Volksbühne is a traditional theater in Berlin’s city center. Since its founding, Volksbühne has been committed to the development and impact of novel forms of stage direction. Built in 1914 by the architect Oskar Kaufmann, the house at Rosa-Luxemburg-Platz has a capacity of 800 seats. The construction of the theater was financed solely by donations from members of the Freie Volksbühne association, so-called ‘workers’ pennies’ then.
May Reinhardt, Erwin Piscator, Benno Besson, Heiner Müller, Frank Castorf, Christoph Schlingensief––Volksbühne is characterized by strong personalities who have ceaselessly tested the boundaries of classical spoken theater.
Today, Volksbühne draws together theater, dance, performance, music, visual arts, and literature under one roof. Klaus Dörr is the director of Volksbühne. He is assisted by Thorleifur Örn Arnarsson as director of drama and Lucia Bihler as managing director. The permanent ensemble includes nineteen actors and actresses.
In the current season 2020/2021, under its leitmotif “POLIS / RESET”, Volksbühne is premiering eight productions on the main stage. They are narratives interrogating the possibilities of political action and place the conflicts of the great ancient tragedies and myths within our contemporary society, charging them with virulent social analogies.