The "Next Generation" has been invited to WESTWIND since 2009.
Westwind Festival 2025 has invited 10 young theatre makers from German-speaking countries to actively participate as the “Next Generation Forum 2025”: young professionals, students or trainees from fields such as dramaturgy, playwriting, directing, acting, performance art, dance, cultural management, set design, costume design and scenic music as well as theatre, dance & music education will come together to get a better understanding of theatre for young audiences and reflect on how to help shape its future.
Theatre maker Hannah Biedermann is heading the 2025 edition of the Next Generation Forum. Westwind Festival gives forum participants the possibility to be directly involved in the festival with focus on the following areas of concentration:
- Journalism & theatre criticism
- Specialist talks & symposia
- Performing in public spaces
The area of journalism and theatre criticism will include a collaboration with Anne-Sophie Garthe and JungepublikumBlog, among others, as well as a cooperation with Rheinische Post in Düsseldorf and other experts from the field of cultural journalism. There will be a performance on Sunday, 1 June as part of the street festival, and symposia on the NRW productions will take place throughout the week.
Direction: Hannah Biedermann
Participants: Marion Avgernis, Charlotte Heidenreich, Anton Hoffmanns, Sophie Jany, Frida Jürgens, Samuel Kareem Kuhnle, Anthea Marckman, Thalia Noah Schoeller, Lisa Striezel, Ruth Süpple
Further information on the Next Generation participants coming soon.
Hannah Biedermann is a freelance director and performer who, following her studies in scenic arts in Hildesheim, develops performative and interactive formats for children and teens that go beyond classical narratives. Her plays always seek to address socially relevant issues and explore theatrical approaches. In 2007, she founded the theatre collective pulk fiktion, whose productions have been invited to various festivals and have won several awards. She also directs at theatres such as Schauspielhaus Bochum, Nationaltheater Mannheim, Junges Ensemble Stuttgart, Junges Theater Basel and many more. In 2017, she was distinguished with the FAUST Award in the category “Best Director of Children’s and Youth Theatre” and in 2023 she received the ASSITEJ Prize for special merits in theatre for young audiences.
Photo: Stephan Pramme
