Seefestival Wustrau — Open Air Theater

Four Weeks of Open-Air Theater on the Water

When the curtain rises in Wustrau on Saturday, July 18, 2026, the 22nd season of one of Germany's most atmospheric theater experiences will begin: the Seefestival Wustrau. Until August 15, the festival will present four weeks of open-air theater under the open summer sky — on Germany's only floating lake stage, set in Ruppin Lake in the courtyard of the historic Zieten Castle. The backdrop — castle, water, avenues of oak trees — is part of the program: it lends each performance an aura that a classic theater building cannot offer.

Opening July 18 — The Grand Premiere Gala

The festive opening of the 2026 season on Saturday, July 18, will be the Opening Gala "Theater, Theater, der Vorhang geht auf!" featuring the two festival favorites Marten Sand and Johannes Hallervorden. A best-of program from 22 years of Seefestival history, highlights from previous productions, anecdotes, and a look ahead to the coming four weeks. An event that has become an annual must-see for regular visitors and charmingly ushers in the season.

"Vorhang auf für Mord" — The Crime Musical

The main production of the 2026 season is "Vorhang auf für Mord" (original English title: Curtains), the crime musical by Kander, Ebb, and Holmes. A classically intricate whodunit musical: the lead actress is murdered during a theater rehearsal — and a police detective, who is also a theater fanatic, takes over the investigation. Witty, musically rich, with grand choreography — a perfect choice for the Seefestival, which knows how to engage its audience with entertaining yet sophisticated theater.

Song Recital with Roger Cicero Songs

On July 19, the first song recital "Beziehungs-weise" will feature songs by Roger Cicero — the German jazz-pop singer who sadly passed away too soon in 2016, and who shaped generations with hits like "Zieh die Schuh aus," "Frauen regier'n die Welt," or "Wein gegen Mädchen." A musical homage that brings the best of German modern jazz to the lake stage.

Johannes Hallervorden in Cabaret

The program is complemented by the cabaret "Einer flog übers Ordnungsamt" with Johannes Hallervorden — a biting comedy about German administrative bureaucracy, presented by Hallervorden with his typical wit and timing. A cabaret evening that brings the theatrical tradition of the Hallervorden family to the lake stage.

Wustrau and the Zietenschlosshof

Wustrau is a small district of the municipality of Fehrbellin in the Ostprignitz-Ruppin district, located directly on the southern shore of Ruppin Lake. The village is closely associated with the hussar general Hans Joachim von Zieten — one of the most famous figures in Prussian military history of the 18th century. Zieten Castle, his former residence, now houses the Brandenburg-Prussia Museum. The castle courtyard provides the natural setting for the lake stage — an architecturally and historically significant backdrop that few festivals in Germany can offer.

The Floating Lake Stage — Unique in Germany

What makes the Seefestival Wustrau unique is its floating lake stage. It is actually anchored on the waters of Ruppin Lake, with the audience seated in the grandstand near the shore, looking across the water to the stage. At sunset over the lake, light moods are created that turn every performance into a visual event — one of the festival's strengths and the reason why it has attracted a loyal audience from Berlin, Brandenburg, and all of Northern Germany for 22 years.