Schaubühne on Lehniner Platz

As a large theatre in the west of Berlin, the Schaubühne on Lehniner Platz showcases experimental and contemporary spoken theatre incorporating the texts of past centuries. It was founded in 1962 under the name "Schaubühne am Halleschen Ufer" as a private theatre with a political and social programme.

With its unmistakable profile, the Schaubühne has gained a reputation as one of the leading German-language theatres in Germany and abroad since the seventies. Renowned directors such as Peter Stein, Klaus Michael Grüber, Luc Bondy, and Robert Wilson have written theatre history in the Schaubühne. Worldwide guest performances and theatre awards confirm year after year how much the artistic team under the direction of Thomas Ostermeier has been able to further develop the Schaubühne's international reputation. No other German-speaking theatre has a comparable international presence.

The extensive production and play operations in Berlin and on guest appearances includes at least ten new productions per season, alternately a repertoire of more than thirty productions, about 500 events a year, of which there are up to 100 guest performances mainly in other countries. Based on the idea of ​​the ensemble theatre, the actors, the dramatic characters, and the situations of the play are at the centre of the Schaubühne. The stylistic diversity of the director's manuscripts is characteristic of it, which also includes new forms of dance and musical theatre. This is facilitated by a lively international exchange, which constantly brings the Schaubühne and its ensemble into contact with other theatrical traditions. In addition to Berlin directors such as Thomas Ostermeier, Michael Thalheimer, Armin Petras, and Patrick Wengenroth, Falk Richter and Marius von Mayenburg - who are also connected to the Schaubühne as authors - the Schaubühne again and again offers important directors from abroad a platform in Berlin. At the same time, the Schaubühne stages its productions with around a hundred performances a year abroad.

Architecture

Since 1981, the listed building of Erich Mendelssohn on Lehniner Platz has been the home of the Schaubühne. The former cinema with its round façade and red clinker bricks was rebuilt into a multi-functional theatre house with three stages, designed by the Berlin architect Jürgen Sawade. Depending on the piece, the troupe uses it both independently and as a common stage space. It can be performed on flexibly with the aim of eliminating the conventional separation between actors and audience.

Subtitles

Subtitles in English and/or French are available for selected pieces.

Information for school groups

School groups can rehearse theatre themselves in workshops.  Students who write a review for their student newspaper receive a press release card. For teachers, the Schaubühne offers dates for the arrangement of plays and syllabuses.

Café in the Schaubühne

For refreshments before or after the performance, there is the Café Schaubühne with a weekly changing menu.

Parking

The theatre does not have its own parking lot. Parking is available on the central strip of the Kurfürstendamm or in the side streets.