A Platform for Emerging Directors

Hamburg is set to host the 21st edition of the Körber Studio Junge,a prestigious festival dedicated to showcasing the talents of emerging theater directors from German-speaking universities. from May 28th to June 1st, 2025, the festival will transform the Thalia Theater on Gaußstraße and the Theaterakademie am Wiesendamm into vibrant hubs of theatrical innovation.

This unique event provides a crucial platform for students nominated by their universities to present their productions, engage in dialogues with audiences, and connect with seasoned professionals from across the German-speaking theater landscape. The festival serves as a dynamic laboratory, exploring novel theatrical forms and offering a diverse array of thematic and aesthetic approaches. It fosters critical discussions surrounding staging techniques and collaborative methodologies.

Diverse Performances and International Collaboration

The five-day program features 13 distinct productions, including a special staging from Budapest, Hungary, courtesy of the International Gast University Freeszfe, in collaboration with the esteemed Katona József Theater. This international partnership underscores the festival’s commitment to fostering cross-cultural exchange and broadening the horizons of young theater practitioners.

The inclusion of Freeszfe is especially noteworthy, given the university’s recent history. Following protests in 2020 against its conversion into a government-related foundation, Freeszfe emerged as an independent educational institution dedicated to artistic teaching. The “emergency Exit” program, a collaboration between Freeszfe and five european universities, including the University of Mozarteum, Salzburg, and ADK Ludwigsburg, allowed students to complete their studies and was recognized with the European Citizens’ Prize of the EU Parliament in 2021. This year,audiences can experience “Fatelessness,” Júlia Bagossy’s staging of Imre Kertész’s novel,a co-production with the Katona József Theater.

Opening with Resilience: A Keynote by Rania Mleihi

The festival will commence with an opening address by Rania Mleihi, a Syrian-born dramaturge, theater maker, and systemic coach. Mleihi’s extensive experience, including her work at the National Theater Damascus, Schauspiel Hannover, and Theater an der Ruhr, coupled with her current role in the artistic management team at the Munich Kammerspiele since 2020, positions her as a compelling voice on the theme of “resilience.” Her insights promise to set a thought-provoking tone for the entire event.

Engaging with the artists: Talks, Workshops, and Digital Networking

Beyond the performances, the Körber Studio Junge offers numerous opportunities for deeper engagement.Public talks, moderated by students from the Hamburg Theater Academy, will follow each performance, providing insights into the creative processes behind the productions and fostering dialog with the directorial teams. Video interviews with the young theater professionals will also be available online at thalia-theater.de/koerber, offering further perspectives on their work.

A two-day workshop led by Rania Mleihi will delve into the theme of “resilience,” allowing participants to explore this crucial concept through discussions and practical artistic exercises. Moreover, in collaboration with the german Stage Association, a “Digital Speeddating” event will connect directing students from participating universities with theater managers from across the German-speaking world, facilitating professional networking and career opportunities.

Recognizing Excellence: The Körber Foundation prize

A panel of theater experts will evaluate the presented productions and award the Körber Foundation Prize to the work that demonstrates exceptional artistic merit. The prize includes a €10,000 production grant to support the winner’s next directorial endeavor at a theater. An audience award will also be presented, recognizing the production that resonates most strongly with viewers.

The 2025 jury comprises Pia Epping (Director, participant KSJR 2024), andreas Erdmann (Senior dramaturge acting, Landestheater Linz), Prof. DR. Joy kristin kalu (Theater scientist, dramaturge and curator), Pınar Karabulut (Director, from 2025/26 co-intendant Schauspielhaus Zurich) and Jan-Paul Koopmann (Editor at TAZ and critics at Nachtkritik.de etc.). Peter Helling (Free cultural journalist,UA NDR 90.3) will moderate the public jury session, which will be livestreamed via Thalia-theater.de/koerber.

Festival Leadership

The festival is managed by Andreas Bloch (Thalia Theater Hamburg), Sabina Dhein, Dr. Barbara Müller-Wesemann (both theater academy Hamburg), and Stephanie Lubbe (Körber Foundation).