It all began with a dream: to revitalize and diversify the limited cultural and artistic events in Bodrum by offering a new alternative, and to connect with art lovers by bringing our artistic experience and perspective to the stage…
As Inspera Bodrum, the idea of “positive discrimination for children”—which underlies our founding purpose—naturally took precedence, and we did not hesitate for a moment to establish our theater with the goal of producing children’s theater works and and to introduce children to the enriching, creative world of theater.
And we got to work right away. We had no time to waste. The season was approaching, and we aimed to do what was best for the children. The author of our first play, Nevra Nergiz, adapted her book *The Treasures of the Forest* for the stage. The book’s plot, themes, and style perfectly aligned with the spirit of the community we had established.
Our main character, Yeraz—who loves nature, emphasizes healthy family relationships, thinks freely, and takes responsibility; yet never loses her sense of excitement, is curious, and inevitably struggles with the challenges of today—and a mysterious forest path that leads her to a heartwarming friendship…
Our script was ready, and our director, Serel Turhan Çapacı, had roughly shaped the structural framework and the basic action plan, but the real challenge lay in designing, producing, and ultimately bringing all these elements together, one by one.
When putting together our team, we prioritized not only ensuring our designers would do their jobs well but also making sure we were all on the same page regarding children’s theater. After all, we started from the premise that writing for children, staging for children, and creating art for children is no “child’s play.” We needed professionals who would walk the same path as us and believe in the value of the artistic joy we wanted to convey to the whole family through the stage. It turned out exactly as we’d hoped…
Our set designer, Tolunay Türköz, captured the essence of the story we wanted to tell with minimal yet meaningful elements, thereby bringing out its true spirit. We saw him backstage right up until the last day, making final touches with his paintbrush in hand. Our extraordinary costumes were crafted by Derya Ayvaz. “Treasures of the Forest” was Derya’s first project in the field of performing arts, but it was a magnificent reflection of her previous experience. Our number one rule in costume design was to consume as little as possible. We bought nearly all the costumes secondhand and transformed them. An old, out-of-style dress from someone’s closet became our shining star, and we’re proud of it.
Kürşat Ünsal, the illustrator of the book *Treasures of the Forest*, created a wonderful animated film for us. Although our play depicts a world far removed from the digital realm, this short film served as a meaningful bridge between the past and the future. We’ll continue to highlight all the members of our team and their work in our future posts.
As the Inspera Children’s Theater troupe, we believe in originality, sustainability, environmental awareness, and the healing power of minimal consumption; we consider it our mission to speak about endangered species and to revive art forms on the verge of being forgotten. Most importantly, we can’t wait to connect with children and families around the world. See you at our shows!