Discover Munich’s English-language theater scene
The illustrious William Shakespeare once wrote that “all the world’s a stage.” And since it is a small world, that makes it a rather small stage, too—which is a fine way to describe the English-language theater scene in Munich. Not that the plays are always performed on small stages, but rather that there’s a small, tight-knit group of actors, directors and producers running the shows. Last month there were no fewer than three English-language theater productions put on almost simultaneously in the city. Yet, it’s not only native English speakers who attend performances, but many Germans as well. A 2001 survey, conducted by the International Outcast Theatre Group, found that more than 60 percent of those who attended their English-language productions were Germans. Just take a trip to the movie theaters Cinema or Museum Lichtspiele to see the draw that original English-language entertainment has on the good citizens of Munich and you will understand why there is such demand for original English-language theater as well.
Perhaps the oldest and most successful theater company in Munich is the American Drama Group Europe (ADGE, www.adg-europe.com), which was founded by the American expat Grantly Marshall at the University of Munich in 1978. Still going strong more than 25 years later, what was once limited to Munich’s university stage now has a worldwide presence. In Germany alone, the group puts on more than 500 performances a year at some of the country’s top theaters. They also tour extensively throughout Europe, Asia and the Middle East, and have even ventured as far as Russia and the United States. In addition to performing in theaters, the ADGE also presents shows in castles, offering a beautiful real-life setting as a backdrop to their plays. Many of the productions are of classics and are given a special visual and musical flair to help ensure that those with a less-than-perfect knowledge of English are still entertained. Past productions include Oliver Twist, Moby Dick, David Copperfield, One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest and many others. Among the future productions set to take stage at the Amerika Haus in Munich are Willy Russell’s Educating Rita (March 22–25) and Frankenstein (May 3–6), inspired by the Mary Shelley novel.
Entity Theatre Workshop (www.entitytheatre.com) was founded by English/philosophy/drama teacher Danny Strike and actress/singer/costume designer Alison Sandford in 1999. Performing in the Europahalle at the European School Munich (ESM), where Strike is employed, the group has a unique way of going about putting on a production. In contrast to the traditional means of holding auditions for the actors and interviews for the crew, Entity Theatre Workshop is open to one and all. The emphasis is on experimentation, development and fun, together with a commitment to high standards. With their eight productions over the last seven years, they have had approximately 300 people, from 23 different countries, participate in workshops and productions, many of whom had never acted before. They have also performed throughout Germany and recently received an award for best production at the Festival of European Anglophone Theatrical Societies in Antwerp. Their latest production was Fred Carmichael’s Murder in Mind, which ran last month for three days at the European School and one evening at the Black Box theater in Gasteig. The next Entity project will be Kevin, written by Danny Strike, which will be held from May 11 to 13 at the Europahalle ESM.
The latest English-language theater company to appear on the Munich stage is Magnolia Theatre (www.magnolia-theatre.com). Cofounded last year by Chicago native Maureen Payne-Hahner, the group currently finds itself in the middle of their debut of A Night of Mamet at theater… und so fort. The production is a compilation of seven short plays by the American Pulitzer Prize-winning playwright David Mamet. The group aims to present exciting contemporary plays that fall outside the boundaries of educational theater and musicals, thus offering an alternative to mainstream theater. Holding open auditions for both professional actors and those with less experience, the current production boasts a mix of actors from the US, Canada, England, Norway and Germany. The group is partially funded by local sponsors and, in turn, is happy to give something back to the community. Supporting local charities, like the Munich women and children’s shelter Karla 51 (www.hilfswerk-muenchen.de), the group donates a percentage of its proceeds to a different charity with each production. Up next for Magnolia Theatre is Michael Frayn’s Tony Award-winning play Copenhagen to be performed in May.
With so many English-language productions on offer in Munich, there’s no excuse for anyone not to experience that invigorating energy between performer and audience that you only really experience in live theater.
