Let's Meet
A pilot evening at The Bookshop with music, performances and talks.
Have you never stepped into a theatre before? Maybe it seems boring, complicated or just... not your thing? Do you think theatre is only for older people? Or have you simply got your hands full with studying, sports, work or other activities?
Recognisable? If you answered ‘yes’ to any of these questions: Let's meet!
Location The Bookshop
Run time 90 minutes
Genre Perspective
Language Dutch and English
Walk-in from 6pm with drinks
Programme starts at 6.30 pm
Let's Meet
This one-off evening in The Bookshop at Internationaal Theater Amsterdam is all about encounters. Meeting each other, the makers and the theatre itself. In a mix of performances, music and conversation, together we explore how theatre can become more accessible and personal. What do you need to feel welcome in a theatre? What do you miss? What do you want to see and not see?
The programme features inspiring performers such as Amber Vineyard - legendary Mother of House of Vineyard, who has set ITA on fire before and will perform again during Festival Lieve Stad, and Vainergill Thurnim - dancer and performer who takes you into her powerful story of movement.
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The Bookshop is Internationaal Theater Amsterdam's intimate stage: a place for new perspectives, fresh ideas and voices that might otherwise go unheard. Together, we want to build an open, polyphonic place where everyone feels seen.
Join us, make yourself heard, and discover that theatre can be for you too. The evening is free to attend and includes drinks and snacks.
Host: Munganyende
Amber Vineyard (they/them) [EN], aka Ambiance, is a pioneering force in the Dutch Ballroom scene. A creative director, MC, performer, actor, and pleasure activist, they’re a key figure in Amsterdam’s nightlife and LGBTQIA+ community. Amber became a Nightknight in 2025, was Amsterdam Pride Ambassador in 2019, and appeared as a choreographer and judge on Drag Race Holland and Holland’s Next Top Model. They've collaborated with brands like Amsterdam Pride, Absolut, Tommy Hilfiger, and Milkshake Festival.
Founder of the House of Vineyard, Amber is renowned for the "Sex Siren" category and as the "Mother of Sirens." They also created The Living Room, a community dance center, and pioneered safer, empowering spaces for LGBTQIA+ people through events like Pearl Dive, Pussy Wagon, and Va Va Voom.
As a freelance dancer, choreographer and teacher, Vainergill Thurnim [NL] focuses on connecting people by highlighting similarities and celebrating differences. Dance is a powerful tool for creating empathy for human emotions and experiences. Vainergill strives to create a space where people feel seen and heard. This is reflected in her choreographies, including Ochtenddauw, That the Sun Always Shines and BLINDSIGHT. Her artistic journey began with pre-education and secondary vocational education at the Lucia Marthas Institute for Performing Arts, after which she graduated from the Academy for Theatre and Dance, Dance Teacher's Department. Vainergill has since developed a unique style, incorporating influences from West African dance aesthetics.
The Bookshop
The Bookshop is ITA's new cultural living room on Leidseplein. This compact stage offers a space for innovation, reflection and new perspectives. Here, makers, performers and visitors meet for special programmes, from experiments to intimate performances. The Bookshop is a place for everyone, with a focus on accessibility and openness. It is a gift to the city, made possible by the support of more than 500 donors and various funds and partners.
