The Junges Schauspielhaus Zürich is kicking off the 2025/2026 season with new artistic leadership and plenty of energy. Theatre is more than just a room with a stage – it is a place where anything is possible.
Together with you, we will embark on a journey of discovery and learn to encounter, question and love theatre in all its forms. Loud, quiet, moving, irritating, funny, profound – theatre can be so many things! Sometimes the focus is on language, sometimes on movement or music. In any case, it is the interplay of all conceivable and inconceivable elements that makes theatre so magical. We invite you to experience the many forms and facets of theatre from different perspectives and to take a look behind the scenes. We pick up on topics that are ‘in the air’ and bring them to the stage as contemporary spoken theatre. In this way, we attract people to the theatre who have had little contact with this art form before, as well as those who are already in the audience or on stage themselves.
Co-leadership
We are Johanna Benrath, Elo Göldi and Lea Niedermann. Together, we curate a high-quality artistic programme for young audiences at the Schiffbau Matchbox. As co-directors, we will open doors to contemporary topics, provide fresh impetus and continue to develop the theatre together with the audience. Our main task is to introduce children, young people and those who are less familiar with theatre to the magic of this place, to awaken their curiosity about the processes on and behind the stage, and to actively involve them in shaping the theatre.
MANAGEMENT JUNGES SCHAUSPIELHAUS
Johanna Benrath, Elo Göldi, Lea Niedermann
jungesschauspielhaus@schauspielhaus.ch
netzwerk wildi blaatere
Together with seven other theatre professionals, we have been producing contemporary spoken theatre in Zurich under the name netzwerk wildi blaatere (nwb) since 2019. We find our content in the world of everyday myths and pop culture, from which we develop plays for young people and/or adults. At the heart of nwb's work is the encounter and exchange with the audience, the joy of theatre-making as a team sport and theatre as a space of infinite possibilities. We have always kept our eyes open for potential collaborators – whether they are in the theatre or out in the city.
Through our many years of work with nwb, we have been able to put down roots in Zurich. Together with school representative Antonia Andreae, we, as the management team of the Junges Schauspielhaus, have access to a network of diverse actors and can make the theatre accessible to new audiences. In the first season, director and choreographer Mable Preach, who has been working primarily in Hamburg's youth culture scene for many years, skilfully combining education and entertainment, will also complement the programme with her own production. We are looking forward to this first opportunity to extend the Junges Schauspielhaus network beyond national borders!
Banden
These are the gangs
Du hast Lust, Theater zu spielen? Dich auf einer Schauspielhaus-Bühne zu bewegen? Oder möchtest du lieber hinter den Kulissen kreativ werden? Dann bist du bei den Banden am Schauspielhaus genau richtig.
Für die Spielzeit 2025/26 sind wir fast komplett, für die BEHIND THE SCENES Bande sind Anmeldungen noch möglich. Für alle anderen: gerne kannst du dich ab August 2026 für die nächste Spielzeit anmelden. Und komm uns besuchen, wenn wir im Mai zeigen, woran wir gearbeitet haben.
In dieser Spielzeit gibt es drei Banden für Menschen zwischen 14-24 Jahren.
SPIELEN: Sprechtheater, Schauspieltechniken, Textarbeit
BEWEGEN: Tanz, Bewegung, Performance
BEHIND THE SCENES: Technik, Bühnenbild, Kostüme, Dramaturgie
Spoken Theatre Gang
Co-Directors: Ali Napoé, Florian Lampert
Theatre year: Eren Arda Vural
Premiere: 2 May 2026, Schiffbau Matchbox
Additional performances: 3 & 4 May 2026, Schiffbau Matchbox
With: Malika Ahmadi, Silvana Beer, Felipa Bärtschi, Carlotta Endras, Naliyah Gelmi, Julitta Gregori, Chantal Grimmer, Anton Hasting-Benezri, Jess Kennel, Aleksandria Komogorova, Katharina Marinho Konrad, Aglaja Marksthaler, Stella Marucci, Vanessa Nittner, Stella Rinderknecht, Sandrine Schurtenberger, Aurelia Venere, Nelly Wrage
Movement Theatre Gang
Co-Directors: Ali Napoé, Lea Oltmanns
Theatre year: Linus Maria Hausammann
Premiere: 22 May 2026, Schiffbau Matchbox
Further performance dates: 23 & 25 May 2026, Schiffbau Matchbox
With: Daiana Amstalden, Zohar Biran, Bianca Galliani, Tamara Hofstetter, Nicolas Holzhausen, Manuel Huggenberger, Ayse Karadag, Mila La Roche, Leo Röttele, Samira Ruschetta, Nora Teuscher, Aira Venzi
Become part of our Behind The Scenes gang
Do you love theatre, but would rather take a look behind the scenes?
Then the Behind The Scenes Gang at the Junges Schauspielhaus Zurich is the perfect place for you! Here you can discover where and how theatre is created:
How lighting creates atmosphere and transforms scenes.
How costumes shape characters – or alter them, for example when a human suddenly becomes an animal.
And how texts are created, change during rehearsals and come to life on stage. Over the course of a season, you will work creatively and experimentally on your own format – whether it's an exhibition, a reading, a fashion show or something completely different. The result will be presented in May 2026! You will gain insights from artists, technicians and authors and discover how diverse theatre professions are behind the scenes.
Who is it for: Anyone aged 14–24 who loves theatre but prefers to be active backstage.
When & where: Tuesdays, 6.30–8 p.m. (except during school holidays) at the Schiffbau theatre in Zurich. Registration is open until December – join us and become part of the Behind The Scenes gang!
Theaterjahr
The theatre year at Schauspielhaus Zurich offers five young people the opportunity to immerse themselves intensively in theatre work. They are part of the Schauspielhaus throughout the entire season and work in the Junges Schauspielhaus department. In this role, they actively support educational work by, for example, helping to organise workshops for school classes. They also complete an internship in an area of their choice, such as directing, costume design or set design. This gives them a wide range of insights into the creative and organisational processes behind the scenes. In addition, they gain experience in other departments, such as the workshops, communications and the operations office, during internships lasting several weeks.
The theatre year 25/26 consists of Maïmouna Abou Aw Bräm, Eren Arda Vural, Neftalem Tewelde Tekeste, Linus Maria Hausammann und Anouk Wieland.
contact: theaterjahr@schauspielhaus.ch
© Binta Kopp
Open Stage
Once a month, the Theaterjahr invites you to the OFFENE BÜHNE [Open Stage] at the Matchbox in the Schiffbau. You can sing, dance, put on a theatre performance, hold a poetry slam, play games with the audience, or do something completely different – anything goes! You get ten minutes to make the stage your moment. There’s also a bar!
You can either sign up in advance by emailing theaterjahr@schauspielhaus.ch or just drop by on the night and join in.
We look forward to seeing you!
NEXT OFFENE BÜHNE:
- 21 February
- 28 March
- 18 April
final project
Look inside
Various offers for children and young people provide special opportunities to become active in the theatre themselves
and to try things out in a playful way. The Future Day and the holiday courses are aimed specifically at school children who would like to get to know the theatre as a workplace and experience the theatre not just from the audience for a
day. We want to show how many people work in the theatre in different areas and that theatre is a collection of talents and strengths.
Vacation course
During the school holidays (9 February 2026–13 February 2026), immerse yourself in the world of theatre, take a look behind the scenes and perform with other children. The course is aimed at children aged 8 to 12.
Theatre course: MONDSCHEIN UND LÖWE
Would you like to immerse yourself in the fantastic world of Shakespeare, which he created over 400 years ago? In our theatre course MONDSCHEIN UND LÖWE, we will perform scenes from the famous A Midsummer Night's Dream and experience a magical journey through the enchanted forest together. From craftsmen and fairies to the royal couple: each character has their own surprises and challenges, which you will discover together with your fellow actors.
What makes this course special is that SOMMERNACHTSTRAUM is being rehearsed by stage professionals at the Schauspielhaus theatre at the same time! So you can experience first-hand how even great actors throw themselves into this enchanting story. Who knows, maybe you'll even get a few tips from the professionals or see the magic of the stage from a new perspective.
At the end of the holiday week, we invite your family and friends to an exclusive performance where you can present the scenes and characters you have created.
Future Day
On 13 November, the Schauspielhaus Zürich theatre will open its doors to pupils in Years 5 and 6, giving them a chance to explore its offices, workshops and rehearsal rooms. Learn about a wide range of theatre professions first-hand and discover this exciting place of work!
Zukunftstag is already fully booked!
youth dramaturgy
Open Acting Training
Every month, a member of the Schauspielhaus ensemble provides insights into theatre techniques. Whether it's stage presence, voice training, movement or improvisation tips – here you'll find new ideas and inspiration. For anyone aged 16 and over who wants to get a taste of the stage, experience theatre up close or get to know the professionals behind the scenes. You can find the current data in our programme.
Specials
As part of other special offers for children and young people, there is the opportunity to experience the theatre as a very special place of adventure.
Doppelspiel
Our Doppelspiel is more than just spectatorship. While the adults sit and watch the show, the kids discover the same show behind the scenes. In playful workshops, children engage the themes of the performance in an age-appropriate manner. Dates for Doppelspiel workshops can be found in the monthly performance schedule and on the website. Doppelspiel is for children between the ages of 7 and 12.
REGISTRATION: jungesschauspielhaus@schauspielhaus.ch
