Stella Polaris

In 1990, Tytti Oittinen invited Keith Johnstone to conduct an improvisation training in Espoo, and the resulting group, including founding members Markku Toikka and Jami Hyttinen, formed Stella Polaris. From 1991, the company presented full-length improvised plays at Kaapelitehdas in Helsinki with two seasons per year. A significant artistic development came in 1996 when the ensemble incorporated live music into performances, and by 1997 full-length improvised plays inspired by a True Fiction Magazine workshop at the Tampere Theatre Festival became a central format. The company produced the television series Vapaa Pudotus (Free Fall), which received Venla Awards in 2002 and 2003, and hosted the World Theatre Olympics in 2000 and the International Impro Festival in 2013. Stella Polaris has consistently brought international instructors and ensembles to Finland, and its members perform and teach at festivals worldwide.

Stella Polaris is committed to the development of improvisation as a theatrical form of artistic depth, treating each performance as a fully realized dramatic event rather than a comedy game show. The company's values centre on risk-taking, genuine presence, and collaborative creation, with ongoing research into new theatrical formats as a defining practice.

As Finland's oldest professional improvisation company and the organization through which Johnstone's methodology first took root in the country, Stella Polaris has directly shaped the subsequent development of Finnish improv, with numerous ensembles and practitioners tracing their training lineage to the company.