The Musical Theater was founded in 1985 by Charlotte Assarsson as a forum for new written musicals and innovative sets of pre-existing ones in all formats, for all contexts, and for an audience of all ages.
The company has since been working across borders with both music, theater, dance and art, which requires great versatility among the artists. The productions have been staged on everything from some of the largest theater stages in the Swedish capital to tours to smaller towns in the country.
Here follows some examples of our productions through the years, and feel free to contact us at info@motherearthartists.com if you wish.
SWANLAKE - the musical
premiered in 2000 at the Replica Theater (Teater Replica) in Stockholm. The dramatization is based on the same folk tales as the well-known ballet, but here the plot is set to the present. Gone is all the swans as well as Tchaikovsky's music, and instead we are confronted by a plot where "black and white" concerns skin color issues, identity, relationships and xenophobia.
Cast: Siegfried Leijonhag - Armand Gutheim, Odette, Siegfried's fiancy - Maria Kim, Catharina Leijonhag, Siegried's mother - Norma Ahlqvist, Rudolph von Rothbart, Catharina's lover - Tommy Widerberg, Charles, Siegfried's friend - Tobias Wretljung, Carrie Anderson, Rudolph's assistant - Maria Kim, and five other smaller roles.
Script, dialogue, music, lyrics and directing: Armand Gutheim.
Orchestration and recording: Armand Gutheim and Joakim Svalberg.
Choreography: Charlotte Assarsson.
Set design: Nisse Skoog.
Costume design: Anne Deval.
Produced by Marian Laurell and Monica Lilja.
Shot at the Replica Theater in Stockholm 2000 by Mats Björklund.
©℗ 2000 MOTHER EARTH ARTISTS, Stockholm, Sweden
THE KINGS ISLAND PLAY
premiered in 1998 at the Kings Island Theater (Kungsholmsteatern) in Stockholm after a commission from the City of Stockholm as the European Capital of Culture that year. The musical was also performed the following year during a cultural festival at the Kings Island district (Kungsholmen).
The plot consists of an odyssey based on Stockholm's variegated history from the 13th century to the present day with a focus on the mentioned district.
Cast: The Abbot - Stig Ekstam, The Magic Lady - Rut Cronström.
Also starring: Tommy Widerberg, Astrid Rang, Rutger Nilsson, Özz Nûjen and another 25 artists in 60 roles.
Script, dialogue, music, lyrics and directing: Armand Gutheim.
Orchestration and recording: Joakim Svalberg.
Choreography: Charlotte Assarsson.
Set design: Nisse Skoog.
Costume design: Ulla Oddsdotter.
Produced by Armand Gutheim and Charlotte Assarsson.
Shot at the Kings Island Theater in Stockholm 1999 by Mats Björklund.
©℗ 1998 MOTHER EARTH ARTISTS, Stockholm, Sweden
THE GLASSBLOWER'S CHILDREN
premiered in 2003 at the Vasa Theater (Vasateatern) in Stockholm and is based on Maria Gripe's novel of the same name. At the center of the plot is the glassblower Albert, his wife and his two children, Klas and Klara, who are both abducted by the childless ruler of the area.
Cast: Albert, glassblower - Tommy Widerberg, Sofia, his wife - Linda Krüger, Klas and Klara, their children - Theo Riise and Sabina Gutheim, Flaxa Mildweather, fortune teller - Ursula Jekell, Tilda, her daughter - Maria Lizell, Mr. Wise, Flaxa's companion - Istvan Kisch, The Ruler, landowner - Lars Fager, The Mistress, his wife - Charlotte Assarsson, The Coachman, their employee - Göran Blomquist, Nana, their nanny - Norma Ahlqvist. Also featuring Yvonne Sjöberg and John Massey.
Adaption, dramatization, dialogue, lyrics and directing: Armand Gutheim.
Music, orchestration and recording: Ralph Lundsten.
Choreography: Kristin Kåge.
Set design: Nisse Skog.
Costume design: Charlotte Assarsson.
Produced by Armand Gutheim and Charlotte Assarsson.
Shot at the Vasa Theater in Stockholm 2003 by Bernt Lööf.
Restored and digitized for the 20th anniversary in 2023.
©℗ 2003 MOTHER EARTH ARTISTS, Stockholm, Sweden
WHEN THE ROBBERS CAME TO CARDAMOM TOWN
premiered in 2001 at the Vasa Theater (Vasateatern) in Stockholm and was performed continuously there for the following three years. This version was based on an earlier one from 1997 which toured around the country.
The original plot by Torbjörn Egner is relocated to our own present time and Cardamom town has become a place populated by only women (!) Their encounter with the three robbers, and brothers, Casper, Jasper and Jonathan, becomes an encounter between female and male stereotypes.
Cast: Casper - Tommy Widerberg, Jasper - Göran Blomquist, Jonathan - Armand Gutheim, County Police Chief Bastian - Ursula Jekell, Wise Thora - Norma Ahlqvist, Aunt Sophie - Charlotte Assarsson, Camilla, Sophie's niece - Sabina Gutheim, Tova, Camilla's friend - Julia Roth, The Tram Driver - Kristin Kåge, The Hairdresser - Annika Listén, The Butcher - Linda Krüger, The Baker - Maria Lizell.
Script, music and lyrics: Torbjörn Egner.
Script processing, orchestration, recording, directing, choreography: Armand Gutheim.
Set design: Urban Pettersson.
Costume design: Charlotte Assarsson.
Produced by Armand Gutheim and Charlotte Assarsson.
Shot at the Vasa Theater in Stockholm 2004 by Mats Björklund.
©℗ 2001 MOTHER EARTH ARTISTS, Stockholm, Sweden
THE MYSTERY WITH THOR'S HAMMER
premiered in 1996 at Pero's Theater (Pero's Teater) in Stockholm and then toured around the country. The musical is based on the Nordic mythology and revolves around the mysterious professor Bergner and his two assistants Hugo and Mina, whom he instructs to search for the god Thor's lost hammer, in accordance with his mythology research.
This is a musical that raises questions about what and who is really "good" and "evil", and it was created as "teamwork" by the participating artists who held all thirty roles and performed the music "live" on stage.
Cast: Charlotte Assarsson, Armand Gutheim, Per Lejring and Sven Arne Svanberg.
Script, dialogue and lyrics: Sven-Arne Svanberg and Armand Gutheim.
Music: Armand Gutheim and Per Lejring.
Choreography: Charlotte Assarsson and Armand Gutheim.
Set design: Barbro Hedström.
Costume design: Charlotte Assarsson.
Produced by Nabila Boutros.
Shot at the Pero's Theater in Stockholm 1996 by Ove Mollvik.
©℗ 1996 MOTHER EARTH ARTISTS, Stockholm, Sweden
LITTLE BROTHER AND LITTLE SISTER
was originally created in a first version in 1985 by Charlotte Assarsson as a mini-musical for only herself on stage. It was The Musical Theater's first production which toured throughout the country until 1990. A new version saw the light of day
created especially for the company's 10th anniversary, now with two artists sharing
the five roles.
The musical is based on the Brothers Grimm's saga of the same name and is about two siblings who live during the Middle Ages. They run away from their stepmother who turns out to be a real witch who keeps the two siblings locked up.
Cast: Little Sister, The Witch and The Hunter - Charlotte Assarsson, Little Brother and The King - Armand Gutheim.
Script, dialogue, staging, choreography and costume design: Charlotte Assarsson and Armand Gutheim.
Music: Elia Cmiral.
Lyrics: Britt Lindeborg.
Set design: Antott Parholt and Berthel Martinsson.
Produced by Berit Myrin.
Shot at the Vasa Theater in Stockholm 2001 by Mats Björklund.
©℗ 1995 MOTHER EARTH ARTISTS, Stockholm, Sweden
THE MUSICAL EXPRESS
premiered in 2010 and was created for touring on smaller venues around the country. It's a mixed program with several of the musical world's most famous songs performed by singer Armand Gutheim, violinist Rimma Gotskosik and pianist Jan-Erik Sandvik.
Produced by Armand Gutheim.
Shot at the Jakob's Hills Venue (Jakobshöjden) in Västerås 2010 by Emil Atak.
©℗ 2010 MOTHER EARTH ARTISTS, Stockholm, Sweden
SONG AND DANCE
premiered in 1986 and toured for a couple of years on smaller venues around the country. It's a musical parade with several beloved musical songs from the entire 20th century performed by singer and dancer Charlotte Assarsson and pianist Mikael Jöback.
Script, dialogue and choreography: Charlotte Assarsson.
Directing: Arne Tyrén.
Set design: Catarina Kuschel.
Costume design: Anne Norin.
Produced by Charlotte Assarsson.
Shot at the Allé Theater (Alléteatern) in Stockholm 1987 by Ove Mollvik.
©℗ 1991 MOTHER EARTH ARTISTS, Stockholm, Sweden