Schauspiel Köln

Schauspiel Köln is a theatre company in Cologne, Germany. It belongs to the Bühnen der Stadt Köln, which also runs the Cologne Opera. The main building has three halls: the Grand House with 830 seats, the locksmith with 120, and the refreshment room with 60. The listed Halle Kalk, once used until 2015, had 200 seats. During renovation, interim venues like Depot 1 and Depot 2 in Cologne-Mülheim hosted performances. Ernst Hardt led the theatre before moving to Westdeutscher Rundfunk in 1927. The theatre’s history begins in the Middle Ages, with the first house built in 1782. A fire destroyed the 1829 successor in 1869, and a new house in Glockengasse opened in 1872. In 1898, a neo-baroque building on Habsburgerring was completed with 1,800 seats. The theatre operated as the United City Theater before splitting into Opera House and Schauspielhaus in 1906. Julius Hofmann directed both houses, staging operas in the new building and operettas in the old. The current theatre was rebuilt between 2010 and 2013 after heavy wartime damage. A citizens’ initiative saved the listed building from demolition. Stefan Bachmann became Director in 2013, alongside chief dramatist Rita Thiele and managing director Patrick Wasserbauer. The rebuilt theatre reopened with modern facilities while preserving its historic character. Today, it remains a key cultural venue in Cologne, hosting drama, opera, and ballet.