Visit the theatres in Saale-Unstrut
From classical to improvisation, the theatres in Saale-Unstrut cover a wide spectrum of art. You will be thrilled by the variety of possibilities and are sure to find something to suit your taste in art and culture. Goethe, Goethe's lover, modern artists - many have left their mark here. Let yourself be surprised and visit one of our theatres in Saale-Unstrut, take part in the Naumburg Street Theatre Days or find out what the TheaterArena of the KulturArena in Jena has to offer.
Theatres - we introduce them
Several theatre houses and theatre festivals characterise the cultural landscape in Saale-Unstrut. The Goethe Theatre in Bad Lauchstädt is the old home of Johann Wolfgang von Goethe and is just as inviting to performances as Germany's smallest municipal theatre, the Theater Naumburg. In the idyllically situated theatre Schloss Kochberg, other events provide variety in addition to the summer festival. The Naumburg Street Theatre Days and the JenaKultur event are two young outdoor events that attract young and old, travellers and locals alike, with a varied programme over a longer period of time. Let yourself be inspired by the variety of theatres in Saale-Unstrut.
Goethe Theatre Bad Lauchstädt
Between October and May, you can attend theatre performances in a historical setting, especially at weekends: at Goethe's former place of work in the Goethe Theatre in Bad Lauchstädt. The famous poet had a say in the construction of this theatre in Saale-Unstrut in 1802, which is in the style of a bourgeois theatre of the Enlightenment. Johann Wolfgang von Goethe suggested the colour scheme of the auditorium in yellow, red and grey.
Today, the theatre is one of the most important places of remembrance of the poet's life and work. Between 2015 and 2021, the Goethe Theatre was extensively restored. Wonderfully, the ancient stage technology is still fully functional, which is why we highly recommend a guided tour so you can see behind the scenes.
Theatre Naumburg - Germany's smallest municipal theatre
With a visit to the Naumburg Theatre, you will visit the only theatre in Saale-Unstrut that has ever been awarded the Federal Theatre Prize for its work and can also call itself the smallest municipal theatre in Germany. The special thing about this theatre, which was already built in 1701 elsewhere in the City founded theatre is its variety of performances.
Theatre Naumburg invites you to see its own productions, puppet theatre, ensemble plays and much more. Theatre education also plays a major role. Plays are also staged in unusual places. For example, one of Naumburg's former city gates - the Marientor - is a regular performance venue for the summer theatre series.
Liebhabertheater Kochberg Castle
Every year between May and September, a breath of baroque, classical and romanticism wafts through the rooms of the Liebhabertheater in Kochberg, built in 1800 by Carl von Stein. It is embedded in a still existing castle ensemble with castle, park, nursery and outbuildings.
The summer festival has a different motto every year and offers you around 30 performances. From opera and theatre to chamber concerts and readings - this theatre in Saale-Unstrut provides variety. In addition, in May the "Kochberger Gartenvergnügen" and in December the St. Nicholas market invite you to linger in the former country estate of Goethe's lover
Theatre Jena
With the Theatre House Jena visit a theatre in Saale-Unstrut that is known for its variety. You can see world premieres, classics or even performance theatre. The joy of experimentation is writ large here. In 1872, theatre lover Carl Köhler built the Theaterhaus Jena in the backyard of his own inn "Zum Goldenen Engel". Since 1993 it has been run by Theaterhaus Jena GmbH and has its own ensemble. The theatre places an emphasis on working with children and young people to familiarise them with the genre.
Theatre festivals
Naumburg Street Theatre Days
Every two years, on a weekend in May from Friday to Sunday, the city centre of Naumburg is bustling with activity. Young and old are on their feet to witness the diverse programme of the Naumburg Street Theatre Days. Artists of various kinds present their art on the streets of the city centre, in the city park and on different stages. Whether theatre, acrobatics, music, light installations, dance or improvised theatre and even more - you can choose your weekend programme from around 60 events to suit your taste.
The TheatreArena to the CultureArena
Every year since 1992, Jena has been in a state of emergency for six weeks in the summer, because then the time of the KulturArena has come again. In addition to the better-known sections KonzertArena and ArenaOuvertüre, friends of theatre will certainly be enthusiastic about the section TheaterArena. And when can you experience theatre culture in the open air in the urban atmosphere of a lively city like Jena? Every year, a varied programme is offered on the theatre forecourt, and this applies not only to the concerts but equally to the productions.
