Maarja Korstnik
Actress. Improviser.
Maarja studied Meisner based acting in Actors Academy Finland studio and different acting techniques in Fontainebleau School of Acting in France, local drama studios in Tallinn and with several industry professionals from Europe.
She currently works as a freelance actress and event hostess, also as an improviser, coach and show hostess in Ruutu10 Improv Theatre. She also has a background in audio-visual design, fine arts and music (incl. musicals).
She speaks Estonian, English and has also studied Russian, Finnish and Japanese languages.
She has sung in musicals and choirs and studied in music school. As an addition, she has a BA in sound design (for film and animation) and fine arts, also MSc in multimedia, which includes video post-production and basic camerawork.
Details
Nationality: Estonia, EU
Age category: 25-37
Main languages: Estonian, English
Some language skills in: Russian, Finnish, Japanese
Drivers licence: category B
Contact: maarja.korstnik@gmail.com
Voice reels
Estonian
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English
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Credits
Selected plays
2024 Mundane.Magic – performer
Estonian Music and Theatre Academy – Contemporary Physical Performance Making course production, author-director: Katia Skylar
2024 Improv for Mental Health festival – Ruutu10 theatre in cooperation with Peaasi and Tartu 2024 Cultural capital program. A year long program that consisted of several trainings and performances and ended with a Mental Health and Improv Day event in Tartu, Estonia.
2024 Klatš (Rumors, N. Simon) – Chris Gorman
Director: M. Abel
2023-2024 Filmivõtted, Tavaline improõhtu, Mis mõttes?, Kohtingulood – actor-improviser and/or show hostess. Monthly main stage improv comedy shows (Ruutu10 theatre)
2023 House of Choices (M. Olsson) – Nancy Cork
Director: A. Walker (UK), N. Arpiainen (FIN). Helsinki
2023 Suremas sinust (Muero de tí, A. Radawski) – Loore
Director: Alejandro Radawski (ARG/POL)
2021-2023 Barprov – actor-improviser or artistic director/show host
Monthly main stage improv comedy show (Ruutu10 theatre)
2021 Kajakas (Ча́йка, A. Tšehhov) – Irina Arkadina
Director: Alo Kõrve
2019 – 2020 Esimesed suudlused (First Kisses, J. D. Hanagan) – Maris
Director: Jaanus Nuutre
2019-2021 Eesti otsib improstaari – actor-improviser
Monthly main stage improv comedy show (Ruutu10 theatre)
2020/2021 Impromadin, 2019/2020 Vastasseis – hostess and artistic director, team coach
Monthly improv comedy show (Ruutu10 theatre)
2019 Epic tale of Kalevipoeg – performer
NUKU (Teatri) choir, S. Aimla / R. Toots. Edinburgh Fringe Festival
2019 Crimeopolis – actor-improviser
Artistic director: Trent Pancy (US/FIN)
2018 Kalevipoeg (musical) – performer
NUKU (Theatre) choir, S. Aimla / R. Toots
2017 Songs of Ariel (musical) – Ariel, performer
NUKU (Theatre) choir, based on W. Shakespeare’s “The Tempest”. Director-conductor R. Toots
Monthly shows between 2017-2019: Komöödiasport (Ruutu10), Kompanii (Ruutu10), Elust Enesest (Ruutu10), Meelis, Friction – actor-improviser
Performances at internationa festivals
2019 Epic tale of Kalevipoeg – performer
NUKU (Teatri) choir, S. Aimla / R. Toots. Edinburgh Fringe Festival
2018 A musical longform show – actor-improviser
Kunstiline juht: Tom Tollenaere. Finnish International Improv Festival
2017, 2018, 2019 – actor-improviser
Tallinn International Improv Festival
Selected film
2022 Raeapteek’s 600th birthday – daughter
Ad clip. Director: Nathan Popa
2021 Ice cream man – the mother (lead)
Baltic Film and Media school short (graduation work). Director: Sten Toom
2021 Sigaõnnelik – KarenTraining video for Data Protection Inspectorate
2019-2021, 2024 Ruutu10 comedy sketches – different character
2021 Kuulsuse narrid – gypsy woman (background role)
Director: Ain Mäeots
2019 Tenet – tourist, opera house guest (background roles)
Director: Christopher Nolan
2018 Enne meid oli veeuputus – citizen from the 80es (in background video for the play)
NUKU teater / Vaba Lava. Directors: Jaak Kilmi, Kiur Aarma
2016 Vilen- Künnapu – vaikne revolutsioon – interviewer
Director: Jürgen-Kristoffer Korstnik
Event hosting and other
Performs regularly as an entertainer (improvised comedy) or hostess at events of different sizes and complexity, which includes company events, opening parties, fesivals, birthdays, anniversaries and weddings. Among recent clients are: Estonian Health Development Institute, Tallinn Prison, Internal Defense Academy, Estonian Internal Auditors Association, HOLM bank, LHV bank, Proto discovery factory, Tamro Eesti, Äripäev, Circkle K, Trinidad, BCS Itera, etc.)
Some of the more unconventional examples include:
2023-2024 Murder Mysteries in Laitse Castle – game and evening host
2023 WHO (World Health Organization) crisis simulation – actor
2022 Reopening of Cafe Leelo in the Salme Cultural Center with a discussion panel of City theatre (Linnateater) actors – evening host
2018 Kalamaja days – day host
Education
DRAMA
2020-2023 Actors Academy Finland. Drama and film training, based on S. Meisners techniques
2021 Member of Estonian Stage Fight Society, active in trainings
2020 FonAct – Fontainebleau School of acting. Summer intensive course in drama
2018-2020 Salme Theatre Studio
2015-2016 Tallinn University Theatre
Skills
As an addition to classical acting (Meisner, Stanislavky, Checkhov) and improv (narrative and short-form improv, musical improv, improvised rap):
Stage combat (NSFS pass: unarmed combat, broad sword, rapier; some training in: quaterstaff, firearms, small sword, knife).
Singing: choral and classical singing (vocal range: from alto to II soprano), overtone singing.
Musical instruments: flute and piano,folk instruments.
Physical theatre: clown & mime, Commedia dell’arte.
Dance: beginner modern dance and floorwork.
Physical training: qigong and yoga, running, mountain skiing.
Other: fine arts (BA), audiovisual media (MSc)
Other Higher and Vocational Education
2009 – 2013 Tallinn University – Master’s degree (MSc). Major: Multimedia and Learning Systems (former audio-visual design)
2005 – 2008 Tallinn University – Bachelor of Arts (BA). Major: Fine Arts and Graphic Design; minor: Sound Design
1994 – 1999 Nõmme Music School. Major: Flute; minor: Piano
Selected workshops and coaches
2023 Estonian Stage fight winter school: intimate violence scenes and intimacy (Ruth Cooper Brown, UK), firearms and stair falls (Robban Follin, SWE).
2023 NSFS summer training: block 1 tests in broadsword, rapier, unarmed combat. Workshops: small sword, high falls, cloak and rapier.
2020-2023 Actors Academy Finland. Curriculum based drama and film studies. Tom Sawyer, Ashley Walker, Ben Joiner, Dominic Kelly, Tim Kent, Fay Beck, Nita Arpiainen, Julia Petäjä, Barbara Houseman, Aleksander Rucidlo, Pia Rickman, Yvonne Morley.
2022/2023 Estonian Stage Fight Society winter school. Action-movie workshop: firearms, hand combat, high falls. Robban Follin (SWE), Janne Lindqvist (SWE), Mikko Löpponen (FIN).
2021/2022 Estonian Stage Fight Society winter school: rapier, broadsword, hand combat, knife. Peppe Östensson (SWE), Jarkko Mandelin (FIN), Oskari Turpeinen (FIN)
2020 Fontainebleau School of acting summer intensive. Christian Burgess (UK), Tom Clegg (UK), Agathe de Raymond-Cahuzac (FRA), Grace Andrews (UK), Claudia Jolly (UK), Fanny Marmouset (FRA), Marc Proulx (FRA).
2019, 2020 Stage fight workshops (hand combat, rapier, broadsword, quaterstaff). Kaire Russ, Katre Kaseleht
2019 Aleksander technique workshop and private lessons. Maret Mursa
2018-2020 Various improvisational theatre and comedy, character work workshops. 2019: Menelaos Prokos (GRC), 2018, 2019: Nick Byrne (AUS), 2019: Trent Pancy (US/FIN), Itamar Karbian (ISL), 2020: Will Naameh (UK)
2018 Acting Movement and Clown. Ira Seidenstein
2018, 2019 Stage voice and monologues workshops (Sõna ja Vägi, Sõna on tegu). Anne Türnpu
2018 Physical theatre, clown and comedy workshops. Dan Renwick (AUS-EST)
2018 Stage presence workshop. Anu Almagro (FIN/POL), Songs of the Goat Theatre
2018-2020 Salme theatre studio coaches: Kristo Viiding, Jaanus Nuutre, Virko Annus, Härmo Saarm, Margus Abel, Nero Urke, Reet Paavel, Allan Kress, Hellar Bergman, Janika Sillamaa, Indrek Ojari, Jim Ashilevi and many other.
2017 Commedia dell’arte workshop. Maïa Chanvin (FRA), Janko Polak (SVK)
2017 Stage movement and presence workshop. Grzegorz Bral (POL), Songs of the Goat theatre director. Poland
2017-2021 Voice technique classes. Evelyn Kanepi, Aleksander Kaidja
2017 Voice technique workshops: Murray Kyle, Lucia Lilikoi (ESP/UK)
2017-2019 Various improvisational theatre and comedy, character work workshops during festivals. TILT 2019 (Tallinn): Phil Whelans (GBR), Jeron Dewulf Leiva (NLD), Stacey Smith (USA), Stefan Pagels Andersen (DNK), Václav Wortner (CZE). FIIF 2018 (Tamperes): Tom Tollenaere, Kareem Badr, Martina Pavone, Laura Doorneweerd, Morgan Mansouri, Roy Janik. TILT 2018: Jochem Meijer (NLD), Kevin Miller (USA). TILT 2017: Flavien Reppert, Kaisa Kokko (FIN), Flavien Reppert (FRA), Nick Byrne (AUS), Glenn Hall (AUS).
On set and stage photos
