EVENTS THAT
CONNECT US.

Despite the summer holidays the SCHULE FÜR SCHAUSPIEL HAMBURG was full of activity. In Saal 1, the theatre class rehearsed their final play around the clock for four weeks. Under the direction of Harald Weiler, they produced "Sinn", a play by Anja Hilling. Headlights were adjusted, carpets were laid out and chairs were moved. Week after week, the duet scenes of the youth drama evolved into a two-hour play - with a high consumption of oranges and an abundance of flying rose petals. After weeks of hearing "lines, lines, lines", the theatre class celebrated their premiere on 9 August. The result was a wonderful piece, which addressed all five senses and got to the bottom of love.

Nell Scheffler, voluntary social year culture at the SfSH

GENERATION WEALTH BY LAUREN GREENFIELD

Our first and second year students expressed madness, greed and passion in the name of beauty and money. A colourful play with wild scenes was created under the direction of Tino Führer. The event centered on Lauren Greenfield’s work "Generation Wealth". The eight actors connected time and again, in what the Deichtorhallen enthusiastically described as an “intervention”. The aim was for the ensemble to interfere in the exhibition in a planned and targeted manner and underline the artist's statement through their "disturbances".

ARE YOU CURIOUS WHAT A TYPICAL DAY AT THE SFSH LOOKS LIKE?

"From my position as FSJlerin (voluntary social year worker) I observed the hustle and bustle with a distanced insider's perspective, attended classes and marvelled. My conclusion: There are no "normal" days in the courtyards of the Oelkersallee - things are always more or less crazy here!

It is morning - things are very busy at the SCHULE FÜR SCHAUSPIEL HAMBURG. Loud disco music accompanied by rhythmic pounding resounds from Saal 4. One floor below, in Saal 5, it sounds as though someone is rehearsing a loud fight. In front of the office, a group of excited students are clustered in front of the information board. Actors are being cast for the Harry Potter musical in Hamburg!

SHOW ME YOUR CLOWN!

In the big Saal 1, the 1B is perfectioning their clown roles in basic acting work. They know their lines, now the task is to present the individual stories as comically and passionately as possible. An initial hesitation of the aspiring actors soon gives way to wild grimaces and strange sounds. The teacher's assignment is as follows: to focus on individual acting related theatrical tools (language, gestures, facial expressions and proxemics) and tell the stories in a very exaggerated way. The students then transform their stories making them almost incomprehensible. The final challenge is to use all of the exaggerated theatrical means simultaneously in the presentation of the story to make the "clown experience" perfect through the now prevailing multifaceted comic exaggeration of the scene.

CONCENTRATE ON YOUR VOICE!

Meanwhile, the bright Saal 6 vibrates with the hum of numerous voices. The 2A warm themselves up; they are focused and work independently, individually loosening their voice, mouth, jaw and entire body. The first joint activity in the "Voice" class, is to move individually through the room and yet united as a group. Sounds are hummed and spoken together, later monologues are mumbled individually. The monologues are followed by cues to move into a circle as a group. In the circle, the voices of all the students combine to form a unity by humming the same sounds. The group focuses on holding the sounds and responding to each other. After this intensive warm-up, several students present their contemporary two-person scenes. While focusing on the voice, they master challenges such as exaggerating an accent and working with different pitches.

Calm finally returns to the sacred halls of the SfSH in the late afternoon: until the next morning when new casting opportunities and acting challenges await the students."

Nell Scheffler, voluntary social year worker at the SfSH

„...ONCE YOU FEEL IT, IT'S ADDICTIVE.“

"The new year started for our film class with - as I believe everyone will confirm - something very special! A film workshop in which we wrote, developed, rewrote, tossed, rewrote, rehearsed (possibly tossed again here) and finally shot scenes ourselves! Benjamin Teske assisted us as director. The previous year, we had seen him at school from time to time and we were all curious to see how working with him would be. And the three weeks were worth it. They were more than worth it! Our day didn’t end when the last scene was shot. There was always time to discuss our perception of the actor, experiences and dreams. Even if, in addition to our role as actors, we were assigned to posts at the sound rod, the camera and the equipment, and were occasionally a bit stressed (because ultra-fast charge batteries had to be bought), the other fifteen "film graduates" and I are even more confident in our career decision. Lighting up and being pure in front of the camera and even if only for a brief moment - once you feel it, it's addictive."

Klara Lange, film class student

„WHAT A PRODUCTION TEAM DOES!“

„In Zurich, at the ZHdK, we were immediately welcomed with open arms and a feeling of being equals. During the 6-week collaboration in Zurich, I was able to see myself in a new light, especially as an artist and actress. I thrived and got to know a lot of great people from the world of theatre, giving me a better understanding of what a production team has to fulfill. As a result, the work together was very open and communicative. It was very refreshing to live my professional everyday life as a matter of course in such a new and foreign place. All in all a very important and rewarding experience, for which I am very grateful.“

Alina Hidic, theatre class student

ALUMNI SONG RECITAL AT THE SCHMIDTCHEN ON THE REEPERBAHN

It was yet another lively event - graduates of the SCHULE FÜR SCHAUSPIEL HAMBURG from the past fifteen years stood together on stage. They performed like crazy, and sang until the floorboards creaked. Members of the Friends of SfSH, students, teachers, families and friends responded with thunderous appplause. As always, they were accompanied by Siegfried Gerlich on the piano.

The careers of the graduates are as varied as the musical programme of the evening - from classical chansons to pop, folk, comedic interludes and classical opera singing, there was something for every taste. For the third and hopefully not last time, this special recital evening made for radiant faces on and in front of the stage.

„THE LANGE NACHT DER MUSEEN IN HAMBURG HAS CULT STATUS - AND WE WERE THERE!“

"We were allowed to connect with great artists and their works. This experience enabled us to integrate a completely new, previously unknown aspect of acting, especially in relation to other art forms, into our training.

Making direct contact with the more than 10,000 visitors was incredibly intense and greatly trained our improvisational skills. Because every single one of them reacted differently to us. As a result, a situation or even confrontation could never be taken for granted, but always had to evolve from the moment. This eight-hour nonstop performance was a tremendous enrichment and a great training! But most important of all: we all had lots of fun!"

Tino Frers, theatre class

"IN THE HELDEN & LOSER WORKSHOP WITH JENS ROTH …

… I learned that my body knows much more than my mind. It's all about perception, feelings and space.

This workshop showed me that the acceptance of every impulse, no matter how small/large, negative/positive and even the most bizarre, is of vital significance for permeability. When my thoughts stop getting in the way I can give my instrument the freedom to act at its purest."

Simon Gilles, film class student

"Thanks to the workshop with Jens Roth I now know how to consciously use my strengths on stage and in front of the camera, and how to work through my blockades step by step. I have also learned to have confidence in the fact that my body always has the right answers."

Fidan Wyder, film class student

„A VERY ENRICHING EXPERIENCE!“

The students of the film class started their final semester with a film project lead by Benjamin Teske (Strawberry Bubblegums). The project was initiated by the board of the Friends of SfSH. The aim was to give the students a complete insight into the development of a scene: scene development and script writing, rehearsals, shooting and finally postproduction.

"The workshop with Benjamin Teske was a very enriching experience both in front of and behind the camera." It was good to experience the whole creative process of filmmaking, in which we wrote and edited the scenes ourselves and organised the shooting. Benjamin gave us a great deal of support in the course of developing the scene, during rehearsals and later during shooting."

Saskia Corleis, film class student

ALUMNI SONG RECITALS

Founded in 2015, the school's alumni network initiated the alumni song recital. In 2016, this event was held in the Logensaal of the Kammerspiele and in 2017, in the Schmidtchen on the Reeperbahn to a packed house and enthusiastic audience. This event is now held regularly in May/June each year, giving alumni from all graduate years the opportunity to perform together on the same stage and present their acting and singing skills.

"ROBINSON CRUSOE – GESTRANDET IN METROPOLIS“…

… is a theatre project with refugees and others, in Hamburg; including secondary school pupils and teachers, as well as second year drama students from the SCHULE FÜR SCHAUSPIEL HAMBURG. Over a period of six months, and under the professional guidance of the SfSH graduates, India Roth and Hauke Horeis, they created a moving and entertaining collage of scenes focusing on topics of flight, old and new native countries, madness and longing. Performances were held at Hebebühne Altona.

As in previous years, this year Marie Bäumer worked with our graduate film class. On 19 October 2016, the NDR (North German Broadcasting Corporation) broadcasted a report about her classes.

BÜHNE FREI! is the SfSH's new event series. Every three months, it features young actors, giving them the opportunity to present themselves to the Hamburg audience while they are still in training.

EVERY SHOW IS UNIQUE

We presented an exceptional stage programme from September 2015 to September 2016 in the historic Logensaal of the Hamburger Kammerspiele. It began and ended with a song recital shortly before the final examination. In February 2016, the SfSH grant holders presented a colourful mixture of monologues, duet scenes and songs, as well as self-written scene works showing the versatility of the acting training. In May, the SfSH presented a song recital performed by graduates from the past 29 years. Due to the closure of the Logensaal in the Hamburger Kammerspiele, our performance series now has to find a new venue to provide our students with a platform where they can present themselves to the public.

IT WAS AN HONOUR

In September 2016, accompanied by faculty member, Carsten von Stanislawski, and the pianist Enno Dugnus, eleven of our students and our graduate, soprano singer, Felicitas Breest, travelled to Berlin to perform at the annual Plan International presentation of the Ulrich Wickert Award. With their musical program the group highlighted the festive setting of the award ceremony. Our students were honoured to perform at the prize-giving ceremony of the Plan International - Ulrich Wickert Award.

"It was powerful, entertaining, and rousing as well as a musical and visual pleasure!"

Kerstin Straub - Plan International

THEATRE WORKSHOP WITH REFUGEES

Theater, Schauspiel, Bühne – das ist eine universelle Sprache, die überall verstanden wird und scheinbar Fremdes und Unterschiedliches zusammenbringt. Im April 2016 fand ein Theater-Workshop mit jugendlichen Geflüchteten aus der Unterkunft Sieversstücken statt. Dieses Projekt wurde vom der SfSH unter der Leitung von India Roth und Hauke Horeis durchgeführt. Das Anliegen des durch den geförderten Pilotprojekts war: Integration als kreativer und wechselseitiger Prozess der gegenseitigen Begegnung von Menschen unterschiedlicher Herkunft, Kultur und Religion.

Theatre, drama, stage - this is a universal language that is understood everywhere and brings together what seems foreign and different. In April 2016, a theatre workshop was realised with young refugees from the Sieversstücke shelter in Hamburg. This project was carried out by the SfSH Alumni Network under the direction of India Roth and Hauke Horeis. The idea behind the pilot project, supported by the Friends of the Schule für Schauspiel Hamburg O33 e.V. was: Integration as a creative and reciprocal process of mutual encounter between people of different origins, culture and religion.

REFUGEE PROJECT IN ITZEHOE

Regina Stötzel, a member of the faculty, works in the Regional Vocational Training Centre Itzehoe together with several refugees.

CHRISTMASTIME IS THE TIME TO READ ALOUD!

Our third year students are currently enjoying their classes with Nina Petri in the "reading" course. Nina teaches the students how to transform classical "reading aloud" into a lively presentation. Based on the described characters, places, conflicts and moods, they created images playfully brought alive by the language of movement. The students are having a lot of fun, because the Advent season offers great short stories to practise. They will be presented within the school on the last school day before the Christmas holidays.

The students of the SCHULE FÜR SCHAUSPIEL HAMBURG in the Hamburger Kammerspiele, 16 February 2015 (1:26)

DIRECTOR: JUSTUS BECKMANN / CAMERA: SVEN VOSS

Many thanks to everyone from the SCHULE FÜR SCHAUSPIEL HAMBURG, graduate class 2014: facebook.com/filmklasse

FILM CLASS WORKSHOP WITH HENNY REENTS

In the week of 15 - 18 September 2014, the film class had another workshop with Henny Reents. They worked on a comic and a dramatic scene, which they prepared using the Meisner technique and role analysis. The emphasis of the workshop was on how to focus and fully concentrate on your acting partner.

FILM CLASS WORKSHOP WITH FRAUKE THIELECKE

In the week of 01 - 05 September 2014, film class 2014 students participated in a workshop with the director Frauke Thielecke. This gave the students who will graduate at the end of the month the chance to try out different roles, but also to work as directors.

WE ARE BEARERS OF LONGING

From 6 to 11 April 2014, Marie Bäumer worked with the students of this year's film graduate class on the acting and technical handling of great emotions in existential situations. Discipline, concentration, the courage to confront others and one's own limits as well as humility towards the work accompanied the six-day seminar.

Hamburger Abendblatt vom 22.04.2014: "No Pippi theatre!" What one can learn from Marie Bäumer

Abridged version of the whole film (37:50)

FILM WEEK

The annual film week took place from 19 to 23 August 2013. Once again we had wonderful guests who shared their experiences in the film and television industry with our students:
To our great pleasure and for the first time, we were able to invite three SFSH graduates to a panel discussion on the topic of film and television: Neil Malik Abdullah, Patrick Abozen and Niklas Osterloh. Neil (2005 graduate) was last seen in the film "Kaddisch für einen Freund", which was awarded the German Film Prize this year. Patrick (2009 graduate) is currently filming the new "Tatort" in Bremen. He will also appear on stage from February 2014 in the play "Intouchables" in the Kammerspiele. Niklas (2009 graduate) has just finished filming the German television series "Rote Rosen" in which he plays the role of "Robin". These three alumni gave the students valuable advice for the time after completion of their training and were sent off with a great round applause.

DPeter Wekwerth, the director of the television series „In aller Freundschaft“, accompanied all classes alternately in their courses over a period of three days. On the evening of 22 August he also spoke to the whole school about his work on the television series.