Hessian Theatre Days

Hesse's Travelling Theatre Showcase

The Hessian Theatre Days are the annual showcase of Hessian stages – a travelling festival hosted by a different Hessian city theatre each year. In 2026, the Hessisches Staatstheater Wiesbaden is the host: from June 17th to 27th, 10 days of theatre highlights will be presented across the venue's four stages (Großes Haus, Kleines Haus, Studio, Wartburg).

Three World Premieres

The 2026 edition gains a special profile through three world premieres from the Hessian theatre network:

• „LEBENLIFEHAYAT!“ by Arad Dabiri (Hessisches Landestheater Marburg) – a play exploring the trilingual world of the Turkish-German-Arab diaspora.
• „Detransition, Baby“ based on Torrey Peters' novel (Staatstheater Darmstadt) – a stage adaptation exploring trans/queer life choices.
• „vor die hunde“ by Nora Mansmann (Staatstheater Kassel) – premiere from the Hessian North.

Host's Co-Productions

The Hessisches Staatstheater Wiesbaden opens the festival with the successful May Festival premiere „Futur4“ by Rimini Protokoll – a documentary-speculative exploration of possible futures beyond common sci-fi clichés. Also featured: Mozart's „Così fan tutte“ and Büchner's „Leonce und Lena“.

Six Works from the Hessian Theatre Academy

The Hessian Theatre Academy – Frankfurt's consortium of theatre universities – contributes six works by second-year directing students. These will be presented on the Studio stage and are often formally experimental.

MADE.Festival as a Festival within a Festival

A special feature in 2026: The MADE.Festival for the independent scene, based in Frankfurt, will be present as a "Festival within a Festival" – three evenings featuring performance art and biographical pieces from the independent theatre scene.

Prizes and Tickets

Three prizes totalling €7,000 will be awarded: a jury prize for emerging talent and an audience award (decided by a citizens' jury). Tickets €11–€82 per performance, some accompanying events are free. Ticket sales start April 28th, 2026.