PantoManiacs in the AUGUST THEATER DRESDEN

LETS CATCH UP AND WORK

THIS OUT

We invite to a workshop at MimeCentrum Berlin in order to discuss: what is our offer to Berlin artists? how can you get to our theater schedule? How is the situation regarding audience? How we can raise the audience in general and for this specific project? So, at this workshop you are not just meant to listen but to be active and share your ideas!

THE INITIATIVE

Randi and Grigorij Kästner-Kubsch (August Theater Dresden) • run the August Theater Dresden and within this especially the puppetry department • hosted the Mimenbühne Dresden from 2014 until 2018 togive its space for performances, association office,rehearsal space, workshop and training space • this way they turned their theater to a two division theater • this concept they aim to keep alive after Mimenbühne moves out and terminates. Therefore they invite mime artists to be a guest and fill the evening schedule Jan Romberg (Mind Movement Research, Pantomaniacs, Undercreative Network, Poznan Academy of Performing Arts): • works in various fields - however, in Berlin mainly known as organisor of the MIME>BERLIN festival • made some research and found the surprizing fact, there is a mime audience looking for performances and can‘t find any while mime artists struggle for audience at the same time • catched up to the initiative of August Theater and developed a concept to get over the obstacles • aims to make this run as a project of the whole Berlin mime scene

WHERE TO MEET You can be confused between the place of the Workshop, the office of the organizer and the venue in Dresden. On the map ou can find the Kunsthaus Bethanien. There we will meet - in the library of the Mime Centrums Berlin! Workshop im Mime Centrum Berlin Mariannenplatz 2 10997 Berlin Venue - AUGUST THEATER DREDSEN Bürgerstraße 63 01127 Dresden organizer - Undercreative Network DE: Dr.Jan Romberg Britzer Damm 123 12347 Berlin e: festival@pantomaniacs.de f: 0162 1979 137

Situation & experience

Mime arists are searching for audience but audience is seaching for mimes as well. Both with not too much success because no stage brings them together.

Our Chance

The August Theater Dresden offer the chance to chance this. The Theater invotes especially the Berlin mimes to fill the schedule with evening performances.

Die Herausforderung

Damit das auch funktioniert müssen Wege gefunden werden mehr Publikum ins Haus zu holen. Wir wissen von Festivals, dass das Publikum existiert. Aber für den Abend-Spielplan stehen nicht so viele Mittel und Aufmerksamkeit zur Verfügung.

The history

Dresden has a long and impressive history in movement theater and mime with numerous actors and Ralf Herzog in the center. He founded the International Pantomime Festival Dresden, mime studio Dresden and Mimenbühne Dresden. The Mimenbühne Dresden has been renamed to pantoMimenbühne when it moved to August Theater Dresden four years ago. The latter is a two-division theater with mime and puppet theater.

The current

development

The pantoMimenbühne dissolves, but the August Theater aims to remain a two-party theater including mime theater. Therefore, the mime performances are to be continued by guest performances. With this idea the leaders of the August Theater approached Jan Romberg. He had organized many festivals and in field studies he gained the finding that there are many people who would like to see mime theater, but find no mime performances. Conversely, often enough the mime actors or groups don’t find their audience. According to his hypothesis, if only a brave theater director would invite great pantomime performances on a grand scale, the two groups would merge.

The challenge

On the one hand, Dresden is a good mime address. Alexander Neander and Wolfram von Bodecker play several weeks a year in the city - in Societätstheater. Big productions like Faust without words have been created here. But even in Dresden there is a huge cultural offer and as without the support of tax revenue the small theater falls flat in advertising power and media presence compared to state theaters. Accordingly, in recent years the mime performances at the August Theater had an average use of capacity of less than 50%. We assume that we will start this way in the new season. That means we start with minor audience and revenue. It will be your fresh, strong and attractive performances that will change this bit by bit. It will build on your ideas, your courage and your solidarity.

The perspective

Once we will have overcome the initial hurdles, we have our own mime venue - well located, with a great view and professional facilities. Then we can think further: festivals, summer schools, projects, residences, rehearsals. So many things are possible.