Theatertreffen der Jugend

The artists take us into the world of mythology, rewrite classical material and turn their protagonists into influencers, develop collages or invite us to a martial arts performance. They deal with the helplessness of society, grievances, pressure to perform, the culture of remembrance, fluid gender roles and failure. They have a sense of humour, working with caricatures and humorous elements. The performers seek interactive encounters with the audience and express themselves in chants, songs, choreographies or on the vertical cloth. This year’s selection has many intense moments in store and confronts us sometimes with a threatening, sometimes with an imaginative future. 

This year marks the 45th edition of the Theatertreffen der Jugend. A proud number behind which stand decades of impressive young theatre work and strong messages. This shows that the importance of theatre as a means of expression for young people remains unbroken across generations. I would like to thank the sponsors of the Federal Ministry of Education and Research (BMBF) for their many years of support and for recognising the inestimable value of theatre for the development of young people.

I would like to sincerely thank my colleagues on the jury for their meticulous and dedicated work in making this year's selection. 

My special thanks go to the Treffen junge Szene team and my colleagues at the Berliner Festspiele, who support the young theatre makers with so much appreciation and professionalism. 

And I wish you, dear ensembles, wonderful and exciting days at the festival. And thank you! Thank you for your work and thank you for addressing things and taking the future into your own hands. 

Susanne Chrudina
Director Treffen junge Szene