Brandenburg Monastery Summer 2026

Summer in St. John's Church

While other festivals move outdoors, the Brandenburg Monastery Summer stays inside — and that's precisely its charm. St. John's Church, a Gothic building from the 14th century in the heart of Brandenburg's Old Town, has been the festival's permanent venue since 2001. High vaults, brick walls, exceptional acoustics, and an atmosphere superior to any modern theatre hall — for over 20 years, the Monastery Summer has offered a reliable top-tier program for theatre lovers from Brandenburg, Berlin, and Saxony-Anhalt.

Brandheiß — The Crime Comedy

The first production in 2026 is "Brandheiß — Gelöscht wird später!", a crime comedy that will be performed for six evenings: Friday, June 5 and Saturday, June 6, Friday, June 12 and Saturday, June 13, Friday, June 26, and Saturday, June 27 — each at 8:00 PM. A modern whodunit comedy with great pacing, sharp dialogue, and an ensemble of experienced Brandenburg stage professionals. Tickets from €27.40 (incl. VAT, plus €2 service fee).

Monroe & Kinski — When Glamour Meets Madness

The second production is the unique double character study "Monroe & Kinski — Wenn Glamour auf Wahnsinn trifft". The fictional encounter between Marilyn Monroe and Klaus Kinski, two of the most spectacular personalities of the 20th century, is performed by Katharina Burges, Frederik Baldus, Steffan Drotleff, Göran Schade, and Hank Teufer. Four performances: Friday, July 3 and Saturday, July 4, Friday, July 10, and Saturday, July 11, each at 8:00 PM. Tickets from €28.50.

event-theater e.V. — 25 Years of Monastery Summer

The Brandenburg Monastery Summer has been organized by the association event-theater e.V. since 2001 — a volunteer-run cultural institution dedicated to profiling Brandenburg an der Havel as a city of culture. What began in 2001 as a small summer theatre festival is now an established format with premieres, revivals, and guest performances. The 2026 festival marks the 25th edition of the Monastery Summer.

St. John's Church and Brandenburg's Old Town

St. John's Church, a former Franciscan monastery church, stands on Johanniskirchplatz in Brandenburg's Old Town. After the Reformation, the monastery was abandoned, but the church itself has been preserved to this day. It is one of the most significant Gothic buildings in the Havel city — and, alongside St. Peter and Paul Cathedral on Dominsel, the most important medieval sacred architecture in Brandenburg. Visitors to the Monastery Summer can combine their theatre evening with a stroll through the historic Old Town and along the Havel River.

Brandenburg an der Havel — The Old City

Brandenburg an der Havel, with around 72,000 inhabitants, is one of Brandenburg's four independent cities. It is the old episcopal city, giving its name to the entire federal state and the cradle of the March of Brandenburg. With its Cathedral (founded 1165), Dominsel (Cathedral Island), Old Town, and New Town, the city offers an extraordinary concentration of medieval architecture. For theatregoers from Berlin, the city is reachable in 60 minutes via the RE 1 train — an easily organized theatre evening with a late-night return.