Theater Phönix

Theater Phönix is a free mid-sized theatre founded in 1989 in Linz, Upper Austria. It occupies a three-storey building on Wienerstraße near the southern edge of the city centre, just a short walk from Unionkreuzung. The site was once home to the Phönix cinema before the theatre took it over and converted the auditorium into a stage. The theatre is known for staging plays that tackle current social and political issues. It regularly reworks classics while also giving young writers a chance to present new work. In November 2014 Susanne Lietzow’s production of Johann Nestroy’s Höllenangst won the Nestroy Theatre Prize for the best regional performance. The artistic leadership has passed from Georg Schmiedleitner, one of the founders, to Harald Gebhartl and now to Silke Dörner, while Romana Staufer-Hutter and Olivia Schütz have handled management roles. The building’s blue façade is marked by bold white vertical streaks and a matching black-and-white sign above the entrance. Three steps and a wheelchair lift lead to four glass doors, with a gastropub, a residential door and the Phoenix bar to the right. The theatre’s club room on the first floor opens only during events. Outside, three light columns frame the street in front of two small beer gardens.