Wiener Wortstaetten: english

Project Presentation

wiener wortstaetten see themselves as a research laboratory, as mediators between the theatre business and the writing desk.
As part of dealing with global themes such as home and faith, power, migration and the working environment, new texts for the stage need to be created and new methods of dramatic translation must be found.

The goal of the project wiener wortstaetten is the long term promotion and support of theatre authors.

Within the framework of the theatre reform the wiener wortstaetten are being supported by the City of Vienna with a four-year concept sponsorship.

Structure of wiener wortstaetten

wortstatt I – is the spiritual centre. A regular meeting of all associated authors lead by Bernhard Studlar and Hans Escher where the stage material of one of the authors is discussed. These meetings provide analysis and inspiration, as well as help in developing material. It is the ongoing task of wortstatt I to deal with texts of the other authors, to offer the possibility of exchanging information, collecting suggestions and approaching new schools of thought in the world of contemporary theatre on a theoretical level. On a practical level it’s all about developing one’s own writing and learning through the progress of the other authors.

wortstatt II – In this workshop-like part of the writing process, that is open to each author up to twice a year, it’s all about reviewing the stage material in practice. A professional team consisting of a director, a dramatic advisor and actors examine how effective and playable the texts are. The most important difference to usual rehearsal process: it’s not the author who does the preliminary work for the director and actors, but the other way around.
(Note: wortstatt I and II are not open to the general public)

wortstatt III – At the end of a season the authors’ plays are presented to the public as a rehearsed staged reading or production, either in cooperation with other theatres or as in-house productions (See also: Previous Productions)

English Version

Project Presentation
MEIN WIEN / MY VIENNA
Book series / anthology wortstaetten
DramatikerInnenpreis
Previous Productions
The authors of wiener wortstaetten
The directors of wiener wortstaetten

wiener wortstaetten is a unique, intercultural author-theatre-project, launched in 2005 by Hans Escher and Bernhard Studlar, which encourages discussion and networking between Austrian and international authors. Centred around authors originating mostly from Eastern Europe who live in Vienna, whose native language is not German but who write in German, an international network should be created over the years to establish an intercultural exchange and a centre for contemporary European drama in Vienna.