Theatre academy for children Under the patronage of The President of the German Bundestag, Prof. Dr Norbert Lammert

In universities and academies the first semester’s foundation course usually consists of an introduction to the subject as well as an overview of the diversity of research, the comes the advanced study: this is where focal points are set out and individual subjects gone into detail.

In this semester both things are possible: in our Theatre AcademyI new students as well as registered students between eight and 12 years old can learn about the exciting professions in front of and behind the scenes. For the students who attended the ‘old semester’ from the very beginning and all other theatre fans aged between 12 and 14, Theatre Academy II offers a short series of readings about the history of theatre and opera. So, whichever one you choose, once again six fabulous artist-professors will be there to turn the auditorium of the PACT Zollverein into a magical place for young theatre makers on a Sunday.

Theatre Academy for Children I

The world of theatre is as varied as the people who create it: many different artists are involved in the creative process of a production. Technicians and highly-skilled craftsmen also bring along their specialist skills to enable a production – the TheatreAcademy cannot aim to cover everything exhaustively. Also, many people involved in theatre seem to be border-crossers by their very nature:  their roles and duties don’t simply change from one production to another – it could appear that many of them are practising several professions at once.

31 August, 11 am
At home in three worlds:  Caroline Peters, Acting
She does three things brilliantly – in the truest sense of the word: performing on stage, on film and on television. She won the Adolf-Grimme Prize in 2007 for her role in the television film Arnies Welt. And really she should win it again this year for her cool superintendent in the series Mord im Aussicht. What’s more she can be found on the most important stages from the Burgtheater inVienna to the Schauspielhaus in Hamburg. What is the difference between working in film and television to performing on stage?  How does one organise one’s life between so many different cities and film locations? You will no doubt have many other questions for Caroline Peters, who can be seen here as the King’s daughter Regan in Shakespeare’s King Lear.

7 September, 11 am
Rock’n’Roll Low School: Schorsch Kamerun, Music
He is a punk rock star with his band the Goldenen Zitronen and has also made a name for himself as a solo musician. What’s more, Schorsch Kamerun writes award-winning radio plays, directs stage plays, once had a television series on 3sat, is the owner of the Golden Pudel club in Hamburger – definitely a classic case of someone who crosses borders. We have invited the musician Schorsch Kamerun, who has been producing records with his band for over 20 years and who gives concerts all over the world, to come along. If you’re lucky, he will show you something of his musical knowledge. And one thing is certain: he can offer a glimpse into the life of a rockstar like no other.

21 September, 11 am
Open Fire! Martin Reiter, Pyrotechnics
The travellers in Sven-Eric Bechtholf’s play Steine und Herzen were warmed by a real fire in the Duisburg Kraftzentrale, and in Mitridate a ship was burnt on the open stage in Salzburg. The man who makes this possible is the head of props at the RuhrTriennale, who on occasion is allowed to turn into a professionally-qualified pyromaniac. He will let you in on the secrets of exploding televisions, reveal why actors are never injured when a bottle, vase or even a glass are smashed on stage, and why cocoa powder can prove to be explosive stuff. Your guardians need have no fear though, all the rules and regulations governing these special effects are also part of this exciting presentation.

Theatre Academy for Children II

By looking back at history with a curious and attentive glance we are able to view the present with different eyes and to develop ideas for the future.  Theatre history is no different and suggest material for many presentations. Our three artist-professors dare to start and through their personal point of view enable the young students to access a chapter in this history through their experience, their knowledge and their fascination.

24 August 11 am
Theater heute: Elisabeth Schweeger, Artistic director of the schauspielfrankfurt
Theatre is »one of the few places that dares to counterpoint deadlock with fantasy«, according to Elisabeth Schweeger. A doctor of philosophy, she has not only been artistic director of the schauspielfrankfurt for many years, she is also exhibition curator of documenta and the Venice Biennale amongst others, and so barely a new development in theatre over the past ten years has passed her by. If Christoph Schlingensief organises a quiz with audience members who then find themselves on stage – are they still audience or are they now actors? What does a congress to save the world from fine artists, researchers and theologians have to do with theatre? Come along to this expedition into new forms of theatre, there is much to discover!

14 September 11 am
Shakespeare’s Globe: Rainer Iwersen, Translator and founding member of the bremer shakespeare company
»All the world is a stage…« says the astute Jacques in As you like it. But is it not also the other way around? In any case, Shakespeare’s theatre built in 1599 inLondon was named the Globe. A spotlight was all that was needed to light up the stage – the sun! Hamlet ‘addressed’ his text in different ways: to the people standing in the yard, to the nobles up in the surrounding galleries, and two verses later, to the queen right up in her magnificent royal box. The most famous lovers in the world first appeared on this stage: Juliet was played by a young man. Rainer Iwersen is one of the founding members of the bremer shakespeare company, set up in 1983 to grapple with the Elizabethan way of performing. He has translated and directed more than half of Shakespeare’s complete works, and you can ask him – As you like it.

23 September, 11 am
Opera Stories: Willy Decker, Opera director and artistic director of the RuhrTriennale from 2009 to 2011
If the marrying of text and music is considered the origins of opera, then opera is in fact older than theatre. In Ancient Greek times scenic action was already being put to music.  And the role of the chorus was also important. For 20 years Willy Decker has been one of the most successful opera directors in Europe. Whether he was premiering Aribert Reimann’s Das Schloss for the Deutsche Oper in Berlinor directing one of the great classics La Traviata for the Salzburger Festspiele: in fact, one glance at his directing CV provides an extraordinary overview of the exciting history of opera. By meeting Willy Decker you are also meeting the new artistic director of the RuhrTriennale. Maybe you’ll be the first to know what plans he has for the coming year….

at PACT Zollverein, Essen

Children between eight and 14 should apply to JungTriennale before 1 August to:

JungeTriennale, Leithestraße 35, 45886 Gelsenkirchen.

Places are limited. Fees for Theatre Academy I and Theatre Academy II are 10 € per child respectively. Siblings pay a reduced fee of 5 € each. Adults are not allowed in as students. Thus they agree to relinquish the Academy to children and the artists. The café in the foyer of the PACT Zollverein will be opened during the presentations