Paulina Alpen

Paulina Alpen, born in Mering in 1992, is an actress and choreographer. She trained in dance at the Vienna Conservatory and studied acting at the Folkwang University of the Arts. She gained stage experience at major theatres whilst still a student and was invited to the Theatertreffen in 2017 with the production Die Borderline Prozession (directed by Kay Voges, Schauspiel Dortmund). Previously a member of the ensemble at the Staatstheater Mainz, Paulina Alpen has been working as a freelance actress since 2017.

A highlight of her theatre career is the production Die Welt im Rücken, directed by Lucia Bihler at Schauspiel Stuttgart, which was invited to the Theatertreffen in 2026. Her collaboration with Lucia Bihler also extends to productions such as The Lobster (Münchner Volkstheater, 2024), Die Troerinnen (Schauspiel Köln, 2023) and Die Verwirrungen des Zöglings Törleß (Staatstheater Mainz, 2019). She has also worked with other renowned directors such as Karin Beier, Wolfgang Menardi and Philipp Stölzl. Her acting career has taken her to theatres including the Münchner Volkstheater, the Schauspielhaus Hamburg, the Volksbühne Berlin and the Burgtheater in Vienna, where she played Gregor Samsa in Die Verwandlung (The Metamorphosis) (directed by Lucia Bihler, 2024), amongst other roles. 

In addition to her extensive theatre work, Paulina Alpen has also appeared in film and television productions such as Zwei Herren im Anzug (directed by Josef Bierbichler, 2018), Freibad (directed by Doris Dörrie, 2021/2022) and various TV programmes. She also works as a choreographer. Her acting is characterised by authenticity and the ability to portray complex characters convincingly.