Atze Musiktheater

The Atze Musiktheater is a children’s music theatre in Berlin’s Wedding district. It began in 1985 as a rock band for children performing in a back-room stage in Kreuzberg. Today it occupies the former Max-Beckmann-Saal, once the main hall of the nearby Beuth University, and runs three indoor stages plus an open-air summer theatre called Luftschloss. The theatre’s name Atze means ‘big brother’ or ‘best friend’ in Berlin slang. It reflects the aim to guide children through life and strengthen them. Around 90 000 spectators attend the Berlin performances each year, with another 25 000 to 30 000 at touring shows across Germany. Its productions range from adaptations of classic children’s books such as Ronja Räubertochter and Das doppelte Lottchen to modern titles like Rico, Oskar und die Tieferschatten. Visitors find a large auditorium seating 480, a mid-size studio stage for 150, and a small tent stage for about 60. The latter is used only on weekend mornings. The Luftschloss stage opens in summer for outdoor performances. Recent shows such as Spaghettihochzeit and Matti und Sami und die drei größten Fehler des Universums blend spoken and sung dialogue into a fresh musical form.