Theater in Stuttgart

What Theater in Stuttgart does

Schauspielbühnen in Stuttgart is a nonprofit registered association ('Altes Schauspielhaus und Komödie im Marquardt e.V.') that operates two historic spoken-word theatres in central Stuttgart: the 499-seat Altes Schauspielhaus (founded 1909, Art Nouveau facade, focused on dramatic and classical repertoire) and the 378-seat Komödie im Marquardt (at the Schlossplatz location since 1951, focused on boulevard comedy, Swabian dialect productions and musicals). The organisation presents approximately 13 new productions per season under the artistic direction of Intendant Axel Preuß (since the 2018/2019 season) and is publicly recognised as the spoken-word theatre with the highest audience attendance in Baden-Württemberg.

The core product is live theatrical performance, delivered through standard theatre production infrastructure with no proprietary technology stack disclosed. Distribution relies on two physical box offices, a Reservix-powered online ticketing platform, a telephone advance-booking line, and a central Service-Center, complemented by a podcast portfolio of seven series and 143 episodes distributed via Spotify, Amazon Music and RSS, plus Instagram Reels ('Spotlights') for audience development. The Freundeskreis membership programme (since 2003), the cross-theatre Trick Ticket discount network with 14 Baden-Württemberg partners, and dedicated school and corporate programmes extend the offering beyond single-ticket purchases.

The business model is direct-to-consumer and combines three revenue streams: individual ticket sales (transaction-based, tiered seating), season subscriptions (Abonnements, up to 38% discount versus single tickets, with ABO-PLUS extensions and 50% student pricing) and venue rental / corporate event services (Unternehmensprogramme including leadership training). As a registered e.V., the entity operates without external equity ownership and likely depends materially on public subsidies alongside earned revenue, though financial figures are not publicly disclosed.

Name

Theater in Stuttgart

Legal name

Altes Schauspielhaus und Komödie im Marquardt e.V.

Website

https://schauspielbuehnen.de

Company type

Private

Founded year

1909

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Schauspielbühnen in Stuttgart is a nonprofit association operating two historic Stuttgart theatres — the 499-seat Altes Schauspielhaus (serious drama) and the 378-seat Komödie im Marquardt (entertainment and comedy) — serving audiences, school groups and corporate clients through ticketing, subscriptions and venue rental under Intendant Axel Preuß.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Performing Arts Theater

NAICS

Theater Companies and Dinner Theaters (71111), Theater Companies and Dinner Theaters (711110), Performing Arts Companies (7111)

akta.pro primary industry

Classical & Contemporary Theatre (Plays/Drama) (MPAGABAH)

akta.pro secondary industries

Regional & Repertory Theatre Companies (MPAGABAB), Theater & Performing Arts Venue Operations (Playhouses, Opera Houses) (MPAGALAB)

Keywords

• Live theater performances
• Performing arts venue
• Theater subscriptions
• Stage productions
• Theatrical events

Headquarters

HQ city

Stuttgart

HQ country

Germany

HQ region

Europe

Offices2 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Infrastructure, Marketing or Sales, Others

Revenue model

1. Ticket Sales: Individual ticket sales for all performances across both venues (Altes Schauspielhaus and Komödie im Marquardt). Tickets sold online via Reservix, at box offices, and by telephone. Single-ticket pricing with tiered seat categories.
2. Subscriptions (Abonnements): Season subscription packages offering 7-13 productions per season at up to 38% discount vs. single ticket prices. Includes transferable subscriptions, date-exchange flexibility, no music surcharges, and ABO-PLUS 20% discount on events outside the subscription. SCHÜLER/STUDIERENDE (students) receive 50% discount on all subscriptions.
3. Venue Rental and Corporate Events: Corporate events and company celebrations hosted at the theatres, as well as management training programs offered to businesses.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels5 records

Marketing channels7 records

Core offering

Schauspielbühnen in Stuttgart operates two historic theater venues—the 499-seat Altes Schauspielhaus and the 378-seat Komödie im Marquardt—presenting a season of dramatic plays, comedies, musicals, and revues for the Stuttgart metropolitan audience. The organization also runs subscription programs (Abonnements), corporate offerings, school programs, and a supporters' circle (Freundeskreis) alongside cultural mediation and educational outreach.

Product overview

The Schauspielbühnen in Stuttgart operates two theater venues as a unified platform: the Altes Schauspielhaus (499 seats, focused on sophisticated drama and musical productions) and the Komödie im Marquardt (378 seats, focused on entertainment and boulevard theater). Together they form the most popular spoken-word theater in Baden-Württemberg, presenting approximately 13 new productions per season under the artistic direction of Intendant Axel Preuß since 2018/2019. The digital product portfolio extends the live experience with a podcast platform (7 series including Foyergeflüster, Stückeinführung, Warum das Theater?), an online ticketing integration via Reservix, subscription packages with discounts up to 38%, barrier-free access services, and educational/corporate programs. The venues support the core productions with ancillary services including cultural mediation, school programs, a Friends membership group, cross-theater Trick Ticket discounts, and sustainability initiatives.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Named customers4 records

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Integration3 records

Partnerships

Five partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• Deutsch-Türkisches Forum StuttgartcoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 11 June 2026Co-production partnership for 'Die Optimistinnen' musical theatre production based on Gün Tank's novel. The Deutsch-Türkisches Forum Stuttgart provides expert talks after selected performances as part of a supplementary programme, featuring guests such as Gün Tank (author), Hülya Özen-Sattler (lawyer and former diversity manager), Sidar Carman (Ver.di managing director), Süheylâ İnce Demir (lawyer), and Nora Yıldırım (AWO Stuttgart managing director). Kerim Arpad, Geschäftsführer of the Forum, co-moderates post-show discussions with Intendant Axel Preuß.
• Rosenau Kultur e.V.coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2025Co-production partnership for the recurring Poetry Slam 'Dead or Alive' and for the Sarah Bosetti programme 'Make Democracy Great Again!'. Rosenau Kultur provides venue support and organisational collaboration for these cultural events held at the Altes Schauspielhaus.
• Theatre and Festival Network (Trick Ticket Partner)minorGTM or Marketing Partner14 theatres and festivals across Baden-Württemberg participate in the 'Trick Ticket' programme, granting reciprocal 10% discounts to subscribers of partner institutions. Partner theatres include: Theater Aalen, Theater Baden-Baden, Badische Landesbühne Bruchsal, Württembergische Esslingen, Theater Freiburg, Theater Heidelberg, Meisterkonzerte Heidenheim, Theater Heilbronn, NT Mannheim, Stadttheater Pforzheim, Landestheater Tübingen, Zimmertheater Tübingen, Die Tonne Reutlingen, and Theater Ulm.
• Theaterhaus StuttgartminorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorSelected performances are staged at the Theaterhaus Stuttgart, including 'Prima Facie' (Suzie Miller), 'Das Tagebuch der Anne Frank', 'Kai Hensel: Klamms Krieg', and 'On the Move' by American Drama Group Europe. Post-show audience talks follow selected performances at this venue.
• Kulturamt der Landeshauptstadt StuttgartminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerThe PERSPEKTIVEN podcast series is produced in collaboration with the cultural office of the city of Stuttgart. Episodes feature interviews with cultural figures including curators, festival directors, and artists associated with Stuttgart's cultural institutions such as Akademie Schloss Solitude and the Stuttgarter Philharmoniker.

Scale indicators6 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Regional players

• Theater Heidelberg: Regional multi-discipline theater in Heidelberg with spoken-word and music programming. Comparable as a Baden-Württemberg peer and existing Trick Ticket partner competing for regional audiences and corporate clients.
• Theater Freiburg: Multi-stage municipal theater in Freiburg offering Schauspiel, Musiktheater, and Tanz. Comparable as a Baden-Württemberg peer and Trick Ticket partner operating under municipal structure with comparable repertory programming.
• Badische Landesbühne Bruchsal: Landesbühne operating in Bruchsal with repertory theater productions and touring. Comparable as a Trick Ticket partner and Baden-Württemberg regional peer, though smaller in scale and with a stronger touring component than Schauspielbühnen Stuttgart.
• Theater Ulm: Multi-discipline municipal theater in Ulm producing Schauspiel, Musiktheater, and Ballet. Comparable as a Baden-Württemberg regional peer and Trick Ticket partner with overlapping subscription audiences.

Direct peers

• Staatstheater Stuttgart: Stuttgart's publicly funded state theater operating multiple stages (Opera, Schauspiel, Ballet) in the same city. Directly comparable as a spoken-word theater competing for the same Stuttgart audiences and corporate clients, though it operates under state subsidy rather than the e.V. model.
• Thalia Theater Hamburg: Hamburg's flagship spoken-word theater operating the Haupthaus and Thalia Gaußstraße. Comparable as a dual-venue repertory theater with a strong subscription base and contemporary programming model.
• Deutsches Theater Berlin: Berlin's leading repertory spoken-word theater operating multiple venues (Schauspielhaus, Kammerspiele, Box). Directly comparable as a multi-venue repertory theater producing classical and contemporary drama with strong subscriber traditions.
• Nationaltheater Mannheim: Multi-discipline state theater in Mannheim offering opera, ballet, and Schauspiel. Comparable as a regional spoken-word theater peer and existing Trick Ticket partner; competes for Baden-Württemberg audiences within ~150km of Stuttgart.
• Münchner Kammerspiele: Munich's leading spoken-word theater with multiple performance spaces. Comparable as a high-prestige repertory theater focused on contemporary dramatic works with an established subscription and Freundeskreis tradition.
• Schauspiel Frankfurt: Frankfurt's municipal spoken-word theater producing classical and contemporary drama on multiple stages. Comparable repertory model and audience development approach, though operating under municipal subsidy rather than an independent e.V. structure.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Facebookfacebook.com/schauspielbuehnen
• Instagraminstagram.com/schauspielbuehnen_stuttgart/?hl=de

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles1 record

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Theater in Stuttgart