The Vienna Theater for Young Audiences is in New Hands

The Vienna-based director, actress, and screenwriter Aslı Kışlal will take over the Theater der Jugend starting from the 2026/27 season. This decision regarding the succession of director Thomas Birkmeir, who has been in office since 2001, was announced by the theater's board on Wednesday together with Vice Chancellor and Minister of Culture Andreas Babler and Vienna's City Councillor for Culture Veronica Kaup-Hasler (both SPÖ). Kışlal is considered an expert in post-migrant approaches in theater.

Numerous Applications for the Leadership of the Theater der Jugend

For the position of artistic director of the Theater der Jugend, 40 applications were received. In addition to individuals, seven teams also applied, with a total of 28 women and 20 men interested in the position. Five people were invited to the hearing, and Kışlal emerged as "the most suitable candidate from the selection process," according to Christoph Brenner, deputy chairman of the board of the Theater der Jugend. Kışlal impressed with "her personality, experience, and communicative talent." Additionally, she convincingly presented "the potential she sees in the theater." The contract term is five years.

Thomas Birkmeir announced his withdrawal in February, independent of allegations later published by the "Standard" from former employees against a "system of fear and abuse of power," as the theater maker emphasized at the time. The panel remained reserved regarding the handling of the allegations, but Babler emphasized that support services such as "vera* Trust Center for Victims of Violence & Harassment" had been strengthened during budget negotiations.

Support for Kışlal Also from the Political Side

"What takes root in childhood blooms for a lifetime," Babler emphasized the socio-political role of the Theater der Jugend (TdJ). The house is a junction between education and art and often a first point of contact with culture. Therefore, despite the budgetary constraints, "everything structurally possible was done to secure the Theater der Jugend." Thus, a subsidy increase was decided for 2025, and in 2026 the level of the subsidy can be maintained.

Kaup-Hasler praised the TdJ as a "social space for coming together and negotiating socio-political issues." Kışlal is "the right choice because she sends multiple signals," said the city councillor. In addition to a concept that "advances the theater at this point," Kışlal also has a background characterized by multilingualism. "The cultural arc should be stretched wide, traditional materials should be included, and cultural locations for children should be created."

Aslı Kışlal: Expert in Post-Migrant Approaches in Theater Takes the Reins

Kışlal was born in 1970 in the Turkish capital Ankara and came to Austria in 1990, where she studied sociology at the University of Vienna and acting at the Schubert Conservatory. For 25 years, she has mainly worked in the independent scene, but has also directed at the Landestheater Linz, the Landestheater Niederösterreich, and the Schauspielhaus Wien.

At the Burgtheater-Kasino, she will premiere "Oh no, not again!" in the upcoming season. In 2024, she received a Nestroy nomination for Best Off-Production for her staging of Barbi Marković's "Minihorror" with the diverCITYLAB she founded in 2013.

In Germany, Kışlal directed at the Staatstheater Mainz and the Stadttheater Ingolstadt. From 2009 to 2010, she led the Theater des Augenblicks in Vienna. Kışlal is a co-founder of the Vienna festival "Wienwoche," which aims to make art accessible to all social groups living in the city. In 2023, she became the first woman to receive the German Musical Academy Award in the category "Best Direction" for her production "Stella - The Blonde Ghost of Kurfürstendamm" at the Theater für Niedersachsen.

In Theater, "Experiences of Young People Are Taken Seriously"

She recalled at the press conference her early days in Vienna, when she stood on stage at the Theater der Jugend without good German language skills. At that time, the play aimed to facilitate communication between migrant groups and the right-wing youth scene. This commitment to communication has shaped her further work. "For me, theater is a place where playful experience and shaping of the world are at the forefront, and where the experiences of young people are taken seriously."

Newly Appointed Theater Director Promises "Extended Living Room" for Youth

For the TdJ, she aims for a "transparent, communicative, and listening leadership," and today she introduced Bérénice Hebenstreit as her deputy. "For me, theater is teamwork," said the designated theater director. She wants to maintain the "strengths and qualities of the Theater der Jugend, but also develop it further and set new impulses." A focus will be on collaboration with various, including scientific, institutions. She would like to rename the Renaissancetheater, and at the "Theater im Zentrum," the work with young people should remain the focus. "As an extended living room, where they feel secure."

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(APA/Red)

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