The Alfred Kerr Acting Award was initiated in 1991 in memory of the Berlin theatre critic Alfred Kerr by his children Judith und Michael Kerr in conjunction with the Pressestiftung Tagesspiegel and Berliner Festspiele/Theatertreffen to recognise the outstanding achievement of a young actor in one of the 10 most remarkable productions invited to Theatertreffen. The award comes with a sum of 5,000 Euro and is offered by the AlfredKerr Foundation with support from Theatertreffen. Additional support is provided by Verlag Der Tagesspiegel, the Hartung family and Gustav Kiepenheuer Bühnenvertriebs-GmbH. Each year a noted theatrical personality acts as the award’s juror.
2026
Paulina Alpen
for her role in Die Welt im Rücken
directed by Lucia Bihler, Schauspiel Stuttgart
Juror: Matthias Brandt
2025
Carmen Steinert
for her role in Blutbuch
directed by Jan Friedrich, Theater Magdeburg
Juror: Bettina Stucky
2024
Nikita Buldyrski
for his role in Die Hundekot-Attacke
directed by Walter Bart (Wunderbaum), Theaterhaus Jena
Juror: Ursina Lardi
2023
Dominik Dos-Reis
for his role in Kinder der Sonne
directed by Mateja Koležnik, Schauspielhaus Bochum
Juror: Edgar Selge
2022
Samouil Stoyanov
for his role in humanistää!
directed by Claudia Bauer, Volkstheater, Vienna
Juror: Valery Tscheplanowa
2021
The Alfred-Kerr-Acting-Award was not allocated.
2020
The Alfred-Kerr-Acting-Award was not allocated.
2019
Johannes Nussbaum
for his role in Das große Heft
directed by Ulrich Rasche, Staatsschauspiel Dresden
Juror: Franz Rogowski
2017
Michael Wächter
for his role in Drei Schwestern
directed by Simon Stone, Theater Basel
Juror: Imogen Kogge
2016
Marcel Kohler
for his role in Väter und Söhne
directed by Daniela Löffner, Deutsches Theater Berlin
Juror: Maren Eggert
2015
Gala Winter
for her role in John Gabriel Borkman
directed by Karin Henkel, Deutsches Schauspielhaus, Hamburg
Juror: Samuel Finzi
2014
Valery Tscheplanowa
for her role in Zement
directed by Dimiter Gotscheff, Residenztheater, Munich
Juror: Edith Clever
2013
Julia Häusermann
for her role in Disabled Theater
directed by Jérôme Bel, Theater HORA - Stiftung Züriwerk, Zurich / HAU Hebbel am Ufer
Juror: Thomas Thieme
2012
Fabian Hinrichs
for his role in KILL YOUR DARLINGS! STREETS OF BERLADELPHIA
directed by René Pollesch, Volksbühne am Rosa-Luxemburg-Platz, Berlin
Juror: Nina Hoss
2011
Lina Beckmann
for her role in Das Werk / Im Bus / Ein Sturz
directed by Karin Beier, Schauspiel Köln
and the role of Warja in Der Kirschgarten
directed by Karin Henkel, Schauspiel Köln
Juror: Eva Mattes
2010
Paul Herwig
for the role of Pinneberg in Kleiner Mann – was nun?
directed by Luk Perceval, Münchner Kammerspiele
Juror: Bruno Ganz
2009
Kathleen Morgeneyer
for the role of Nina in Die Möwe
directed by Jürgen Gosch, Deutsches Theater Berlin
Juror: Jutta Lampe
2008
Niklas Kohrt
the role of Bruno Mechelke in Die Ratten
directed by Michael Thalheimer, Deutsches Theater Berlin
Juror: Gerd Wameling
2007
Julischka Eichel
for the role of Lucy in Krankheit der Jugend
directed by Tilmann Köhler, Deutsches Nationaltheater Weimar
Juror: Martina Gedeck
2006
Felix Goeser
for the title role in Platonow
directed by Karin Henkel, Schauspiel Stuttgart
Juror: Martin Wuttke
2005
Wiebke Puls
for the role of Kriemhild in Die Nibelungen
directed by Andreas Kriegenburg, Münchner Kammerspiele
Juror: Ulrich Matthes
2004
Devid Striesow
for the role of Wlas in Sommergäste
directed by Jürgen Gosch, Schauspielhaus Düsseldorf
Juror: Ulrich Mühe
2003
Fritzi Haberlandt
for the role of Mizi Schlager in Liebelei
directed by Michael Thalheimer, Thalia Theater Hamburg
and for the role of Adriana in zeit zu lieben zeit zu sterben
directed by Armin Petras, Thalia Theater Hamburg
Juror: Ivan Nagel
2002
Bettina Stucky
for the role of Natalja in Drei Schwestern
directed by Stefan Pucher, Schauspielhaus Zürich
and for the role in the ensemble of Die schöne Müllerin
directed by Christoph Marthaler, Schauspielhaus Zürich
Juror: Elisabeth Trissenar
2001
August Diehl
for the role of Konstantin Gawrilowitsch Trepljow in Die Möwe
directed by Luc Bondy, Burgtheater Wien
Juror: Walter Schmidinger
2000
Kathrin Angerer
for the role of Darja Pawlowna Schatowa in Dämonen
directed by Frank Castorf, Volksbühne am Rosa-Luxemburg-Platz, Berlin
Juror: Udo Samel
1999
Johanna Wokalek
for the title role in Rose Bernd
directed by Valentin Jeker, Schauspiel Bonn
Juror: Angelica Domröse
1995 – 1998 no awarding
1994
Caroline Ebner
for the role of Julia in Romeo und Julia
directed by Karin Beier, Staatstheater Düsseldorf
Juror: Käthe Reichel
1993
Daniel Morgenroth
for the role of Sigismund in Der Turm
directed by Thomas Langhoff, Deutsches Theater Berlin
Juror: Albert Hetterle
1992
Torsten Ranft
for the title role in Woyzeck
directed by Andreas Kriegenburg, Volksbühne am Rosa-Luxemburg-Platz, Berlin
Juror: Marianne Hoppe
1991
Steffi Kühnert
for the title role in Nora
directed by Leander Haussmann, Deutsches Nationaltheater Weimar
Juror: Bernhard Minetti