was co-hosted by Andrus Viirg and EAS, Silicon Valley, took place at Plug and Play Center in Sunnyvale, and was attended by 140 people of all ages. We were honored to have Andrus Kivirähk himself present for the evening.
Also a highlight was Honorary Consul Richard Horning’s presentation of a proclamation from San Francisco Mayor Ed Lee declaring February 24, 2017 as Estonian-American Friendship and Heritage Day in San Francisco. Just before the play, we were treated to the debut performance of the San Francisco Pääsukesed (Swallows) childrens’ choir, who will be going to this summer’s youth song festival in Tallinn. The choir is directed by Riina Orav Sepp.
The post-theater reception included tasty Baltic foods and much socializing! The SF Eesti Selts board (Mai-Liis Bartling, Tõnu Viitas, and Marit Davey and Maj-Brit Kimm) would like to extend special thanks to the volunteers who helped make the evening possible: Lisa Trei, Tiina Sepp, Dennis and Tiina Dudley, Liis Traader, Silva Sheppard, Don Bartling, Linnea Bartling, Ingrid Echter, Mati Otsmaa, Ain Indermitte, Timo Kilp, Sean Krepp, Andres Renss, Lisa Garel, Heleene Tambet, Katherina Laan, and Liina Põder.
Text and photo:
Mai-Liis Bartling
