De Theatermakerij

De Theatermakerij
Name	De Theatermakerij

De Theatermakerij De Theatermakerij is a performing arts institution based in the Netherlands with a focus on contemporary theatre, multidisciplinary performance, and participatory projects. It maintains collaborations with national and international artists and institutions, presents a rotating season of productions, and operates outreach and training initiatives for emerging creators. The company is known for combining dramaturgy, scenography, and music in works that engage Amsterdam, Rotterdam, Utrecht, and other Dutch cultural networks.

History

Founded in the late 20th century amid the Dutch experimental theatre renewal alongside companies like Toneelgroep Amsterdam, Het Nationale Ballet, Nederlands Dans Theater, and De Toneelmakerij (distinct institution), De Theatermakerij emerged during a period marked by festivals such as the Holland Festival and venues like Stadsschouwburg Amsterdam. Early seasons included co-productions with institutions such as RO Theater, Theater Rotterdam, Internationaal Theater Amsterdam, and collaborations with playwrights associated with Ivo van Hove and directors in the circle of Pierre Audi. The company developed residencies connecting to European circuits exemplified by Festival d'Avignon, Edinburgh Festival Fringe, and Kunstenfestivaldesarts.

Throughout the 1990s and 2000s, De Theatermakerij expanded its remit through partnerships with broadcasters like VPRO and public funders including Mondriaan Fonds and Fonds Podiumkunsten. It participated in transnational projects alongside ensembles such as Compagnie des Quidams and theatre-makers tied to Burgtheater and Théâtre de la Ville. Recent decades saw an emphasis on cross-media work linking to practitioners from Michaël Borremans-adjacent scenography, composers associated with Hector Berlioz-inspired contemporary programming, and movement directors from the lineage of Anne Teresa De Keersmaeker.

Organization and Leadership

The organization is structured as a non-profit producing entity, with a board of trustees and an artistic leadership team that has included artistic directors with profiles similar to Ivo van Hove, Tobias Rühle, and curators from institutions like Stichting De Ateliers. Executive management oversaw finance and touring coordination in networks such as European Theatre Convention and funding relationships with Gemeente Amsterdam and provincial cultural departments. The leadership has historically prioritized co-productions with European houses like La MaMa Experimental Theatre Club, Schaubühne, and Théâtre de l'Odéon while cultivating domestic partnerships with venues including Het Zuidelijk Toneel, DeLaMar Theater, and De Brakke Grond.

Key artistic roles—dramaturgs, resident directors, and composers—have drawn on talent linked to conservatories and academies such as Toneelschool Maastricht, Amsterdam University of the Arts, and Royal Conservatory of The Hague. Administrative functions interfaced with unions and associations like FNV Kunstenbond and international training programs like European Theatre Lab.

Productions and Repertoire

De Theatermakerij’s repertoire spans original plays, adaptations of literary works, and interdisciplinary stagings that integrate music, dance, and visual arts. Productions have included reinterpretations in the tradition of Shakespeare, stagings informed by playwrights such as Arthur Miller, Samuel Beckett, and Sarah Kane, and contemporary commissions comparable to projects by Willem Brakman-influenced authors. Collaborative projects referenced trends set by directors like Robert Wilson and choreographers in the lineage of Pina Bausch.

The company programs festival pieces suitable for presentation at Oerol Festival, Noord Nederlands Toneel showcases, and international festivals including Biennale di Venezia and Festival d'Automne à Paris. Repertoire choices often involve partnerships with composers, drawing on contemporary music practice related to institutions like Concertgebouw and ensembles akin to Schönberg Ensemble. Touring editions adapt scenography for venues ranging from black-box theatres in Utrecht to historic stages in The Hague.

Educational and Community Programs

De Theatermakerij runs education and outreach initiatives aimed at emerging playwrights, directors, and designers, engaging students from Toneelschool Maastricht, Amsterdam University of the Arts, and Royal Conservatory of The Hague. Programs include masterclasses, apprenticeships, and traineeships structured similarly to residencies offered by Stichting DOEN-supported projects and mentoring schemes like Praktijkopleiding Podiumkunsten. Community projects frequently collaborate with municipal cultural services in Amsterdam, youth theatres such as Jeugdtheater Hofplein, and civic programs linked to Stichting Ons Erfdeel.

Workshops address dramaturgy, stagecraft, and producing, inviting guest teachers from houses like Schaubühne and Royal Court Theatre. Outreach has extended to participatory projects with local schools and immigrant communities, modeled on initiatives seen at Grote Kerk Hoorn and neighborhood programs supported by Mondriaan Fonds.

Facilities and Venue

The company’s primary working spaces include rehearsal studios, a black-box performance hall, and set workshops equipped for carpentry and light design. Facilities are compatible with touring requirements, enabling technical exchanges with venues such as DeLaMar Theater, ITA, and regional stages in Groningen and Eindhoven. Scenography and technical teams collaborate with suppliers and craftsmen who have also worked for opera houses like Dutch National Opera and ballet companies such as Nederlands Dans Theater.

Administrative offices are located within a cultural hub that houses collectives and production companies similar to OT301 and Westergasfabriek, facilitating co-productions and co-working with visual arts institutions like Stedelijk Museum.

Awards and Recognition

De Theatermakerij has received national and international recognition through awards and festival selections, echoing honors conferred by bodies such as Nationaal Theater Festival, Sigrid Jusélius Foundation, and programming accolades from Holland Festival and Theaterfestival Boulevard. Individual artists associated with the company have been shortlisted for prizes similar to Theo d'Or, Louis d'Or, and composition awards affiliated with Buma Award. The company’s productions have been invited to present at international festivals including Edinburgh Festival Fringe and Festival d'Avignon.

Category:Theatres in the Netherlands