Stories

In our multimedia stories, we highlight selected topics of the festival, explore background information and start conversations.

From the Life of the Theatertreffen-Jury

Experiences, impressions, memories

A map of Germany, Austria and Switzerland with red place markers

The first members of the jury for the current edition of the festival took their first journeys to find the ten most remarkable productions of the year back in 2022. Between then and the beginning of 2025, they have seen an incredible 3,943 productions – and gathered countless experiences, impressions and memories. Now Eva Behrendt, Janis El-Bira, Valeria Heintges, Sabine Leucht, Martin Thomas Pesl, Katrin Ullmann and Sascha Westphal open their travel bags, phone records and wardrobes just enough to offer a glimpse of the many aspects of a juror’s daily life.

Watch. Reflect. Join the Conversation.

Berlin Students attend Theatertreffen 2025

A man stands with his arms folded next to a seated woman in a pink costume, behind them are people with instruments.

What does it sound like when longing becomes loud? When does theatre touch not just the mind, but the whole body? What does it mean to stand between two cultures –  as a daughter, as a son, as a human being?

Seventeen pupils from Rheingau Gymnasium and the LiteraturInitiative Berlin (LIN) experienced the production “Unser Deutschlandmärchen” by Berlin’s Maxim Gorki Theatre at the Theatertreffen 2025 – and responded: in texts, images and videos that sometimes quietly marvel, sometimes loudly discuss, but always remain very close to their own emotions.