Meckelenburgisches Staatstheater Schwerin
Schwerin, Germany
The Mecklenburgische Staatstheater as it stands today was built by the master builder Georg Daniel in the year 1882, and it opened its doors to the public in 1886.
Today, in the immediate vicinity of the theatre, there is the Schwerin Castle and the State Museum.
Conrad Ekhof founded in Schwerin the first German professional training centre for actors, a theatre academy, in 1753. Ekhof, who was in Hamburg Lessing’s comrade-in-arms, goes down later in history as “the father of German dramatic art”. Hamburg and Schwerin are allowed to assert themselves as the birthplaces of German National Theatres.
In the year 1918, the Hoftheater (Royal Court Theatre) becomes a regional theatre, and is changed to the Mecklenburgisches Staatstheater in 1926.
Due to political interventions of former GDR (East-Germany) a theatre crisis develops in 1972/73, which is followed by Christoph Schroth’s exceptionally successful period as artistic director of the playhouse from 1974 until 1989. The Schwerin Theatre becomes a place of pilgrimage for theatre enthusiasts from all over Germany and beyond. Schwerin is allowed – and this is quite an exception by GDR standard – to tour to Nancy, Vienna, Athens, Delphi and many cities in West Germany.
The Playhouse at the Mecklenburgische Staatstheater Schwerin has an ensemble of 22 actors. For the past seven seasons Peter Dehler is the Artistic Director. The repertoire varies from Cabaret to Beckett, from Brecht to the Rocky Horror Show. The audiences respond with enthusiasm to this diversity of the repertory. After the fall of communism in East Germany and following the quite difficult transition period there is an increasing number in theatregoers attending performances again.
The most important performing venues are the Große Haus as the main auditorium (675 seats) as well as the E-Werk (100 seats). Other venues occasionally in use are the Alte Garten, the Schwerin Castle’s courtyard, the court of the Schwerin Cathedral, the Museum of Popular Art (summer season / Fritz-Reuter-Stage), and the foyer of the Concert Hall. The Mecklenburgische Staatstheater assumes one of the leading positions in German theatre due to last year’s audience attendance (approx. 200,000). This is really remarkable, when you think that the population of Schwerin does not exceed 100,000.
Please visit our Web Site at www.theater-schwerin.de
Today, in the immediate vicinity of the theatre, there is the Schwerin Castle and the State Museum.
Conrad Ekhof founded in Schwerin the first German professional training centre for actors, a theatre academy, in 1753. Ekhof, who was in Hamburg Lessing’s comrade-in-arms, goes down later in history as “the father of German dramatic art”. Hamburg and Schwerin are allowed to assert themselves as the birthplaces of German National Theatres.
In the year 1918, the Hoftheater (Royal Court Theatre) becomes a regional theatre, and is changed to the Mecklenburgisches Staatstheater in 1926.
Due to political interventions of former GDR (East-Germany) a theatre crisis develops in 1972/73, which is followed by Christoph Schroth’s exceptionally successful period as artistic director of the playhouse from 1974 until 1989. The Schwerin Theatre becomes a place of pilgrimage for theatre enthusiasts from all over Germany and beyond. Schwerin is allowed – and this is quite an exception by GDR standard – to tour to Nancy, Vienna, Athens, Delphi and many cities in West Germany.
The Playhouse at the Mecklenburgische Staatstheater Schwerin has an ensemble of 22 actors. For the past seven seasons Peter Dehler is the Artistic Director. The repertoire varies from Cabaret to Beckett, from Brecht to the Rocky Horror Show. The audiences respond with enthusiasm to this diversity of the repertory. After the fall of communism in East Germany and following the quite difficult transition period there is an increasing number in theatregoers attending performances again.
The most important performing venues are the Große Haus as the main auditorium (675 seats) as well as the E-Werk (100 seats). Other venues occasionally in use are the Alte Garten, the Schwerin Castle’s courtyard, the court of the Schwerin Cathedral, the Museum of Popular Art (summer season / Fritz-Reuter-Stage), and the foyer of the Concert Hall. The Mecklenburgische Staatstheater assumes one of the leading positions in German theatre due to last year’s audience attendance (approx. 200,000). This is really remarkable, when you think that the population of Schwerin does not exceed 100,000.
Please visit our Web Site at www.theater-schwerin.de
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