Technical specifications
The Schauspielhaus Zürich is the largest stage for spoken theatre in Switzerland, and one of the most prestigious theatres in the German-speaking world. It operates two big houses in different parts of the city: the Pfauen in Zurich-Hottingen with a long theatre tradition, and the Schiffbau in Zurich-West inaugurated in 2000. Every season sees the staging of around twenty new productions; repertory pieces are shown almost daily at the Pfauen hosting up to 750 patrons. The Schiffbau’s main auditorium with its capacity between 400 and 600 seats depending on the seating systems, is complemented by the so-called Box with 200 seats for performance series and smaller projects. Added to this are productions at the Kammer in the basement of the Pfauen (seats 70), the productions of Junges Schauspielhaus in the Matchbox at the Schiffbau (seats 70), as well as revivals, guest productions, special and external-organised events and shows. The Schauspielhaus gives almost 600 performances a year with a daily seating capacity of 1,500 in total.
Pfauen
The Pfauen venue, opposite the Kunsthaus am Heimplatz / Rämistrasse, is the largest stage of the Schauspielhaus. Designed as a proscenium stage, the Pfauen venue offers up to 750 audience seats in its stalls, circle and boxes. There are ten new productions per season on the programme, and there are almost daily performances. In addition to well-known classics – from antiquity, the Shakespearean era, German classical music and classical modernism – new plays and premieres are increasingly part of the Pfauen’s repertoire.
In the basement of the Pfauen, there is another small stage, the Kammer. In summer 2006 it was rebuilt and refurbished and now offers space for approx. 70 spectators. It offers young directors and assistant directors the opportunity to try out their own manuscripts with the ensemble.
Stages (under construction)
Kammer
Schiffbau
In 2000, the Schiffbau venue in the Escher-Wyss district became an indispensable part of the Schauspielhaus. There are regular performances at three venues located door to door: the Halle with between 400 and 600 seats, the Box with up to 200 seats and – under the auspices of the Junge Schauspielhaus – the Matchbox with 70 seats. Since its redesign in 2009, the spacious foyer also invites you to sit and while away time. The Halle, an industrial listed building which once housed ship construction, was rebuilt between 1996 and 2000 by the architects Ortner&Ortner who extended the building. Christoph Marthaler opened the Halle in September 2000 with his production Hotel Angst. Rehearsal stages, workshops and the Schauspielhaus offices are located there, as well as the LaSalle restaurant & bar and Moods jazz club. The location is also available for rentals and events, such as the annual shipbuilding festival. As of 1 January, 2011, the newly founded Schiffbau Immobilien AG, of which the city holds two-thirds of the shares and the Schauspielhaus Zürich AG one third, took over the Schiffbau as a new, economically independent sponsoring body, thereby guaranteeing its continued existence as a venue for contemporary theatre.
Stages
Rehearsal Stages (under construction)
Rehearsal Stage 1
Rehearsal Stage 2
Rehearsal Stage 3
Rehearsal Stage 4