The theatre building in Cottbus - a work of the later art nouveau - is the mature achievement of the Berlin architect Bernhard Sehring. He had the ability to combine architecture, arts, crafts, painting and plastics with great skill.
After a construction period of only 16 months, the theatre was opened on October 1 1908 with Lessing's play "Minna von Barnhelm".
The Cottbus Staatstheater is now a multi-section theatre. Various attractive and interesting productions are performed on the three stages.
The main stage is one of the most beautiful art nouveau theatre buildings in Europe. In 1992, the former city theatre was nominated as Staatstheater, the only one in Brandenburg. In that same year, Christoph Schroth, one of the most renowned directors in GDR theatre, both nationally and internationally, assumed control as theatre and actor manager. He quit on June 15 2003. Since the season 2003/04 Martin Schüler is the director of the Cottbus Staatstheater.
From the very beginning the theatre managers promoted a concept of the citizens' theatre, a "theatre of the social interaction", which proved to be a long-term success. The search for new ways of doing things and ways of relating to the spectators in particular, earned the theatre a reputation for being keen to experiment and for having a direct and lively connection with the audience.
You can also order tickets for stage performances at Cottbus Service in the Stadthalle, Tel. (0049) 355 75420
Kammerbühne: Wernerstraße 60
Theaterscheune: Ströbitzer Hauptstraße 39
Ticket-phone: (0049) 355 78 42424
every Sunday at 10 am - following city tour through the old town (cancelled when there are no plays on)