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MAARIT HARA - PORTFOLIO

chosen acting, writing and improvisation projects

GO DOWN ON ME OR DIE

 

A dark comedy and a female revenge fantasy that explores the absurdity of human behavior and sexual relationships. It is a story about a group of women who kill men that don't go down on the women they are sleeping with.

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The play is a raw take on female sexual pleasure and the ways that women are conditioned by society to think and speak about sex.

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I wrote the first version of GDOMOD as a short play in 2017 and have since been developing it with my creative partner Marina Gasparyan.

The play premiered in NYC at Dixon Place (2018) and a developed version of the play was performed at The Barrow Group Theatre (2019) as a part of their Performance Artist Residency Program. The latest version of the project, the GDOMOD - Micro Series, was filmed in NYC in March-April 2023 and is currently in post production set to be released in 2024.

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I'm the creator and director of the play as well as one of the actors and writers.

llklk​

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​​WATCH: TEASER TRAILER

THE SUPERMODEL SHOW
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The Supermodel Show is an unhinged feminist physical comedy that explores the world of modeling through an absurd and theatrical lens.
 

The show was created at Ars Nova as a part of The Comedy Artist Makers’ Program where I was a resident artists (2023-2024) alongside my co-creators and performers Marina Gasparyan and Emily Dayton Evans. 

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The Supermodel Show first premiered June 8th, 2024 Off-Broadway at Ars Nova, directed by Valeria A. Avina. A developed version was performed at Asylum NYC on June 29th 2024. ​​​​

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Created and performed by: Maarit Hara, Marina Gasparyan, Emily Dayton Evans

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Next show: November 15th Asylum NYC 9:30pm as a part of the New York Comedy Festival

MARK & LISA
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Mark & Lisa is an absurd theatrical clown piece about an Armenian immigrant’s quest for love and acceptance with his mischievous real life doll girlfriend, Lisa. 

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Created and performed by Maarit Hara and Marina Gasparyn. 

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We have performed parts of the show all around NYC in different theaters and venues.

The most recent half an hour version of the show was performed at The Second City Black Box on July 9th 2024.​​​

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Next show: November 9th Second City NY 9:30pm as a part of the New York Comedy Festival

WATCH: MARK & LISA - SECOND CITY​

WATCH: MARK & LISA - MARINA'S HOME VIDEOS

WATCH: MARK & LISA - IDIOTS HOUR

CLOWN​

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Clown also allows me to express my visual and physical thinking and creativeness. It is a way for me to explore my existence as a human on earth and the existence of others, truths of the moments, and the power of acceptance. 

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I have performed in different clown ensembles, duo, solo, as well as used clown when creating new works of all styles.​

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Currently I'm performing as a clown in JOO-EHKÄ-EI (YES-MAYBE-NO)- a sex education performance lecture in secondary schools in Finland as well as writing my final thesis (Turku Arts Academy) about elderly clowning with people with dementia.

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MORE INFO: JOO-EHKÄ-EI

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MAARIT+KAITLIN

AM I THE ONLY ONE

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A clown collaboration with Kaitlin Kaufman.

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A woman in her thirties lives alone, well, not completely alone. She lives with her life-size doll and today is the doll’s birthday. This piece follows the woman as she prepares a special celebration, trying to make the best of an evening full of mishaps. AITOO is a theatrical mash-up of naturalism, clown, slapstick and the absurd, a journey to finding the laughter in loneliness.

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Our piece premiered at Dixon Place (2018) and we have performed in different venues around NYC. Most recently we have performed at The Tank in March 2023 and the Providence Fringe Festival in July 2023.

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WATCH: AM I THE ONLY ONE - SHORT FILM

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I PROMISE TO DIE HAPPY

 

A solo show that uses dark comedy, clown and puppetry to draw an accurate picture of modern society.

 

Tanja, a woman in her thirties, is searching for happiness in the midst of societal pressure. 

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I was the performer of the piece and we used devising methods and improvisation to create the material for the script-writing process and clown scenes together with the director and writer.  

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The show premiered in Turku, Finland in November 2019. 

 

Directed by: Johanna Parkkinen

Written by: Anita Hartikainen

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MORE INFO

FRUIT OF THE LOOM -

WOOM TO TOOM

 

A comedy inspired by the documentary series Wild Wild Country (Netflix 2018), that tells the story of a group of actors from the Fruit of the Loom- clothing brand commercials, who have adopted their roles as fruit as their real identities and have formed a fruit cult.

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The show explores themes of outsiderness and the loss of one's own identity, as well as the rituals and hierarchies that are typical elements of cult behavior.

 

I am one of the writers and actors of the show. The show premiered in New York at the Upright Citizens Brigade Theatre in January 2019.

 

Directed by: Patrick Keene

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WATCH: PERFORMANCE VIDEO LINK

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THE ART HOUSE IMPROV MOVEMENT

 

Drawing inspiration from the approach of French New Wave directors, The Art House Improv Movement aims to deconstruct the elements of long-form that we take for granted in an effort to create new techniques and approaches to art.

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I am one of the founding members and performers in the group that was formed at the Upright Citizens Brigade Theatre NYC (2018).

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Directed by: James Dwyer

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PERFORMANCE VIDEO LINK​

TRAILER

 

 

 

poHa - THE POST HAROLD MOVEMENT

 

An improv show that breaks the Harold improv form and explores it through the lens of experimental and immersive theater. 

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I am one of the founding members and performers in the group that was formed at the Upright Citizens Brigade Theatre NYC (2017).

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Directed by: James Dwyer

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VANITY FAIR ARTICLE FEATURING poHa

HAUNTED:

THE IMPROVISED GHOST HUNTERS

 

A long-form, narrative improv show honoring (and satirizing) paranormal investigative television shows. 

 

I was a performer in the show during their summer run at the Corn Productions theatre in Chicago in 2021.

 

Directed by: Amber Nettles

MORE INFO

IMPROVISATION​

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Improv is one of my passions. It is a way for me to connect with other people, express my creativity and have fun. 

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I have been performing in different groups since 2011 in Berlin, Helsinki, New York and Chicago.

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Some groups I have been a part of: Two Tall Women, Kolme Kokeilevaa Naista, Comedysportz.de, Teatteri Poleemi, the idiots, Angels, Holiday Feast, Two Angry Finns, Mytomaanikot.

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THE VAGINA MONOLOGUES

BY EVE ENSLER

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I have been producing, directing, and performing The Vagina Monologues in NYC 2016–2018, 2014 & 2015 in Helsinki, and in London 2011 (directed and produced by: Monique Wilson).

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The play is a part of V-Day, a global activist movement to end violence against women and girls.

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MORE INFO​

PERFORMANCE​

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I have performed in various projects in collaboration with artists from different fields. 

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Most recently in the video piece Äiti Palaa Kotiin (2021) by visual artist Matti Närekangas.  

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ÄITI PALAA KOTIIN PREVIEW

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RESERVATIONS: Meet Me in the Lobby / RESERVATIONS: A Night of One Acts 

 

A series of short original pieces by eleven New York playwrights, bringing an eclectic mix of hilarious and moving work, all transpiring over one fateful day in a trendy Manhattan hotel lobby.

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I was one of the actors and writers in the show.

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The series was performed at the Kraine Theater in NYC (2017 & 2018).

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Directed by: Kerri Sohn (2018) / Quinn Vogt-Welch (2017)

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BROADWAY WORLD​

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POLEEMI THEATRE - FENNOVOIMA​ INVESTMENT TEAM

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Activist street performance and mockumentary created in collaboration with Greenpeace Finland. The project took a stance against Finnish energy company Fennovoima's contract with Russian state firm Rosatom to build a nuclear power plant on Finland's west coast. 

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The street performance was realized in Helsinki and in Oulu, outside, and in shopping malls. The videos were filmed in Finland and in Chernobyl, Ukraine (2014–2015).

 

I was one of the creators and main performers. 

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MOCKUMENTARY - YOUTUBE LINK

ARTICLE IN HELSINGIN SANOMAT ​

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OTHER PROJECTS​

THEATRE:

ALIVE TONIGHT - short play / Actor & Writer  / The Barrow Group [ NYC ] / 2017 / Directed by: Stephen Hohendorf
FEWER EMERGENCIES / Actor / Catharsis IV Kiev / 2015 / Directed by: Ritabara Dutta
HELGE'S LIFE / Actor - Helge's Fear / Aika Theater [ Helsinki ] / 2014 / Directed by: Johanna Torasvirta
THE CHERRY ORCHARD / Actor - Ranevskaja / Workers' Academy [ Helsinki ] / 2014 / Directed by: Marjaana Kuusniemi

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

FILM: 

MARIA KALLIO - TV - Series | Co - Star | Jarowskij Finland | Directed by: Laura Joutsi

ONNELA - TV - Series | Co - Star | Zodiak Finland Oy | Directed by: Jaakko Saariluoma

YLE - Brand Film | Bob The Robot Pictures Oy | Directed by: Mika Kurvinen

VUODATUS - Short Film | Lead | Kino Cult Euphoria | Directed by: Eeva Leinonen

SADETANSSI - Short Film | Lead | Uneton48 Short Film Festiva| Directed by: Eeva Leinonen

ISAK - Short Film | Bosslady | Directed by: Eeva Leinonen
NAKED | Co - Lead | Monogold Band Music Video | Directed by: Dana Gerolimatos 

COMMERCIAL: Conflicts available upon request

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CONTACT

hara.maarit@gmail.com

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