Series & Specials 2023/24
Series 2023/24
Magic, Sex, & Politics
o celebrate the many witches and their kindred spirits in its repertoire, the Schauspielhaus is launching a new series inspired by the subtitle of a classic of witchcraft literature: Dreaming the Dark by Starhawk.
enterspaces
Under the label enterspaces, various programmes are designed for BIPoC and their allies that enable encounters, the reception of art, exchange and empowerment in a safer space. Inspired by the series Exit Racism, founded by Thelma Buabeng and Laura Paetau, curators Brandy Butler and Miriam Ibrahim continue the idea and practice of creating environments in the theatre that are less discriminatory and of establishing new opportunities for exchange and dialogue. For the 23/24 season, they continue asking how a theatre can create new and safe(r) spaces for marginalised people in an urban society.
Graveyard Shift
Launched as a radio show in 2020 and continued as a festival the following year in the theatre garden at Schiffbau, this cooperation with the legendary Bad Bonn has now found its final form: a nomadic concert series at the Pfauen and Schiffbau, Graveyard Shift is dedicated to the performativity of music in the context of theatre, beyond clear-cut genres.
Offene Bühne
Offene Bühne is organised and hosted by the five young people selected to take part in the Theaterjahr. Aimed at young people who want to express themselves artistically, it takes place every second Saturday of the month at the Matchbox in the Schiffbau. The Offene Bühne has no limits, except for the maximum length of your contribution: ten minutes. You can register in advance by sending an email to theaterjahr [at] schauspielhaus.ch or spontaneously on the evening of the event. Free admission.
Performers Rule
For several years now, the Performers Rule series has allowed ensemble members of the Schauspielhaus to direct. Each season, the field of directors is expanded to include a staff member from the Schauspielhaus. Theatre management and dramaturgy don’t get a say. Here, the performers call the shots. Perfomers Rule!
SHZ-Lesereihe
Last season, the Schauspielhaus Zürich welcomed authors Theresia Enzensberger with Auf See, Simon Froehling with Dürrst, Hengameh Yaghoobifarah with Ministerium der Träume and Sharon Dodua Otoo with Adas Raum to the Pfauen stage. The reading series will continue as part of this season’s programme, bringing you performative and staged readings of new publications with the ensemble as well as conversations with the writers, moderated by Nina Kunz and Miriam Ibrahim.
Security
Thelma Buabeng is back! After its successful launch 22/23, stand-up comedy series Security is returning to the stage. Here, the former ensemble member is reuniting musician Celina Bostic as well as special guests! Buabeng brings the characters from her web clips Tell Me Nothing From The Horse to the stage: five women, five points of view and 1,000 pressing social issues – political, satirical, improvised.
Specials 2023/24
Spiilplätz
26 - 29 June 2024, Schiffbau-Box und weitere Orte in Zürich
After being held in Bern, Basel and Lucerne, Switzerland’s largest meeting of theatre youth clubs is finally coming back to Zurich! Twelve youth clubs from all over Switzerland will meet at the Schauspielhaus, Kulturmarkt and Theater GZ Buchegg to show the works they have created over the year, accompanied by supporting programme of workshops and after-show discussions for the participating for the participating young audience.
Open air cinema at Schiffbau garden
11 - 16 June 2024, Schiffbau-Garten
After the Happy End Closing Festival, we invite you, together with the RiffRaff & Houdini cinemas and in cooperation with Porny Days, to the last edition of the summer cinema in the cosy Schiffbau garden. More Infos
Happy End Closing Festival
3 - 9 June 2024, Pfauen & Schiffbau
It has been an eventful time and we want to celebrate it with a big party in the form of a week-long closing festival — with you, the ensemble, our in-house directors and all the staff of this big theatre. More Infos
Blickfelder
30 May through 9 June 2024
The Blickfelder Festival presents international theatre and dance productions for young audiences, bringing to life collaborations between local schools and cultural institutions. Every other year, Blickfelder occupies a public space in the city of Zurich through a diverse cultural programme and opportunities for participation. The Schauspielhaus is one of the most important partners of the festival.
Artists at Risk
26 May 2024, Pfauen
Artists at Risk (AR) is a network institution working for persecuted artists from war and crisis regions. For over two years, Schauspielhaus has been supporting Artists at Risk (AR) through fundraising, providing accommodation, and intensive networking efforts. Now, Schauspielhaus opens the Pfauen to give Artists at Risk (AR) a stage and to raise awareness of their work in Switzerland.
Tanzfestival Steps: Die Flüstertüten
Choreography: Yasmine Hugonnet / Cie. Arts Mouvementés
17 & 18 May 2024, Schiffbau-Box
For ages 6 and up
The art of ventriloquism is an impressive, age-old artistic practice. People who mastered it were considered possessed, sorcerers and witches, especially in past centuries. The Lausanne choreographer Yasmine Hugonnet mischievously explores the history of ventriloquism, and gives a placeless yet enveloping voice to the female gender, whose stories have remained mute for centuries. For Steps, Yasmine Hugonnet adapts her dance cabaret for a young German-speaking audience.
Schauspielhaus X Republik - Podien Israel und Palestina
15 December 2023 & 21 April 2024, Schiffbau-Box
The Schauspielhaus Zürich, in co-operation with the Republik, helds panel discussions on the conflict in the Middle East, the debates and dynamics triggered by it and (anti-Muslim) racism and anti-Semitism in Switzerland.
Krieg erzählen?
25. März 2024, Pfauen-Kammer
A conversation exploring artistic perspectives on wars
The interdisciplinary panel with Stella Gaitano, Jelena Jureša and Stas Zhyrkov aims to delve into strategies and practices employed by artists when narrating war, examining both the potential and challenges they encounter in this process.
Swiss Dance Days
28 February through 3 March 2024, Schiffbau-Halle
The Swiss Dance Days are coming to Zurich! The biennial festival, where Swiss dance companies showcase themselves to an international audience, offers a rare opportunity to get a thorough impression of Switzerland’s contemporary dance landscape. Schauspielhaus is delighted to join other Zurich establishments and to host this unifying event together with the Swiss dance network Reso.
Woke Orks?
1 February 2024, Schiffbau-Halle
A conversation about superfans, critical reading and fantastic cooking recipes
The Lord of the Rings: archaic heroes, light against darkness, chosen beings. The theatre evening Riesenhaft in Mittelerde, based on Tolkien's epic, is both an homage and a critical examination of the work.
Stummfilmabend: Spione
21 January 2024, Pfauen
In Fritz Lang's espionage thriller, an international secret service fights against the machinations of crime boss Haghi. Like James Bond, the agents wear numbers, are equipped with mini cameras and die mysteriously. For the soundtrack, singer Iokoi and live electronic musician Bit-Tuner team up with accordionist Jonas Kocher and record player Joke Lanz.
Publikumsgipfel #2
January 2024, Pfauen
In January 2023, the Schauspielhaus Zürich invited its audience to an audience summit. Employees from various departments of the theatre sat on the Pfauen stage, with the audience in the auditorium: a group of people who were divided in their hopes and ex- pectations of theatre, but united by the common concern of where the Schauspielhaus is headed, could head or should head. This big, collective conversation with the city about theatre definitely needs to continue in the 2023/24 season.
Orchesterkaraoke
30 & 31 December 2023 and 15 & 16 May 2024
With the Sinfonieorchester Tifico
Carried on the musical cloud of a symphony orchestra, singers with or without tunefulness can conquer the stage from the auditorium and let off steam: The orchestra has rehearsed pop songs to accompany you on stage at the Pfauen.
Porny Days Film Kunst Festival
1 - 3 December 2023, Schiffbau
The Porny Days are an institution in Zurich. Due to the great opening ceremonies, but above all, because of the organisers’ unrelenting pioneering spirit: Once a year, curiosity about sex and body-related topics takes over all of Zurich.
With panels and screenings, Porny Days were a guest at the Schauspielhaus in 2023 with:
Decolonize the Dancefloor, 2 December 2023, Schiffbau-Box
Deproduction, 1 December 2023, Schiffbau-Box
Gaze.S, 1 and 2 December 2023, Schiffbau-Matchbox
Queer Orgasm Panel, 2 December 2023, Schiffbau-Matchbox
Sonic Matter Festival
30 November through 3 December 2023, Schiffbau
Schauspielhaus has been associated with the Sonic Matter since the festival’s beginnings. Once again, concerts by the exciting platform for experimental music will take place in the Schiffbau, this year the festival opening.
Traces – Discours aux Nations Africaines
4 - 5 November 2023, Schiffbau-Box
By Felwine Sarr with Etienne Minoungou
The Senegalese economist, philosopher and writer Felwine Sarr addresses the youth of the African continent with his lyrical monologue «Traces – A Speech To African Nations». His basic thesis is that the continent does not need to catch up with anyone, but must go its own way.
Wir müssen reden
17 October 2023, Schiffbau-Box
Lecture and panel discussion on theater, politics and disability
“Nothing about us without us”. A principle that Islam Alijaj, Zurich municipal council member and disability rights activist (and more), advocates in the fight for equality for people with disabilities. This is also reflected in his biographical manifesto Wir müssen reden. Together with Islam Alijaj, we invite you to a reading followed by a panel discussion about theatre, disability, politics and sustainable inclusion practices.
Galilei-Gespräch
11 October 2023, Pfauen-Kammer
Who produces knowledge, what creates power? What revolves around whom and who goes crazy? Progress is to blame for everything. The question of the responsibility of science in the context of social change gains new explosiveness in times of post-factual politics. As part of the current production of Leben des Galilei, the Schauspielhaus Zürich, together with Maison Du Futur and Science et Cité, invites you to talks with scientists.
Schiffbau-Fest
15 & 16 September 2023
Schauspielhaus Zürich, moods, Restaurant LaSalle, Venice Bar and other locations
The Schiffbau is alive and well, inviting you to a big party.
The Schauspielhaus Zürich, the Jazz Club Moods, the Restaurant La Salle and the Venice Bar join forces and show Zurich what the Schiffbau has to offer over two days. With music, guided tours, workshops, performances, readings, meeting places, eating and drinking together, we are creating a programme for everyone. The ensemble and everyone else at the Schauspielhaus look forward to giving you a look behind the scenes, discovering more theatre together and celebrating the season opening 23/24 together.
Omanut-Festival X Schauspielhaus Zürich
10 September 2023, Pfauen-Kammer
Dos Kelbl – Lecture Performance with Daniel Hellmann
As part of his performance for Omanut, Daniel Hellmann asks himself what role his Jewish identity plays for him, also in relation to other groups facing hostility and violence. He performs in narration and song where it drives him as well as what it moves in him and others.
ZKO im Pfauen
Concert series by Zürcher Kammerorchester
For ages 5 and up
For the past years, Schauspielhaus Zürich has provided a home for the Zurich Chamber Orchestra on the Pfauen stage. Stories about adventures and fantastic dreams will be accompanied by classical music, a magical experience for the whole family. Nobody is too young for classical music!
Series & Specials 2022/23
Series 2022/23
Schauspielhaus Stadtgespräch
After the audience summit at the Pfauen, we will continue the dialogue with our audience in the city and, as part of our new debate format in the Schauspielhaus Stadtgespräch, regularly invite small groups to exchange ideas in different districts.
enterspaces
Making room, welcoming each other and being there for one another!
The new series enterspaces will bring voices and perspectives of BIPoC cultural practitioners1, scholars and activists to the topic of “resistance and change in theater” in various lectures.
Graveyard Shift
Launched as a radio show in 2020 and continued as a festival the following year in the theatre garden at Schiffbau, this cooperation with the legendary Bad Bonn has now found its final form: a nomadic concert series at the Pfauen and Schiffbau, Graveyard Shift is dedicated to the performativity of music in the context of theatre, beyond clear-cut genres.
SHZ-Lecture Series
Scenic evenings with guests & friends. The new Schauspielhaus literature format with staged readings from current German-language novels and discussions with authors.
More Information & passed activities
Exit Racism – The panel series on racism
“Exit Racism. Learning to Think Critically of Racism” is the title of the interactive manual by the German anti-racism trainer Tupoka Ogette. The Schauspielhaus Zürich takes its call to action as a starting point for a critical examination of its own institutional and social structures and regularly invites guests who deal activistically, scientifically or artistically with the complex effects of racist power relations.
More Information and passed Events
Open Stage
The Offene Bühne (german for open stage) is a series of events organized and run by the five young people of the Theaterjahr and offers all young people the opportunity to express themselves on stage in 10-minute contributions.
Performers Rule
If a member of the ensemble wants to realize his or her own ideas without going through the theater management, the Kammer will be the place to do so. Performers Rule! Five times a year, images and texts, music and visions of the ensemble can become reality there.
Specials 2022/23
Schiffbau-Fest
15 & 16 September 2023, Schiffbau
We celebrate 23 years of Schiffbau and invite you to a big party. The Schauspielhaus Zürich, the Moods Jazz Club, the LaSalle Restaurant and the Venice Bar are joining forces to show Zurich all that the Schiffbau has to offer for two days.
Wetterleuchten
Open Air Cinema in the garden
From 2 - 18 June 2023, the theater garden at Schiffbau, will become a movie theater. In a screening series curated in cooperation with the Zurich cinema Riffraff, the Schauspielhaus welcomes guests to a shared viewing experience with drinks, under the open sky amidst flourishing plant life.
Théâtre Vidy-Lausanne ←→ Schauspielhaus Zürich
International Showcase 23. – 26. Februar 2023
The Schauspielhaus Zürich and the Théâtre Vidy in Lausanne are closely connected as partners. Not only do some artists work for both theaters, but also guest performances and co-productions have linked the two theaters and their audiences for several years. So it’s time to pay an official visit.
Everything Has Seasons / Grünton
Garden festival in the atrium
In the final weeks of the season, the theater garden in the atrium will become a soundbox for a series of musicians and artists, as it did in the summer of 2021. For three days, everything will revolve around listening, outdoors in the open air and in the company of the spirits and souls of the garden. Grünton is a cooperation with Bad Bonn.
Audience summit
18. Januar 2023, Pfauen
Where is theatre headed and where should it go? There is much arguing when it comes to theatre. And that's a good thing. Because it shows a passion for the theatre that the Schauspielhaus Zürich shares and drives on. Theatre is a contemporary art form. It has always changed and will continue to change and therefore people will always talk about it.
Series & Specials 2021/22
Series 2021/22
Graveyard Shift
Started as a radio show and continued as a festival in the Schiffbau garden in June 2021, the collaboration with Bad Bonn is now moving to the stage: the nomadic concert series Graveyard Shift will take place at various locations in the Schauspielhaus Zürich during the 2021/2022 season.
Exit Racism – The panel series on racism
"Exit Racism. Learning to think critically about racism" is the title of the interactive handbook by German anti-racism trainer Tupoka Ogette. With concrete knowledge about the history of racism and its effects, support in the emotional confrontation with the topic, exercises and reading tips, it is part of the anti-racist reading list of the Schauspielhaus Zürich - in-house and on social media (#educateyourself).
EXIT Moria – The panel series on migration
The panel series "Exit Moria" aims to discuss migration (and therefore also us) on various levels - migration as a fact, solidarity and activism, Switzerland and the city, discursive frames and concrete projects.
Offene Bühne
Premiere: 11 September 2021, Schiffbau-Matchbox
This is where the next generation can put their talents to the test! Once a month, the Schauspielhaus Zürich opens its stage for performances by everyone for everyone. Young talents who want to gain their first stage experience are explicitly welcome. On the Open Stage, anything can be shown, set to music or read out.
Performers Rule
For several years now, the Performers Rule series has allowed ensemble members of the Schauspielhaus to direct. Each season, the field of directors is expanded to include a staff member from the Schauspielhaus. Theatre management and dramaturgy don’t get a say. Here, the performers call the shots. Perfomers Rule!
Specials 2021/22
Wetterleuchten - Kino im Schiffbau-Atrium
On three weekends in June, the garden in the Schiffbau courtyard will be transformed into a summer cinema. Together with the Riffraff & Houdini cinemas and a screening of the Black Film Festival Zurich, we will be showing a total of nine films in the Wetterleuchten series, creating a multifaceted, wild and resistant image of nature. Air, water and earth each frame a weekend.
Infos and Tickets: Wetterleuchten - Kino im Schiffbau
TELL TV – Wissen, was passiert
News from the rehearsals of Milo Rau's latest production of William Tell. Premiere: April 23, 2022.
#StandUp4Peace – Krieg in der Ukraine
On this page you will find all the activities of the Schauspielhaus Zürich as well as further information about the war in Ukraine.
Casting Willhelm Tell
Milo Rau is staging William Tell. The director is now looking for non-professional actors for the play through castings this fall - and is following in Tell's footsteps to Central Switzerland. We are looking for applicants of all genders, bodies, ages and professions; of all political persuasions and with or without passports; from the countryside, villages and towns.
Dürri am Draht
In a week-long reading session, almost 100 Schauspielhaus employees from a wide range of departments recorded Dürrenmatt's two stories "The Lunar Eclipse" and "The Brain" together. The result is almost five hours of audio material from professional and non-professional voices, diverse, raw and surprising. This "material" can now be heard on our telephone hotline Dürri am Draht, which you can call day and night free of charge on +41 44 258 72 70.
Blickfelder Festival
For ten days, Blickfelder will present productions in the fields of theater, dance, visual arts, literature and music in a wide variety of Zurich cultural venues, expanding the city with fun and a critical exchange on socially relevant topics.
100 Jahre Benno Besson
Benno Besson (1922-2006) was not only a luminary director and the most talented student of Brecht, but was also regarded as the "Swiss father of GDR theater". To mark his anniversary, the Schauspielhaus is embarking on a journey through time in collaboration with the Verein Theatermuseum.
Series 2020/21
Series 2020/21
EXIT Racism – The panel series on racism
"Exit Racism. Learning to think critically about racism" is the title of the interactive handbook by German anti-racism trainer Tupoka Ogette. With concrete knowledge about the history of racism and its effects, support in the emotional confrontation with the topic, exercises and reading tips, it is part of the anti-racist reading list of the Schauspielhaus Zürich - in-house and on social media (#educateyourself).
EXIT Moria – The panel series on migration
The panel series "Exit Moria" aims to discuss migration (and thus also us) on various levels - migration as a fact, solidarity and activism, Switzerland and the city, discursive frames and concrete projects.
Tender Talks – Conversations about closeness in times of distance
In February and March, the Schauspielhaus invites every 14 days two personalities to come into contact with each other in a one-to-one conversation on Zoom.
Streamy Thursday
As part of the "Streamy Thursday - Theater zu Haus" series, we stream selected productions live on Thursdays. Tickets for the live streams are available from 7 pm on the Monday of the respective performance week.
Open Haus
The Schauspielhaus Zürich opens the Pfauenbühne to freelance artists from the fields of theater, music, literature, dance, performance and comedy. The proceeds go to the artists. An open call has been published for this purpose.
Due to the closure of our theaters from December 12, 2020, only one open house performance could take place. From January 2021, selected productions will be streamed live as part of the Open Haus series.
Offene Bühne
Premiere: 12 December 2020, Schiffbau-Matchbox
This is where the next generation can put their talents to the test! Once a month, the Schauspielhaus Zürich opens its stage for performances by everyone for everyone. Young talents who want to gain their first stage experience are explicitly welcome. On the Open Stage, anything can be shown, set to music or read out.
Performers Rule
For several years now, the Performers Rule series has allowed ensemble members of the Schauspielhaus to direct. Each season, the field of directors is expanded to include a staff member from the Schauspielhaus. Theatre management and dramaturgy don’t get a say. Here, the performers call the shots. Perfomers Rule!
Specials 2020/21
Everything Has Seasons – Garden party at the Schiffbau
Everything Has Seasons invites you to cautiously celebrate these arts of life and survival, to open yourself to the shared world of the garden with all your senses. And in doing so, seeks out fruitful synergies and collaborations with actors in the city.
Wetterleuchten - cinema at the Schiffbau
Grünton - Music & sounds at the Schiffbau
Corona-Passionsspiele
The Corona Passionsspiele by Nicolas Stemann & Ensemble shows a modern tale of human suffering in times of Corona, analogous to the stations of Jesus' way of the cross: Isolation, loneliness, separation of generations, vulnerability, conspiracies, anger and uncertainty.
Review: Corona-Passionsschiff (Summer 2021)
Review: Corona-Passionsspiele Vol. 4 (Spring 2021)
Review: Corona-Passionsspiele Vol. 3 (Winter 2021)
Review: Corona-Passionsspiele Vol. 2 (Autumn 2020)
Review: Corona-Passionsspiele Vol. 1 (Spring 2020)
Pfauen-Debatte
The Pfauen should be renovated - the Pfauen should be preserved! Rescue vs. future. Demolition vs. new construction. The planned modernization of the Pfauen is currently the subject of heated public debate.
More Information: Debate 1
More Information: Debate 2
Faust as a guest at the Fraumünster
The Schauspielhaus Zürich made a guest appearance in the Fraumünster church at Easter. On Saturday with scenes from Faust I at the Easter Vigil and on Sunday Sebastian Rudolph read short Faust scenes at the three Easter Sunday services. The director and video artist Yannik Böhmer documented the events.
Series 2019/20
Series 2019/20
All Mine! – Mrs Berg and her Guests
Zurich-Premiere: 01 October 2019, Pfauen
Sibylle Berg welcomes you to the Pfauen! For an evening with stars, surprise guests, and sensations galore. In short – with other people. And also: drinks and music and film and dance and anything else that can distract us from life.
Asmara – A Party Cycle by Asma Maroof
Opening: 13 September 2019, Pfauen-Foyer & -Kammer
“Just start pressing shit, it doesn’t have to sound right. Just start.” Asma Maroof aka Asmara is an integral part of the nightlife of Los Angeles. As well as appearing in major clubs throughout the world, she used to be the resident DJ of Mustache Mondays, a queer party in LA, which has been taking place every Monday evening for the past ten years. Asmara creates an electrifying mix of club music and dancehall music as well as hip-hop-inflected vocals. And now, Asma Maroof has joined the ensemble of the Schauspielhaus Zürich. Everyone should look forward to the opening party – and to many more nights that will see the Schauspielhaus Zürich vibrating to her basses and filling up with dancers.
Open Stage
Premiere: 5 October 2019, Schiffbau-Matchbox
This offers offspring an opportunity to test their talent! Once a month, the Schauspielhaus Zürich will open its stage to performances by everybody for everybody. We would particularly like to welcome young talents keen to get their first experiences on stage. On the open stage, everyone is free to show, set to music or read whatever needs to come out.
Gefahr-Bar
Premiere: 17 October 2019, Pfauen-Foyer & -Kammer
Hooray! The Gefahr-Bar is coming to Zurich! Vague thoughts, temporary songs, nebulous lyrics, tyrannical costumes, unprotestant bites, unusual investment tips, crazy Wilhelm Tell hairstyles and much more! … well, just Gefahr-Bar… dubidu schubidu whistle innocent-look whistle … Part 1!
Hiroshima-Salon
Premiere: 24 October 2019, Pfauen-Foyer & -Kammer
Since 2010, the actress Sachiko Hara has been invitning people in irregular intervals to salons that thematically revolve around her home country Japan and oscillate between performance, lecture and show. The “Hiroshima Salon” is her personal encounter with the dropping of atomic bombs. After the 30-minute solo performance “Hiroshima Monster Girl”, she will discuss the new nuclear arms race with guests.
The L-Literature Series
from 2020
The L-Literature Series has grown into the largest and most well-known reading series in the German-speaking world. It is a cooperation between the Tages-Anzeiger, the Orell Füssli Thalia AG and the agency Apollo8 of cultural manager Reto Bühler, who invented the series. The list of international writers that have taken part in the series is long and can be found elsewhere – here is just a short selection: T.C. Boyle, Zadie Smith, Siri Hustvedt, Jonathan Franzen, Jonathan Safran Foer, Taiye Selasi, Bret Easton Ellis, Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie, Wolf Biermann, Hans Magnus Enzensberger, Douglas Coupland, Henning Mankell, Martin Walser, Éric Emmanuel-Schmitt, Cees Nooteboom, Michael Ondaatje, David Sedaris, Margaret Atwood, Donna Leon, Édouard Louis and many more. After 17 years and 77 readings, the L Series found a new venue: The Schauspielhaus Zürich.
Specials 2019/20
Eröffnungsfestival
11 – 15 September 2019
In order to get to know each other the opening festival will gather a work from each of the in-house directors as well as Nicolas Stemann. These works are so formative and personal that the directors would like to introduce themselves with the respective productions in Zurich and then include it in the repertoire of the Schauspielhaus.
Zuhausspielhaus
After a self-imposed two-week grace period, we didn't want to remain inactive. And so the Schauspielhaus temporarily became the Zuhauspielhaus. The signs literally changed and a dematerialized theater emerged, whose stage was potentially anywhere there was internet access. Anchored in the digital, but created under very real circumstances.
