Forum Ecological Sustainability in the Theatre / Green Ambassadors

On 9 and 10 October 2025, 13 representatives from the most wide-ranging fields of theatre came together at the Haus der Berliner Festspiele to exchange experiences, ideas and proposals.

Issues of institutional ecology and the concept of the ecological handprint were outlined together with Jacob Sylvester Bilabel from the Aktionsnetzwerk Nachhaltigkeit in Kultur und Medien (Action Network Sustainability in Culture and the Media). Insights were then provided into the Berlinale’s sustainability strategies by its Sustainability Coordinator Andreas Klabunde, while new experiences in this field were examined with transformation manager and one of the first Green Ambassadors David Heiligers (dramaturg at theatres including Schauspielhaus Zürich and Deutsches Theater Berlin). One highly practical example was presented in the form of the CO2e calculator for stage designs created by Lisa-Marie Hobusch (Artistic Production Manager Focussing on Environmental Sustainability) from the Schaubühne Berlin. And finally, a discussion with Dr. Sebastian Brünger from the German Federal Cultural Foundation about its sustainability programmes and the pilot project “Climate Adaptation in the Cultural Sector” also offered some fascinating insights.

The Green Ambassadors of the 2025 Theatertreffen:

Anja Dansberg, Assistant to the Technical Director, Volksbühne am Rosa-Luxemburg-Platz, Berlin
Katrin Enders, Theatre Dramaturg, Theater Magdeburg
Julian Firges, Energy Efficiency Engineer, Staatstheater Kassel
Frank Köckritz, Head of Renovation Team, Komische Oper Berlin
Marion Kriedemann, Financial and Administrative Director, Mecklenburgisches Staatstheater, Schwerin
Katrin Michaels, Dramaturg, Residenztheater, Munich
Katrin Plötzky, Head of Design, Junges SchauSpielHaus Hamburg
Ute Rohrbeck, Head of Paintshop, Mecklenburgisches Staatstheater, Schwerin
Solène Schlachter, Artistic Producer, Junges SchauSpielHaus Hamburg
Benedikt Simonischek, Head of External Venues & Project Manager for Renovation & Strategy, Komische Oper Berlin
Annika Strassmair, Head of Production for Structural and Venue Development, brut Koproduktionshaus Wien GmbH
Simone Theilacker-Wolter, Director of Artistic Production and Deputy Artistic Director, Staatsoper Stuttgart
Clara Weyde, Head of Acting and Directing (Theatre), Theater Magdeburg

The group came together for a workshop at Haus der Berliner Festspiele on 17 and 18 October 2024. There were lectures on the topics of sustainable procurement, climate-conscious renovation and EMAS-certification. Furthermore, a concrete model to implement CO2-reduction in the field of set design was introduced. On both days, the Green Ambassadors had opportunities to exchange ideas and new concepts and to find ways of continuing their efforts (together) after the Forum. This is in keeping with the guiding principle that Jacob Bilabel from Aktionsnetzwerk Nachhaltigkeit in Kultur und Medien (Action Network Sustainability in Culture and the Media) formulated: “No culture at all is not sustainable either”. The Theatertreffen-team is still convinced that networking with each other is one of the most important components in achieving the common goal. 

The Green Ambassadors of the 2024 Theatertreffen:

Johann Casimir Eule, Management Opera, Staatstheater Nürnberg
Adina Fahr, Personal Referent of the Artistic Director, Landesbühnen Sachsen
Markus Heinzelmann, Managing Director, Theaterhaus Jena
Roland Hille, Head of Production, Theaterhaus Jena
Lisa-Marie Hobusch, Artistic Production Manager with a Focus on Sustainability, Schaubühne am Lehniner Platz
Ilka Kops, Head of Costume Department, Deutsches Theater Göttingen
Marius Labonte, Sustainability Officer, Schauspielhaus Bochum
Marcus Piso, Head of Facility and Production Management, Salzburger Festspiele
Nathalie Prasser, Media Officer and Current Coordinator for ÖÜZ, Salzburger Festspiele
Laura Steiner, Office Financial & Audit Committee/Board & Sustainability, Schauspielhaus Zürich
Marcus Weide, Technical Director, Deutsches Theater Göttingen
Ralph Zeger, Head of Design, Landesbühnen Sachsen

This year’s guests, Yvonne Büdenhölzer, former director of Theatertreffen and currently director of Suhrkamp Theater Verlag, Christoph Hügelmeyer, technical director and environment management officer of Kulturveranstaltungen des Bundes (KBB) GmbH, Jana Popihn, assistant to the directors at NDR Kultur, and Catja Schiliing, costume painter at Deutsches Schauspielhaus Hamburg and alumna of the 2021 Forum, gave accounts of their experiences in their respective fields of work. The two-day workshop was an opportunity for the Green Ambassadors to exchange ideas and new concepts with the aim of continuing their work beyond the Forum in accordance with the guiding principle formulated by Jacob Bilabel of the Aktionsnetzwerk Nachhaltigkeit in Kultur und Medien: “More culture with less environmental impact”.

 

The Green Ambassadors of Theatertreffens 2023:

Nadine Apperle, Finances & Administration/Controlling, Theater Basel
Andrea Bettini, Actor Theater Basel
Torsten Bill, Coordinator for Construction Management and Sustainability, Deutsches Theater Berlin
Marius Labonte, Transformation Management, Schauspielhaus Bochum          
Silke Messemer, Deputy Costume Director, Residenztheater Munich
Katrin Michaels, Dramaturg, Residenztheater Munich
Johann Otten, Dramaturg, Deutsches Theater Berlin
Helene Pente, Assistant to Technical Directors, Schauspielhaus Bochum        
Maik Romberg, Director of Staff Dep. Digitalisation, Münchner Kammerspiele
Julia Rosenberger, Production Support, Burgtheater Vienna
Wolfgang Wiefarn, Lighting, Münchner Kammerspiele

Topics included systems for environmental management and the freedom of art as well as communication strategies and the exchange of existing knowledge and best practices. As invited guests, alumni of the previous forum, Wiebke Leithner (deputy financial director at Vienna’s Burgtheater) and Sophie Gruber (member of the communication team at Berlin’s HAU Hebbel am Ufer), gave insights into their practices and experiences. Furthermore, Charlotte Sieben (managing director of Kulturveranstaltungen des Bundes in Berlin GmbH, KBB) talked about the EMAS-certification process of KBB and the Green Ambassadors met Hortensia Völckers, Artistic Director of the German Federal Cultural Foundation, for a conversation.

The Green Ambassadors of the 2022 Theatertreffen

Ulrich Beck, Head of Artistic Administration Schauspiel Hannover
Claudia Bestenbostel, Communications Thalia Theater Hamburg
Katharina Bondzin, Make-up Schauspielhaus Bochum
Alrun Hofert, Actor Schauspiel Hannover
Fabian Iberl, Technical Director Münchner Kammerspiele
Peter Keune, Technical Director Staatsschauspiel Dresden
Kora Kossack, Head of Facility Management Deutsches SchauSpielHaus Hamburg
Hajo Krause, Technical Director Deutsches SchauSpielHaus Hamburg
Stefano Machalek, Technical Department Volkstheater Vienna
Dorothea Neweling, Dramaturg Schauspielhaus Bochum
Veronika Nickl, Actor Schauspielhaus Bochum
Jana Popihn, Personal Assistant to the Commercial Director Thalia Theater Hamburg
Sven Schabram, Assistant to the Artistic Director and Managing Director HAU Hebbel am Ufer Berlin
Anna Schelmberger, Assistant to the Head of the Costumes Department Volkstheater Vienna
Louise Stölting, Production Manager “All Right. Good Night.” Rimini Protokoll
Christian Thurm, Head of Carpentry Nationaltheater Mannheim
Daniel Veldhoen, Artistic Director Münchner Kammerspiele
Dominik von Stillfried, Stage Management HAU Hebbel am Ufer Berlin

In conversations and interactive workshop sessions, the participants outlined various options for initiating sustainable transformation processes and developed strategies for implementing sustainability goals for operational structures and theatre productions. They were introduced to the EMAS Eco-Management and Audit Scheme and to the Creative Green Tools Calculator, two tools for sustainability-oriented structuring and accounting for cultural institutions and projects. As guest speakers, Charlotte Sieben, Managing Director of KBB GmbH and Thomas Oberender, Director of Berliner Festspiele, contributed examples and experiences from their own practice.

As a result of their conversations during the workshops, the Green Ambassadors framed a first set of wishes and goals for their own houses and teams, which were further debated, elaborated and discussed at a digital meeting in January 2022. The Green Ambassadors once again got together in person in the context of the 2022 Theatertreffen, where they also met a new generation of Green Ambassadors who attended the 2nd Forum Ecological Sustainability in the Theatre that year.

The Green Ambassadors of the 2021 Theatertreffen

Anne Brammen, Programme and communications Ballhaus Ost Berlin
Leni von Creytz, Trainee event technology specialist Residenztheater Munich
Frank Crusius, Technical director Cuvilliéstheater and Marstall of Residenztheater Munich
Katinka Deecke, Senior dramaturg Schauspielhaus Zurich
Katrin Dywicki, Head of operations and facility management / safety engineer Deutsches Theater Berlin
Sophie Gruber, Communications HAU Hebbel am Ufer Berlin
Eva Hartmann, Management Gob Squad Arts Collective
David Heiligers, Dramaturg Deutsches Theater Berlin
Paul Lehner, Production and workshop manager Schauspielhaus Zurich
Wiebke Leithner, Deputy commercial director and guest performance manager Burgtheater Vienna
Julia Rosenberger, Production supervisor Burgtheater Vienna
Jule Saworski, Stage and costume designer Ballhaus Ost Berlin
Catja Schilling, Costume designer and compliance representative Deutsches SchauSpielHaus Hamburg
Björn Stegmann, Technical director Ballhaus Ost Berlin
Patrick Tucholski, Deputy technical director HAU Hebbel am Ufer Berlin
Anouk Wallerath, Personal assistant to the artistic director Deutsches Theater Berlin