News

03. March 2021

Partial and Gentle opening in March

Gently – just as the theme of the Tender Talks, and cautiously we venture back. In February, after a joint decision-making process in the house, we deliberately refrained from rehearsals, live performances, contacts and mobility in order to support the containment of the pandemic. Now we are looking forward to the partial and gentle phase of opening from mid-March. We are resuming the Streamy Thursday format and are temporarily transforming the Pfauen into an exhibition space.

Also in March, we will once again be reporting live every Thursday evening. On 4 March, in-house director Wu Tsang and twelve members of the ensemble will give an insight into the production Moby Dick, which will premiere at the Pfauen next season, with a first table read live on Zoom. "You can tell that something very special is in the works," writes Stefan Busz in Züritipp about Moby Dick by Wu Tsang.

On 18 March we will be streaming again live for the first time and with Medea* by Leonie Böhm one of our two productions that have been invited to this year's Theatertreffen. On 27 March we will be broadcasting TriOlogie by the string trio Elodie Théry, Meredith Kuliew and Anna Mikolasek from the still empty Pfauen as part of the Open Haus series.

In March, however, the Pfauen is already partially open again. From 11-14 March we are showing the video installation The Show's over in a loop. A film by Wu Tsang and Moved by the Motion, inspired by the poem "come on, get it" by Fred Moten and the "Report from Occupied Territory" by James Baldwin, which explores underground currents of resistance and the politics of (in)visibility. From 13 to 28 March, Lena Schwarz, both member of the ensemble and visual artist, invites you to the Pfauen: Together with the Polish painter Krzysztof Gruse (Bochum/Bydgoszcz) and the Swiss artist duo Schumacher/Clavadetscher, she is creating Traumkapelle II, an installation in the Kammer, embedded in sound tracks by Michael Neuenschwander and Christian Szyska.

We will continue the Tender Talks every second Thursday evening in March. On 11 March, drag meets discourse: Vaginal Davis and Carolin Emcke meet for the third edition of Tender Talks. During Tender Talk #4 on 25 March, Mithu Sanyal chats with Annie Sprinkle and Beth Stephens.

The Theatertreffen production Einfach das Ende der Welt (It’s Only the End of the World) by Christopher Rüping will hopefully also play a role again soon, when our stages reopen for theatre performances. If the situation allows, we will resume our performance schedule from 10 April. We look forward to seeing you!

More News

02. December 2021
Moved by the Motion wins Gold Art Prize

Moved by the Motion is one of five inaugural winners of the Gold Art Prize. Congratulations to the group around in-house director Wu Tsang, Schaupielhaus ensemble members Tosh Basco, Asma Maroof, Josh Johnson and other members of Moved by the Motion as Patrick Belaga and Fred Moten!

The Gold Art Prize was formed by Kelly Huang and Gold House, a California-based nonprofit organization to increase scholarship and visibility for AAPI and Asian diaspora artists.

32 artists were nominated by a group of well-regarded curators that includes Whitney Museum curator Christopher Y. Lew, Los Angeles County Museum of Art curator of contemporary art Christine Y. Kim, and Sohrab Mohebbi, who is at work on the next Carnegie International.

From this 32 nominees, a Jury around Art News Top 200 Collector Komal Sha, Withney Vizedirektor Miyoung Lee and celebrities as Padma Lakshmi, Prabal Gurung and Gemma selected the five winners.

The other winners besides Moved by the Motion are Jes Fan, Maia Ruth Lee, Candice Lin and Miljohn Ruperto.

01. December 2021
Leonie Böhm erhält den Kurt-Hübner-Regiepreis 2021

Der diesjährige Kurt-Hübner-Regiepreis geht an Leonie Böhm für ihre am Schauspielhaus Zürich entstandene Inszenierung Medea*. Ganz herzliche Gratulation! Die Jury begründet ihre Wahl damit, dass es Leonie Böhm gelingt, «durch ihre klugen, mutigen Zugriffe und in radikaler Kollaboration mit ihren Spieler*innen Texte des klassischen Theaterkanons verblüffend zeitgenössisch erfahrbar zu machen.» Gemäss Rita Thiele, ehemals Chefdramaturgin und stellvertretende Intendantin am Deutschen Schauspielhaus Hamburg, «ermutigt Leonie Böhm ihre Spieler*innen zu einer radikalen persönlichen Aneignung, auch in Improvisationen. Dadurch blühen sie auf eine Art und Weise, die man schlichtweg nur sensationell nennen kann, und der antike Mythos wird extrem gegenwartsdurchlässig.»

Der mit 5'000 EUR dotierte Kurt-Hübner—Regiepreis wird seit 1991 von der Deutschen Akademie der Darstellenden Künste in Bensheim verliehen. Die Verleihung des Preises soll im Frühjahr 2022 stattfinden.

Wer Medea* noch nicht gesehen hat, kann das im Februar 2022 nachholen Ab dann wird die Inszenierung wieder am Schauspielhaus zu sehen sein. Im Mai 2021 wurde Medea* ans Berliner Theatertreffen eingeladen; und im August wurde Maja Beckmann für die Darstellung in Medea* von den Theater heute-Kritiker*innen als Schauspielerin des Jahres ausgezeichnet.

21. November 2021
NESTROY-Prize 2021
for Einfach das Ende der Welt

Einfach das Ende der Welt (It’s Simply the End of the World), directed by Christopher Rüping, has received the Vienna Theatre Prize NESTROY 2021 in the category Best Performance in the German-speaking World. Congratulations!

In August 2021, Einfach das Ende der Welt was already named production of the year by the critics of Theater heute. In addition, Benjamin Lillie and Maja Beckmann were recognised as actor and actress of the year. The production was previously invited to the 58th Berliner Theatertreffen and opened the festival in May with a live stream from the Schiffbau-Halle.

Next up, Einfach das Ende der Welt goes on Tour: From 3-5 February 2022, the production will be performed at the Schauspielhaus Bochum as a guest production. In Zurich, the award-winning production is back on the schedule in spring, rerun: from May 2022. On our website you can already immerse yourself virtually in the stage design and in the Schauspielhaus Journalyou can learn out how it was created.

12. October 2021
Corona Passion Play at the WOW Performance Festival

The Corona Passion Play opens the WOW Performance Festival on 15 October. This Festival is a newly created hybrid format by ANALOG Theatre that seeks to facilitate exchange and networking through this pandemic season and beyond, and to depict the entire spectrum of the independent performing arts. Following the live stream of the Vol. 3 Edition from the Schiffbau Hall, there will be an Artist Talk  with Nicolas Stemann on Zoom.

Co-director Nicolas Stemann’s Corona Passion Play present a modern tale of humanity’s suffering in times of Covid, analogous to the stations of Jesus’ Way of the Cross. The history of the work-in-progress project is as long as the pandemic itself. And like the pandemic, the Corona Passion Play, which began in the first lockdown with songs produced at home with homemade videos, has passed through countless stages and forms.

11. October 2021
Einfach das Ende der Welt nominated for NESTROY Award 2021

Our in-house director Christopher Rüping has been nominated for the Viennese NESTROY 2021 Theatre Award in the category Best German-Language Performance with Einfach das Ende der Welt (It’s Only the End of the World). Our warmest congratulations! The NESTROY award ceremony takes place on Sunday, 21 November in Vienna and will be broadcast live on OFR 3. Co-director Nicolas Stemann will be giving the laudatory speech at the NESTROY Gala for Elfriede Jelinek, who is honoured with the Lifetime Achievement Award.

Just recently, Einfach das Ende der Welt was voted Production of the Year by the Theater heute critics. Two members of our ensemble, Benjamin Lillie and Maja Beckmann, were also awarded Actor and Actress of the Year. Both play roles in Rüping’s production. At the beginning of the year, the production was invited to this year’s Berlin Theatertreffen and opened the festival in early May with a live stream from the Schiffbau Hall. In spring 2022, we will be resuming performances of the award-winning production, which premiered on 3 December 2020. On our website you can already immerse yourself virtually in the stage set and discover a host of delightful details. In the Schauspielhaus Journal, Jonathan Mertz gives an insight into his work as set designer for the production.

30. September 2021
Schauspielhaus On Tour

Off we go! The Schauspielhaus Zürich is finally on tour again. In the third season of the Stemann/von Blomberg artistic directorship, various productions will be touring, such as The Köln Concert, directed by Trajal Harrell, Christoph Marthaler's Das Weinen (Das Wähnen), three productions by Nicolas Stemann: Der Besuch der alten Dame, Faust I, Der Streik, the award-winning productions Einfach das Ende der Welt by Christopher Rüping and Frühlings Erwachen by Suna Gürler as well as Moby Dick by Wu Tsang and Moved by the Motion.

The Schauspielhaus On Tour series starts this Saturday with the screening of The Köln Concert at the Festival Romaeuropa. At the Teatro Argentina in Rome, in-house director Trajal Harrell will perform internationally for the first time with a production by Schauspielhaus Zürich. Right after that, Trajal Harrell's production with the Schauspielhaus Zürich Dance Ensemble can be seen at the Kaaitheater in Brussels, then at the beginning of November at the euro-scene dance and theatre festival in Leipzig. At the Pfauen, we will resume The Köln Concert, with which we opened 20/21 of our season, on the 24th of October.

Christoph Marthaler is also touring Europe with Das Weinen (Das Wähnen) in October, starting the guest performance tour on 6 October in Paris. In Zurich, the play can be seen again at the Pfauenbühne from 14 November.

Our guest performance events until the end of 2021:

21. September 2021
Welcome New Clubs!

40 young people met for the trial meeting of the clubs in the Schiffbau on 5 September 2021. Now the new clubs have been formed and will start their weekly rehearsals. As a new feature this season, one club will consider itself an open club. Under the direction of Suna Gürler, young people can decide from week to week whether to come, stay or leave, come back, fall in love with theatre. This window will be open until January, then the production will be rehearsed with a permanent club team.

The clubs' directing team this season includes:
Club 1 Matthias Nüesch & Nina Tshomba
Club 2 Alina Immoos & Melanie Guntern
Club 3 Suna Gürler & Guests
Club 4 Marta Piras & Julia Skof

We wish all the players and the artistic team a good start as they get to know the theatre together, discuss, improvise, let off steam, sweat and rehearse. Save the club premieres for May 2022 - we are already looking forward to them.

 

15. September 2021
Casting zu Wilhelm Tell

Milo Rau inszeniert Wilhelm Tell. Nun sucht der Regisseur für das Stück mittels Castings diesen Herbst nicht-professionelle Darsteller*innen – und folgt hierfür Tells Spuren in die Innerschweiz. Gesucht werden Bewerber*innen aller Geschlechter, Körper, Alter und Berufe; jeglicher politischer Gesinnung und mit oder ohne Pass; vom Land, aus Dörfern und Städten. Bewerben können sich Interessierte bis am 27. September über tell [​at​] schauspielhaus.ch.

Mehr Informationen

03. September 2021
Dürri am Draht

In einer Lese-Session haben fast 100 Schauspielhaus-Mitarbeitende aus unterschiedlichsten Abteilungen und auch Unterstützer*innen unseres Theaters die beiden Erzählungen «Die Mondfinsternis» und «Das Hirn» von Friedrich Dürrenmatt eingesprochen. Entstanden sind fast 5 Stunden Hörmaterial, welche nun für 15 Tage auf unserer Dürrenmatt-Hotline unter +41 44 258 72 70 Tag und Nacht unbeschränkt und kostenlos angehört werden können.

Mehr Informationen hier

02. September 2021
Der Mensch erscheint im Holozän – Swiss Theatre Production 2020

Es ist bereits die dritte Auszeichnung für Der Mensch erscheint im Holozän: Nach dem 3Sat-Preis und dem Nestroy-Preis wird Alexander Giesches Inszenierung als Schweizer Theaterproduktion 2020 prämiert. Die Eidgenössische Jury für Theater wählte das Visual Poem von Alexander Giesche und Team, nach der gleichnamigen Erzählung von Max Frisch, als herausragende Theaterproduktion 2020 im Rahmen der Verleihung der Schweizer Preise Darstellende Künste 2021 des Bundesamts für Kultur (BAK) aus einer Shortlist mit 22 Produktionen des Schweizer Theatertreffens.

«Mit diesem Preis wird eine Inszenierung gewürdigt, der es gelingt, einen so schwierigen Text wie diesen apokalyptischen Roman von Max Frisch theatralisch mit grosser Wirkung umzusetzen. In einer beispielhaften Verbindung des Wesentlichen mit dem Spektakulären behandelt «Der Mensch erscheint im Holozän» von Giesche, Pfammatter und Reichert Themen von grösster Aktualität wie etwa die angespannte Begegnung zwischen Menschheit und Natur oder die Auflösung von Erinnerung und Identität, ohne dabei in simple Modetendenzen zu verfallen. Die Inszenierung spricht auch die Schwierigkeiten an, die wir derzeit zu bewältigen haben, und erinnert uns gleichzeitig daran, wie wichtig die Hoffnung ist und wie viel Freude uns Spiel, Leichtigkeit und Schönheit bereiten können.» Demis Quadri, Mitglied Eidgenössische Jury für Theater

26. August 2021
«Einfach das Ende der Welt» named Production of the Year

Christopher Rüping's production Einfach das Ende der Welt (It’s Only the End of the World) has been named production of the year by the critics of Theater heute. Our ensemble members Benjamin Lillie and Maja Beckmann have also been awarded Actor and Actress of the Year. Both perform in Rüping's production, Beckmann received the award primarily due to her performance in Medea*, directed by Leonie Böhm. This is already the second award from Theater heute for Rüping; in 2019 he was recognised with "Dionysos Stadt" by the Münchener Kammerspiele. Sibylle Berg's "Und sicher ist mit mir die Welt verschwunden" was chosen as play of the year.

Both productions Einfach das Ende der Welt and Medea* were invited to this year's Berliner Theatertreffen. In the season 21/22 we will be reprising both these highly acclaimed productions. In addition, Christopher Rüping is staging Necati Öziri's "correction" of the Ring des Nibelungen in January 2021, where the Wagner’s concealed stories are told. In the Directors Talk with Trajal Harrell, Rüping gives first insights into his new production.

13. August 2021
Season Opening 2021/22

On the 10th of September the new theatre season begins and we are looking forward to seeing you; to share premieres and theatre experiences with you, gathered in one room, all together, at the same time. Advance booking for the season opening and the performances in September begins on Wednesday, 18 August at 11 am.

With Orpheus by Wu Tsang & Moved by the Motion and Kurze Interviews mit fiesen Männern –  22 Arten der Einsamkeit (Brief Interviews with Hideous Men - 22 Kinds of Loneliness), directed by Yana Ross, we open the 21/22 season with two themes that could not differ more from each other: the frequently adapted myth about an attempt at love against all odds and stories on toxic masculinity, written in the dawning 21st century. And yet there is something that connects these pieces: the yearning for impartiality and tenderness, for a different way of looking and being looked at, for a different perspective. Orpheus will be performed in the Schiffbau Box from 10 September and the production by Yana Ross will celebrate its premiere on Saturday, 11 September in the Schiffbau Halle.


With a new production of Der Besuch der Alten Dame (The Visit) by Nicolas Stemann, we open the new season at the Pfauen on 17 September. 65 years after the world premiere at the Pfauen, Stemann brings the Dürrenmatt classic close to the political discourses of the present: a society entangled in guilt, an unpaid bill, a ghost from the past - and the desire to make amends - what other perspective is being claimed today on justice, guilt and atonement (or revenge), on power and powerlessness, being history and becoming the future?


Our updated protective measures allow us to perform for larger audiences again and continue to guarantee safe evenings at the theatre. For the 21/22 season, a Covid certificate is required - meaning you must be vaccinated or tested, or must have recovered from an infection. Until further notice, masks are also mandatory - both these measures are also applied at the Opera House and the Tonhalle, with whom this policy has been coordinated. We are also reducing the occupancy of the performances to two-thirds of our full capacity. As a result, we can seat you and your companion directly next to each other if you wish, while maintaining a distance between you and other members of the audience.

28. June 2021
Theatre Holidays 2021:
28 June – 8 August

Dear Audience,

We are on summer break from June 28 to August 8 and are very much looking forward to opening the new season on 10 September with Orpheus in the Schiffbau Box, Kurze Interviews mit fiesen Männern – 22 Arten der Einsamkeit in the Schiffbau Hall (premiere: September 11) and with Der Besuch der alten Dame (premiere: September 17).

Advance sales for the September season opening and the sale of our subscriptions start on 18 August. All info on the new season can be found at 2122.schauspielhaus.ch.

For urgent matters, we can be reached at mitteilung [​at​] schauspielhaus.ch.

We wish you a relaxing summertime and are looking forward to seeing you soon.

Best,

Your Schauspielhaus

16. June 2021
Season Preview 21/22

Our season preview 20/21 is here! Schauspielhaus in-house directors Alexander Giesche, Suna Gürler, Trajal Harrell, Yana Ross, Christopher Rüping, Nicolas Stemann, Wu Tsang, and co-artistic director Benjamin von Blomberg will take you along into the productions of the new season in eight conversations.

We will start the new season on 10 September. We are planning 17 premieres, including a silent film accompanied by the Zurich Chamber Orchestra (ZKO), two choreographies, a visual poem and three world premieres at the Pfauen and the Schiffbau and, for the first time, at the Kunsthalle Zürich. In addition, we are showing eleven productions as reruns.

28. May 2021
Open-air events at the Schauspielhaus in June

Now that we’re thankfully experiencing a drop in the number of Covid cases, we are delighted to be able to welcome 100 visitors to each performance at Pfauen and the Schiffbau from June onwards. Some of our June events will be taking place outdoors, on the square in front of the Schiffbau, in the Schiffbau Atrium and at Lake Zurich.

High on Hope: First youth club premiere

Thanks to the current easing of restrictions, young people are also allowed to perform in front of audiences again. Club 4 invites you to the premiere of High on Hope (safe space maybe guaranteed): a silent disco to be held on the Schiffbauplatz. Although dancing along won’t be permitted as the audience is required to remain seated, the performance will nonetheless create the opportunity for a collective dive into a parallel world of clubbing and utopia amid everyday street life.

Everything Has Seasons and Schauspielhaus Lake Zurich

With Everything Has Seasons, the Gartenfest in the Schiffbau and Schauspielhaus Lake Zurich, the month of June will also see plenty of performances being held outdoors. The flowering garden in the Schiffbau Atrium will be transformed into an open-air cinema for the first three weeks of June, before being turned into a venue replete with concerts, performances, workshops and readings in the last weekend of June. Open Schiffbau will be taking place in cooperation with the Riff Raff and Houdini cinemas, as well as Bad Bonn.

Ahoy & goodbye: the Corona passion play will be setting sail on the Corona passion boat from 9-13 June and performing a final concert on 24 June at Pfauen. Processions, street concerts, impromptu performances both on dry land and on water, and a concert in the Kirche Kilchberg on Sunday 13 June at 5pm. We’ll be keeping a more detailed programme updated on our website.

Not all performances will be held in the open air: safely ensconced under the roofs of Pfauen and the Schiffbau, or in your own home, several shows and presentations will be taking place from 1-27 June. We will be showing Spring Awakening, AFTERHOUR and My Year of Rest and Relaxation. On 5 June, Pfauen will be opening with Open Haus: the major festival for the Zurich University of the Arts. The programme will be continually updated on our website.

09. April 2021
Frühlings Erwachen
wins Youth Play Prize at the Heidelberg Stückemarkt

The Youth Play Prize of the 38th Heidelberger Stückemarkts goes to author Lucien Haug for Frühlings Erwachen, directed by Suna Gürler. Congratulations! The festival will take place from 30 April to 9 May 2021 and for the first time in its history in digital form. It provides insight into the "broad spectrum of aesthetics and forms of contemporary German-language spoken theatre". On 6 May 2021, Frühlings Erwachen will be streamed live from the Pfauen as part of the Heidelberg Stückemarkt. In addition to Lucien Haug, the authors Julia Fischer and Matthias Köhler for Movie Star and Annette Müller for Harder, Faster, Stronger were nominated for the Youth Play Prize. The Youth Play Prize includes an invitation to the Mühlheim Theatre Days 2022.

31. March 2021
Das Weinen (Das Wähnen) invited to the 8th Schweizer Theatertreffen

Christoph Marthaler, Related Artist of the Schauspielhaus Zürich, has been invited to the Swiss Theatertreffen 2021, which will be held from 5 to 9 May, with his production Das Weinen (Das Wähnen). A total of nine Swiss productions were selected for this year’s edition. "It is of great importance to us to provide a platform to the multi-layered Swiss theatre scene, which could only be realised under difficult conditions in 2020", write the artistic co-directors of the Swiss Theatertreffen Thierry Loup and Julie Paucker about this year's selection of plays.

30. March 2021
Faust I performs at the Fraumünster

The Schauspielhaus Zürich makes a guest appearance at the Fraumünster Church at Easter: on Saturday with scenes from Faust I at the Easter Vigil at 10 p.m., on Sunday with short Faust scenes during the three Easter Sunday services. According to Niklaus Peter, pastor at the Fraumünster, the Holy Saturday and Easter scene from Faust I fits right into the middle of the service. "It is so multi-layered, so well observed and thought through, so ravishingly put into dialogue and so convincing in Nicolas Stemann's production". The Easter Vigil on Saturday, 3 April is free of admission charge and limited to 50 people. Registration via Fraumünster. The Easter service on Sunday at 1 pm with readings from Faust I by Sebastian Rudolph will be streamed live via Altstadt-Kirchen-Live.

Nach Ostern erscheint zudem das neue Musik-Album von Nicolas Stemann mit den Songs der Corona-Passionsspiele.

08. March 2021
Schauspielhaus x Shedhalle: «We all move together»

The Schauspielhaus Zürich is once again exhibiting the video installation The Show's Over by Wu Tsang, Tosh Basco & Moved by the Motion on the Pfauenbühne from 11-14 March. The film also runs as part of the Shedhalle programme "Proto-Club: We all move together", which gives space to the longing for the physical experience of music and shared movement. Equipped with the legendary Function One Speaker System, the Shedhalle exhibits video works by artists who are located at the intersections of social movement and queer club culture. From 12-21 March, several projects from the Schauspielhaus cosmos will be on show at the Shedhalle as part of this programme, such as the video Just a Touch - Nguzungu (aka Asma Maroof & Daniel Pineda) directed by Josh Johnson, which will be shown as a world premiere at the opening on 12 March at the Shedhalle, and Into a Space of Love by Wu Tsang (2018).

23. February 2021
“School of Resistance” Livestream with Milo Rau

In the last week of February 2021, the Akademie der Künste, Berlin presents the cinematic work of Milo Rau, related artist of the Schauspielhaus Zürich, as part of the livestream debate series School of Resistance. In cooperation with Milo Rau and the IIPM (International Institute of Political Murder) we are streaming the first four days of the event on our website. From 24 to 27 February 2021, we are broadcasting the discussions live from the Akademie der Künste after the film screenings. Amongst others, Orest in Mosul (2020) and The Congo Tribunal (2017), which have also been shown at the Schauspielhaus Zürich, will be screened.

In search of strategies of resistance, Milo Rau founded together with the IIPM and the NTGent the globally networked “School of Resistance” as a livestream debate series. How can art react to states of crisis? How can it make its contribution to strategies of resistance? Activists and artists discuss art as a transformative, reality-creating practice and question aesthetic practices of resistance, prerequisites of global art production, as well as the artistic strategies of the IIPM.

09. February 2021
Einfach das Ende der Welt and Medea* invited to the Theatertreffen 2021

Two productions by the Schauspielhaus Zürich have been invited to the 58th Berliner Theatertreffen: Einfach das Ende der Welt after Jean-Luc Lagarce, directed by Christopher Rüping (premiere: 3 December 2020, Schiffbau-Halle ) and Medea* after Euripides, directed by Leonie Böhm (premiere: 19 September 2020, Schiffbau-Box). This is the fourth time Rüping has been invited to the Theatertreffen, but the first time with a production by the Schauspielhaus Zürich. We are very delighted and offer our sincere congratulations to our two in-house directors!

Between 27 January 2020 and 5 February 2021, the Theatertreffen’s jury discussed a total of 285 productions from 60 cities in Germany, Austria and Switzerland. 531 votes were received and a total of 26 productions were recommended and discussed . Of these, the jury nominated ten "remarkable productions of an extraordinary and challenging theatre year" to invite to the Theatertreffen.

In addition to a digital festival edition in May 2021, various festival scenarios are currently in the planning stage. Details on the organisation of the 58th Theatertreffen will be communicated in March. Every year at the Theatertreffen, the Berlin Theatre Prize of the Stiftung Preussische Seehandlung, the 3sat Prize and, at the end of the festival, the Alfred Kerr Performers' Prize are awarded.

Press Release, Theatertreffen 2021: The Selection of 10

02. February 2021
Letter from Benjamin von Blomberg

Dear Audience,

Once again, a new era has begun. Here in Switzerland the measures to contain the coronavirus have been tightened, too, and working from home has once again been strongly encouraged. So, unless it is absolutely necessary to go to your workplace, everyone should stay at home if possible. And even though it would be possible for us to continue rehearsing and producing, and to continue playing shows behind closed doors and streaming them live, we have decided not to do it. As painful as it is: for you but also for us.

In particular, the live streaming of selected performances every Thursday has created the closeness that we all crave right now: to be physically separated but at least connected in a shared time of experiencing. The expectations we had for these live-streamings were high: four cameras and live editing by the directors themselves; it was essential to emphasise the liveness, and, thus, also the flawed and the raw, the aura of: all this is happening right now, in this moment, with you. And for you. We are really happy that experimenting with this form has been worthwhile and so fulfilling for everyone involved.

But now, according to most of our fellow workers, it needs to be about reducing contacts and limiting mobility. And this is what we're doing: in February, we're pausing the live streaming, we're halting most of the production ---

--- But this does not mean that we will not remain “resolvedly open”. It means that we will continue to meet you live at least every Thursday. The way in which we will contact you will be decided and organised whilst we are working from home. Connected to all the other homes that are trying to network and stay together, we will continue to remain close to you, create and explore intimacy, emphasise and practise community.

This Thursday, our 8 in-house directors will kick things off. The author Tobi Müller will be in conversation with them and help them define their positions, their thoughts about time and their art. On Thursday, 11 February, the new series of talks “Tender Talks” continues; connecting people who wouldn't necessarily have sat down together at a (virtual) table, who, nonetheless, are happy to engage with each other, allowing themselves be unsettled. Gently framed by our dramaturgy that curates this series of talks.

We look forward to seeing you. Take care of yourself.

Cordially,

Your Benjamin von Blomberg, co-artistic director

29. January 2021
Dekalog wins Zebra Award in Beijing

As part of the Beijing Fringe Festival, Dekalog by Christopher Rüping received the Zebra Award in the category Best International Play this Friday.

At the end of October 2020, three selected episodes were streamed with Chinese subtitles within the official festival programme: DEKALOG V – DU SOLLST NICHT TÖTEN with Matthias Neukirch, DEKALOG VII – DU SOLLST NICHT STEHLEN with Maja Beckmann DEKALOG VIII – THOU SHALT NOT LIE with Josh Johnson, followed by a live chat with Christopher Rüping.

Dekalog-Recap, Folgen 1–9

28. January 2021
Wu Tsang, Tosh Basco and Trajal Harrell at the E.A.T.

Our in-house directors Wu Tsang and Trajal Harrell, as well as ensemble member and artist-in-residence Tosh Basco, are participating in the E.A.T/Engadin Art Talks, which are held for the eleventh time this year. The renowned forum & festival for art, architecture, design, film, science, literature and performance is hosted in Zuoz at the end of January each year, with a new theme determining the framework of the talks.

Under the aspect of the E.A.T. theme "Longue Durée", Wu Tsang and Tosh Basco talk to Hans Ulrich Obrist, Artistic Director of the Serpentine Galleries, about their current projects. In conversation with Kunsthalle Director Daniel Baumann, Trajal Harrell provides insight into his latest choreography "The Deathbed of Katherine Dunham", which will premiere at Kunsthalle Zürich in late spring, if the Covid-19 situation allows.

The free "Longue Durée" live stream will take place on 30 January from 10:00 a.m. to 10:00 p.m. The individual talks and presentations will be held in English and will also be available later.

07. January 2021
Programme Preview January 2021

After four successful live-streams in December 2020 with a total of around 2500 sold admissions and a much higher number of viewers, we are continuing to experiment with the live-stream format. In January, we will be broadcasting four selected Schauspielhaus productions live from our Pfauen and Schiffbau venues as part of "Streamy Thursday - Theater zu Haus", as well as two new "Open Haus" productions on the Pfauenbühne.

Streamy Thursday
7 January 2021 «Der Mensch erscheint im Holozän», Staging: Alexander Giesche
Following the 3sat recording of the multi-award-winning production, there will be a live post-show discussion (free of charge) at 9 p.m. about proliferating knowledge, cosmology and artistic practices. Thomas Strässle, President of the Max Frisch Foundation at ETH Zurich, and Helga Lutz, Professor of Image and Art History of Modernism at Bielefeld University, will discuss. Moderated by Joshua Wicke (dramaturge, Schauspielhaus Zurich). (No English subtitles)
14 January 2021 «Frühlings Erwachen», Staging: Suna Gürler.
21 January 2021 «Corona Passionsspiele» by und with Nicolas Stemann & ensemble, Vol. 3 (Winter-Edition). New songs!
28 January 2021 «Früchte des Zorns» by John Steinbeck, Staging: Christopher Rüping.

Open House at Home
As of January, the "Open Haus" productions will be streamed live from the Pfauen.Stand-up comedian Johannes Dullin will kick things off on Sunday, 17 January on the Pfauenbühne, followed by "Im Bett", a chamber play by the Chilean author Matias Bizet, staged by Lisa Violetta Gass on Friday, 29 January 2021. (No English subtitles)

11. December 2020
CANCELLED:
No shows with audience until 22 January 2021.

Unfortunately, we have to close the doors to our theatres again. Following the Federal Council’s decision of 11 December 2020, all performances with an audience present in the auditorium are cancelled until 22 January 2021.

New opening hours at the box office
From 18 to 27 December, we are taking a break. From 28 December, the employees of the box office can be called or e-mailed from Tuesday to Friday between 11 a.m. and 3 p.m. The counters in Pfauen and Schiffbau will remain closed until further notice.

Streamy Thursday: Theatre at Home
On Thursdays, chosen productions will be live-streamed to your living room. The streamings are accessible on our website and require a fee. You decide how much you want to pay We offer three different price categories: 5 CHF, 15 CH and 30 CHF. Tickets for the live-streams are available on the Monday of each performance week starting at 7 p.m.

Stay connected with us
We also recommend that you sign up for our weekly newsletter (in German), so you always receive the latest information on our scheduled shows. We also keep you up to date on Instagram, Twitter, Facebook and in our journal articles.

We already miss you!

Cordially,

Your Schauspielhaus Zürich

27. November 2020
Streamy Thursday:
Theatre at Home

Starting next Thursday, we will make our productions available to a larger audience through our series "Streamy Thursday - Theatre at Home" and, thus, start experimenting with the format of broadcasting live: once a week, on Thursdays, chosen productions will be live-streamed. "We want to provide as much of an intense and special theatre experience as possible. Whether that will be better than Netflix - nonsense, of course not! Some of our in-house directors don't really agree with this idea. But, for now, we’ll start gathering experience: we’ll see! I'm really excited," says Benjamin von Blomberg.

The shows are live-streamed from several cameras and the director of each production will take charge of overseeing the various camera shots. Suna Gürler will kick off with Frühlings Erwachen on 3 December 2020 at 8 p.m., and the following Thursday, Leonie Böhm will explore in front of an audience what streaming could mean for her production Leonce and Leonce. On the 17th of December, we’ll broadcast Einfach das Ende der Welt, staged by Christopher Rüping, who recently streamed his production Grapes of Wrath live from the Pfauen to the Baltic House Festival in St. Petersburg, and experimented with the broadcast format in Dekalog, his theatre production for digital space.

20. November 2020
OPEN CALL:
Open Haus, Open Night
Your Pfauen?

The Schauspielhaus continues to perform. Also for 50 people. Being aware of our privilege and our possibilities, and also of the artistic diversity of this city, we are opening the stage in the Pfauen for external productions from theatre, music, literature, dance, performance, comedy. Do you have a production to present but no venue? Have you lost the source of your income? Or are you battling homesickness for the stage?

Enter the Open Call now. What you offer: a ready production that you can show without any further in-house rehearsals or major stage effort. What we offer: a performance slot in the evening, an empty proscenium, sound, light, stagecraft. Does that sound good?

17. November 2020
New: Advance Booking Now Weekly

Due to the current challenges in creating a schedule, we are only selling tickets for the shows of one week, for 50 visitors per show. Now, advance booking starts every Thursday morning at 11 a.m. for shows two weeks later. This allows us to respond to short-term changes in the agenda. 

You can find a preliminary preview of the planned shows in our web calendar. We also recommend that you sign up for our weekly newsletter (in German) or our monthly English newsletter, so you always receive the latest information on our scheduled shows. We also keep you up to date on Instagram, Twitter, Facebook and in our journal articles. We look forward to staying in touch with you and to seeing you soon at Pfauen and the Schiffbau.

10. November 2020
König der Frösche is postponed
to season 21/22

On Saturday, 14 November, our first premiere for 50 visitors was supposed to be the world premiere of Nicolas Stemann's King of Frogs. However, due to illness in the artistic direction team during the final rehearsals and in consideration of the uncertain circumstances and further developments concerning Covid-19, we have decided to postpone the production to the new 2021/22 season.

The anarchic fairytale comedy thrives on the resonance of the people in the auditorium, which is another reason for the postponement to next autumn. Everybody who has already purchased a ticket will be contacted by us within the next few days. Instead of King of the Frogs, the Pfauen hosts this November the "Assembly for a Frog", a reading for young and old with campfire music, an improvised evening with characters from King of the Frogs.

28. October 2020
Yes, we’ll continue performing
for 50 visitors

"It is marvellous to sit in the Pfauen again and let yourself be carried away by this energy," wrote journalist Daniel Binswanger the day before yesterday in the Republik. However, just one day later we were faced with a difficult decision due to the Federal Council's severe new measures in order to bring the pandemic under control: can, want, should we perform when, from Thursday 29 October 2020, only 50 people are allowed in the auditorium and the number of Covid-19 cases are rising rapidly?

Yes, we want to continue performing for you. We want to make it possible for you to go to the theatre, especially in these times. Since we expect this measure to be in place for quite some time, we will continue to perform for you - with a protection concept that is tried and tested, as long as the situation will permit us to do so. "We are convinced that our audience is grateful for moments where it can experience other realms of emotions and thoughts. And we have a protection concept that allows us to do so. Thanks to subsidies from the city of Zurich, additional Corona financial support from the federal government and the canton, and also thanks to our loyal partners, foundations and patrons, we can overcome this difficult situation and still offer you a programme. We are very grateful for this," as the artistic directors Benjamin von Blomberg and Nicolas Stemann stated.

22. October 2020
The Congo Tribunal «Kolwezi Hearings»

The Congo Tribunal is in session on Sunday at the Schauspielhaus Zürich - a world economic court of civil society initiated by Milo Rau. The debate, mainly held in English, can be witnessed online – the live broadcast will be streamed on the Facebook pages of both the Schauspielhaus and the International Institute of Political Murder.

12. October 2020
Next Chapter Corona Passion Play Vol. 2

14 weeks of lockdown, 14 Songs = 1 Passion Play: In spring, Nicolas Stemann wrote and composed the Corona Passion Play as a musical pandemic diary; on 26 June, its premiere, in collaboration with the ensemble band, was also the first performance in the Schiffbau-Halle after the reopening. From 15 October it continues... And the title of the autumn edition: Vol. 2.

04. October 2020
Nestroy Prize 2020 for
Der Mensch erscheint im Holozän

At the Nestroy Gala 2020 in Vienna, our in-house director Alexander Giesche and the Schauspielhaus Zürich were awarded the Nestroy 2020 in the category Best Performance in the German-speaking region for the production Der Mensch erscheint im Holozän - a visual by Alexander Giesche after Max Frisch. The gala was broadcast by ORF 3 television.

01. October 2020
Früchte des Zorns (The Grapes of Wrath):
Live Broadcast and final shows

Christopher Rüping's production Früchte des Zorns will be broadcast live from the Pfauen of the Schauspielhaus Zürich to the Baltic House Theatre Festival in Russia on Sunday 11 October, as the production cannot travel to St. Petersburg due to the pandemic - a live broadcast premiere for us.

The second performance of Früchte des Zorns on Theatermontag, 12 October, will be this production’s final performance in Zurich, which premiered almost a year ago at the Pfauen, on 25 October 2019. We are delighted that this production was part of our repertoire; it was an essential part of our opening.

30. September 2020
Schiffbau Bar is open:
Contact details are recorded

Since Wednesday, 30 September, the Schiffbau Bar is again open for our visitors before and after the performances. In a separate area, drinking and eating without masks is allowed, contact details of our guests are recorded. Outside the marked bar area, in the foyer and in all interior rooms of the theatre, visitors and employees of the Schauspielhaus Zürich are required to wear masks.

28. September 2020
Future day 2020

Due to the protective measures because of Covid-19, we have decided to cancel the Future Day this year. If you have any questions, please contact Manuela Runge, Co-Head of Theatre Pedagogy: Theatre & School: manuela.runge@schauspielhaus.ch, 044 258 75 62.

We still have fond memories of last year's Future Day: Impressions 2019.

And we are already looking forward to the Future Day 2021!

15. September 2020
Congratulations:
Man in the Holocene nominated for Nestroy Prize 2020

Alexander Giesche, in-house director at the Schauspielhaus Zürich, has been nominated for the Vienna Theatre Prize Nestroy in the category Best Performance in the German-speaking region with Man in the Holocene. In the same category also in-house director Leonie Böhm with Räuberinnen has been nominated, a production by Münchner Kammerspiele. Our related Artist Chrisoph Marthalter wins the Nestroy for his life work. We celebrate!

10. September 2020
Showcase Trajal Harrell

To open the season, choreographer Trajal Harrell will take to the stage at Pfauen. From 12-18 September, he will be showing his solo performance The Return of La Argentina, the lecture-performance The Conspiracy of Performance with Perle Palombe and the world premiere of The Köln Concert for six dancers: Trajal Harrell responds to the physical distance rules forthe stage with a plan he has been pursuing for years: achoreography to Keith Jarrett’s Köln Concert, the mostsuccessful piano solo recording of all time. It is a matterof learning anew, of making theatre. Dance. In front ofan audience. With distance and caution. But not withany less devotion.

17. August 2020
Season 2020/21: Advance Booking and Protection Concept

We are back from the theatre break and are looking forward to welcoming you to the Pfauen and Schiffbau from 12 September! At the beginning of June, we presented our pre-season-speculation for the season 20/21, which was developed during lockdown. But enough speculation: advance booking for the new extraordinary Schauspielhaus season starts today. And rest assured, even if there is laughter, singing, shouting and cheering in the theatre, you can feel safe when you visit the Schauspielhaus. We are not merely interested in being able to trace who has come into contact with a person who has been infected with Covid-19 during a theatre visit - our primary goal is to prevent infections and make an outing to the theatre possible for everyone.

If you have any questions about our protection concept, our subscriptions and the productions of the new season, please contact the box office:

044 258 77 77 / Theaterkasse@schauspielhaus.ch.

See you soon!

Cordially
Your Schauspielhaus Zürich

 

26. June 2020
Theatre holidays 2020

Wir wünschen Ihnen und uns eine erholsame Sommerpause.

In der ersten Spielzeit unter der neuen Intendanz von Benjamin von Blomberg und Nicolas Stemann feierten wir ein fünftägiges Eröffnungsfestival, erste gemeinsame Premieren, die ersten Einladungen zum Berliner und Schweizer Theatertreffen, im Schiffbau Atrium ist unser erster Theatergarten entstanden und dann hat der Lockdown unsere Pläne über den Haufen geworfen. Im Juni wurden erste vorsichtige Schritte in ein Danach gewagt.

Nun stehen unsere ersten Theaterferien an: Vom 29. Juni bis am 10. August ist das Schauspielhaus Zürich in den Ferien. Tickets für die Spielzeit 2020/2021 sind ab dem 17. August 2020 auf schauspielhaus.ch oder an unserer Theaterkasse erhältlich.

In dringenden Notfällen sind wir über mitteilung [​at​] schauspielhaus.ch erreichbar.

Wir freuen uns auf Ihren Besuch ab dem 12. September - persönlich im Pfauen und im Schiffbau!

08. June 2020
Wir spielen weiter

Wir freuen uns, nach all den Wochen der Corona-bedingten Spielpause endlich wieder live und in unseren Theatern spielen zu können – und wollen Sie deshalb im Juni mit gleich drei Premieren bei uns willkommen heissen: Compostion (vor) IV und The Show's Over von Wu Tsang sowie die Corona-Passionsspiele von Nicolas Stemann!

Weitere Informationen finden Sie hier.

 

27. April 2020
Wir gratulieren:
3sat-Preis für Alexander Giesche und Der Mensch erscheint im Holozän

Das Theatertreffen gab heute bekannt, dass Alexander Giesche, Hausregisseur am Schauspielhaus Zürich, für seine Inszenierung Der Mensch erscheint im Holozän den mit 10.000 Euro dotierten 3sat-Preis erhält.

17. April 2020
Coronavirus: Bis am 8.6. alle Vorstellungen abgesagt

In accordance with the instructions of the Federal Council, the management of the Schauspielhaus Zurich has decided to cancel all theatre performances up to and including 8.6.2020. In addition, for your own and our protection, the house will be completely closed until and including 26th April.

28. January 2020
Der Mensch erscheint im Holozän got invited to the 57. Berliner Theatertreffen

Wir freuen uns riesig: Die Inszenierung Der Mensch erscheint im Holozän von Alexander Giesche wurde zum 57. Berliner Theatertreffen eingeladen.

28. January 2020
Geschäftsbericht 2018/19

Anlässlich der Generalversammlung vom 28. Januar 2020 veröffentlicht die Schauspielhaus Zürich AG die Zahlen der Spielzeit 2018/19: 136’127 Zuschauer*innen besuchten die insgesamt 585 Veranstaltungen des Schauspielhauses.

09. November 2019
We congratulate:
Maja Beckmann wins the FAUST-Award

Maja Beckmann wins for her performance in Dionysos Stadt in the category Actor Play.  

17. September 2019
We congratulate: Sybille Berg is nominated for the Swiss Book Prize

Sibylle Berg has been shortlisted for the Swiss Book Prize together with Simone Lappert, Tabea Steiner, Alain Claude Sulzer and Ivna Žic.

04. September 2019
New: Four Youth Clubs at the Schauspielhaus Zürich

From September 2019 onwards, the Schauspielhaus Zürich offers four weekly youth clubs for all performance-enthusiasts between the ages of 13 and 23.

28. August 2019
We congratulate: Christopher Rüping is Director of the Year, Nils Kahnwald is Actor of the Year

This year’s critics poll of the theatrical journal Theater Heute has elected Christopher Rüping as Director of the Year for his production “Dionysos Stadt with 14 votes. Nils Kahnwald was named Actor or the Year with 6 votes, whilst Maja Beckmann ranks third in the female category.