Local, open-air performances in Norway as interdisciplinary theatre

Each year local amateur actors in small, rural communities all over Norway stage a large number of open-air performances. Most of them are performed a nnually, and indeed some have been performed for almost fifty years. The in terdisciplinary nature of these performances is founded on the principle of dugnad (community cooperation and participation) which brings to the perfo rmances local knowledges and skills. These productions thus attract large a udiences because of their fusion of elements from theatre, music, dance, sp ort and crafts performed by skilled professionals turned amateur actors fro m the community. These interdisciplinary rituals are repeated annually by r ural communities as the expression of local cultural disciplines harnessed together in performance.