Who are we? What is fair? Who decides? And why? Shining the spotlight on the great questions of mankind for an audience ranging from toddlers to young adults is an enormous achievement by Schauburg.
The stunning illustrations on Schauburg’s website and brochures skilfully play with the name of the theatre, which is situated on Elisabethplatz in Schwabing district. The castle has eyes. Sometimes it appears cheeky, sometimes ferocious, sometimes sharing a laugh and a wink with us, sometimes looking anxious or even hiding its eyes behind sunglasses. In other words, Schauburg's repertoire encapsulates the entire spectrum of emotion, all condensed into performances by contemporary authors that have been written especially for a young audience.
These include reinterpretations of renowned world literature material as well as performance pieces that directly address those life experiences that shape young audiences and the social reality in which they grow up. The scene is set by a young ensemble which continually rouses both parents and grandparents from their seats. The programme has been sculpted by an awareness that the children and young people in the audience come from different cultures.
Andrea Gronemeyer, House Director since 2017, attaches great significance to the fact that the performance pieces repeatedly focus on working together within a diverse society. Almost all theatrical means are just right when it comes to such an undertaking. On its two stages, the “Big Castle” and the “Small Castle”, a whole host of different performance styles are put on display - including dance, singing, rap and improvisation.
In addition to the theatre’s regular performances, children and adolescents of all ages are also given the opportunity to discover just what it feels like to be a dancer, musician, actor or author – whether it’s throughout the season or as part of a holiday project at the Schauburg LAB – allowing them to find their very own language of expression.
Since 1977, the Schauburg has been one of the largest and most significant children's and youth theatres in the Federal Republic. The building in which the theatre is housed today was originally established as a cinema, hence the name in German “Schauburg”.
After 40 years as a cinema, it was then taken over by one of Germany’s most famous discotheques, the “Blow Up". During its five-year existence, Pink Floyd, Yes, and artists such as Jimi Hendrix and Sammy Davis, Jr. all performed there.
During the late 1970s, the city of Munich took over the building and converted it into a children's and youth theatre. At the time, the producers of children's theatre were demanding more "brains" and fewer fairy tales.
