Ballhaus Naunynstrasse

The Ballhaus Naunynstraße is a theatre in Berlin’s Friedrichshain-Kreuzberg district. It focuses on post-migrant cultural productions and has operated since 1983. The building itself is a restored 19th-century ballroom that once hosted dances. The theatre receives support from Berlin’s Senate Chancellery for Cultural Affairs. It produces its own plays and also collaborates with independent groups. Every year the Diyalog Theatre Festival takes place on its stage. The house gained wider attention after its 2008 reopening under artistic director Şermin Langhoff. Her leadership drew many notable artists with migrant backgrounds to the project, including film-maker Fatih Akın and writers Feridun Zaimoğlu and Deniz Utlu. After Langhoff left in 2013 to run the Maxim Gorki Theatre, the leadership passed to Wagner Carvalho and Tunçay Kulaoğlu. The theatre has twice won the Monica-Bleibtreu Prize for contemporary drama. Inside, the restored ballroom provides an intimate setting for performances. The programme features plays, readings and interdisciplinary events. The surrounding streets of Kreuzberg offer cafés and galleries for visitors to explore. The theatre remains a lively meeting place for Berlin’s diverse cultural scene.