Strong community spirit for St. Valentine's Day
When Kastellet Cultural Center and Kilden *St. Valentin* in Fjæreheia this summer, the entire Donlan family from Homborsundwill be on hand.
“I just tell myself that I’m alone on stage, and then I’m not so afraid of singing off-key,” she says
Evelina Donlan (10).
Niklas, who is two years older, uses a different technique.
“It’s really fun when there’s a big crowd, but since the lights aren’t on the audience, I can’t see them very well from the stage,” he reveals.
Siblings Niklas and Evelina are two of the 80 performers on stage when the musical *St. Valentin* is staged in Fjæreheia from July 27 to August 4. The production is a collaboration between Kastellet Cultural Center, which develops cultural productions in partnership with professionals, and Kilden.
Passionate about community service
His older brother Thomas and his parents, Sylvia and Chris Donlan, are also involved, though none of them receive a single penny for their efforts. They believe it goes without saying that they should volunteer their time to help the cultural scene thrive.
– I’m passionate about contributing to the local community. We rely on volunteer efforts so that more people can participate in cultural life and get involved in other areas. Whether it’s raising money for a sports team trip so we can keep the out-of-pocket costs down and more people can afford to join, or it’s about getting involved with Kastellet, I do it with joy,” smiles the mother of three.
While the two youngest children will be singing and dancing on stage, Sylvia has taken on the responsibility of running the refreshment tent during the performances.
“There’ll be homemade snacks and beer from a local brewery—that much I can reveal,” she laughs.
The eldest son, Thomas, is serving as a general helper, and Chris has been put in charge of attaching lavalier microphones to the performers who will be on stage
in Fjæreheia.
“There are a lot of people on stage who need to be fitted with mosquito nets, but I have 30 years of experience in cultural work, so I’m sure it’ll go just fine,” says Chris.
Design sketches for St. Valentine's Day.Brings the family together
This afternoon, the family of five is enjoying a rare quiet moment around the dining table at their home in Homborsund. Chris delivers newspapers six nights a week, while Sylvia works at a hotel in Fevik. The three children are active in dance, soccer, and karate, and with limited bus service to their hometown, there’s a lot of daily logistics to coordinate. In addition, the whole family is involved in cultural life through Kastellet.
Niklas says he’s participating in “
St. Valentin” because it’s fun, and 10-year-old Evelina has already set her sights on the future.
“My plan is to become a dancer and a singer, but I think I love dancing the most,” she reveals.
The parents say that their involvement means a lot to the whole family and that it has a value that goes far beyond simply contributing.
“It brings us closer as a family, and we get to know each other in new ways. It’s nice to do this together, but it’s also exciting and educational to work together as part of a larger team,” says Sylvia.
Chris also notices a big difference in the children.
– At home, they’re just like any other kids, and we do have to nag them a little, but during productions, it’s as if they’re three years older. They work well with others, follow instructions, and take responsibility in a whole new way.
“It makes the children feel safe and gives them self-confidence,” Sylvia adds.
Although the family has extensive experience with volunteer cultural work, Chris says that this particular performance is still special.
“St. Valentin is nothing less than a world-class musical set in the spectacular quarry at Fjæreheia, so this is going to be absolutely fantastic,” he declares.
Lifting as a group
Sølvi Kleiva Ugland, executive director of Kastellet Cultural Center and producer of *St. Valentin* in Fjæreheia, explains that the production requires a collective effort and that collaboration between professionals and volunteers is absolutely essential.
“Making the most of the large stage area is demanding and costly, and it deserves to be done in a professional and proper manner—and fortunately, we’ve managed to do just that,” she says. The director is none other than
Bentein Baardson.
Of the 80 performers on stage, 20 are professionals, and they play the six lead roles, among others. There are also several performing arts students involved, both on stage, off stage, and behind the scenes, and especially during the preparations, there are more volunteers than paid staff at work.
“The costume team is a good example. The costume designer is a top-notch professional, and several people at Kilden’s costume and prop warehouse have been working tirelessly on *St. Valentin* for a long time. But the actual sewing of the costumes is handled by 18 volunteers,” continues Sølvi Kleiva Ugland.
She praises both the collaboration with Kilden the spirit of community service.
– At Kastellet, we have years of experience working this way, and that means many of our volunteers have become very skilled. We can feel their enthusiasm, and it fosters personal growth that is rewarding for many.
Now both she and the Donlan family are hoping for a full house, but for Evelina, it’s mostly about the joy of being on stage.
“I’m nervous, of course, but I also know it’s going to be fun. Afterward, when it goes well, I’ll be really proud of myself. It’s a great feeling,” concludes the 10-year-old aspiring actress.
Text by Kari Byklum
Photo Børre Eskedahl
About St. Valentine
Get ready for a spectacular premiere as Fjæreheia is transformed into Rome’s Forum Romanum. Kastellet invites the audience to experience powerful music, drama, and legends late into the evening. The musical is based on the legend of the saint, the priest and physician Valentine—who dared to defy Emperor Claudius II and was therefore martyred. His final letter before his execution is the basis for today’s Valentine’s Day celebration on February 14.
The musical *St. Valentin* has deep local roots and was created in Fjære. It has previously been performed three times in Italy, both as a full-length production and in a concert version. Now the musical is returning “home” to Sørlandet’s own spectacular Fjæreheia.
Premieres July 27 and runs through August 4[ult_buttons btn_title="READ MORE ABOUT THE PERFORMANCE ST. VALENTIN" btn_link="url:https%3A%2F%2Fkilden2020.wpengine.com%2Fforestilling%2Fst-valentin%2F||target:%20_blank|" btn_title_color="#ffffff" btn_bg_color="#7a3434" btn_bg_color_hover="#5e5e5e" btn_title_color_hover="#ffffff" btn_icon_pos="ubtn-sep-icon-at-left" notification=""]