Theater of the Young World

What Theater of the Young World does

Theater der Jungen Welt (Theater of the Young World) is a municipal children's and youth theater in Leipzig, Germany, founded in 1946 and operating as an Eigenbetrieb (municipal enterprise) wholly owned by the City of Leipzig. The theater produces live theatrical performances spanning puppet theater, spoken drama, movement theater, and material theater for audiences ranging from toddlers (age 2+) through teenagers and adults. It operates multiple performance spaces in its main building at Lindenauer Markt 21 — Großer Saal, Kleiner Saal, Etage Eins, Probebühne, and Großes Foyer — and extends its reach across Saxony through the mobile "TDJW unterwegs" touring program at external venues such as fire stations and community spaces.

The portfolio encompasses roughly a dozen new productions per season (notable 2025/26 titles include "Mobb," "WOLF," "Ein Glücksding," "Freibad," "Peer Gynt," "Die goldene Gans," "Die drei kleinen Schweinchen," and "Oh!"), complemented by community programs including Play & Connect (weekly open foyer with UNICEF Leipzig), Gute-Nacht-Geschichten (multilingual bedtime story readings), Teenie Dance events, the Offene Bühne youth open stage, and the annual ClubFusion festival. Educational outreach to schools and kindergartens is delivered through the TDJW-Schule & Kita program, and accessibility services include Easy Language pages, audio description, and wheelchair-accessible performances.

Revenue derives from three streams: ticket sales via the on-site box office, the Eventim Inhouse webshop, telephone reservations, and the Gruppen-Abo group subscription program; ancillary venue rental and special event income from the foyer and café spaces; and — as the financial backbone — public funding from the City of Leipzig, the Free State of Saxony (SMWK), and the federal BKM (Bundesministerium für Kultur). Marketing is executed through a content-rich website, an active Instagram account (@theaterderjungenwelt), a monthly newsletter (BÄMS & WOWS / Telegramm) built on the namRED Mailing system, and dedicated press relations, with accessibility-focused content (Leichte Sprache, BITV 2.0, WCAG 2.1 AA compliance) embedded throughout. Production quality is evidenced by national recognition, including a 2025 DER FAUST award win for best performer in theater for young audiences and invitations to flagship festivals such as Heidelberger Stückemarkt 2026 and AUGENBLICK MAL! 2025.

Name

Theater of the Young World

Legal name

Theater der Jungen Welt Leipzig

Website

https://theaterderjungenweltleipzig.de

Company type

Private

Founded year

1946

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Theater der Jungen Welt is a municipal children's and youth theater in Leipzig, Germany, founded in 1946. It produces live performances, educational outreach, and community programs for children, families, schools, and teenagers across multiple venues in Saxony.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Children's and Youth Theater Services

NAICS

Theater Companies and Dinner Theaters (711110), Other Performing Arts Companies (711190)

SIC

Services-Miscellaneous Amusement & Recreation (7990)

akta.pro primary industry

Children’s & Youth Theatre (MPAGABAE)

akta.pro secondary industries

Touring Theatre Productions (MPAGABAC), Classical & Contemporary Theatre (Plays/Drama) (MPAGABAH)

Keywords

• Children's theater performances
• Youth theater productions
• Cultural education programs
• Puppet theater shows
• School outreach theater

Headquarters

HQ city

Leipzig

HQ country

Germany

HQ region

Europe

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D, Infrastructure

Revenue model

1. Ticket Sales: Individual and group ticket sales for performances across multiple venues. Tickets are sold online, at the box office, and by telephone. Group subscriptions (Gruppen-Abo) offer discounted advance booking for collectives.
2. Municipal Public Funding: As an Eigenbetrieb (municipal enterprise) of the City of Leipzig, the theater receives public funding from the city, state (Sachsen), and federal government (BKM), which constitutes the primary financial backbone of operations.
3. Venue Rental and Special Events: The theater café and foyer spaces are used for special events such as the Teenie Dance, Romantic Comedy evenings, and themed events generating ancillary revenue.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels5 records

Marketing channels8 records

Core offering

Theater der Jungen Welt is a children's and youth theater that produces and stages live theatrical performances for audiences from age 2 through adult, across multiple in-house stages (Großer Saal, Kleiner Saal, Etage Eins, Probebühne, Großes Foyer) and external venues. Its offering spans puppet theater, spoken drama, movement theater, and material theater, complemented by educational outreach to schools and kindergartens, weekly community programs such as Play & Connect, multilingual bedtime story readings, and teen dance events. Tickets are sold via an on-site box office, the Eventim Inhouse online shop, and telephone reservations.

Product overview

Theater of the Young World (Theater der Jungen Welt) is a children's and youth theater operated as a municipal enterprise of Leipzig, Germany. Founded in 1946, it offers a diverse portfolio of theatrical productions across multiple venues including the main stage (Großer Saal), small stage (Kleiner Saal), Etage Eins, and various outdoor locations. The theater's core offering consists of live performances spanning puppet theater, spoken drama, movement theater, and material theater for audiences ranging from age 2 to adult. Beyond performances, the theater provides educational programs including TDJW-Schule & Kita outreach, mobile productions for schools, weekly Play & Connect family events, multilingual bedtime story readings, and the annual ClubFusion youth festival. Additional services include online ticket sales through Eventim, press services, and newsletter communications. The 2026/27 season features productions such as Wolf (30 Oct 2026 premiere), Die drei kleinen Schweinchen (27 Nov 2026 premiere), and Alles gut! (25 Sep 2026 premiere).

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Theater Performances Live theatrical productions for children and young audiences across multiple stages including Großer Saal (Main Hall), Kleiner Saal (Small Hall), Etage Eins, and open-air venues. Productions range from puppet theater to spoken drama for ages 2+ through adult.
• Group Subscriptions (Gruppen-Abo) Subscription-based group ticket packages offering discounted rates and priority access for collectives, schools, and kindergartens, booked via [email protected] or telephone.
• Play & Connect Weekly open foyer program offering games, crafts, intercultural exchange, children's disco, workshops, and puppet making for families, every Thursday 3–6 PM.
• Gute-Nacht-Geschichten (Bedtime Stories) Multilingual reading series held every other Friday, featuring speakers reading favorite bedtime stories in various languages and German for families.
• Teenie Dance Monthly dance event for teenagers aged 13–17 featuring rotating DJs, bass music, and party atmosphere, in cooperation with Initiative Awareness e.V. for safety.
• Offene Bühne (Open Stage) Open stage event for youth to perform political topics, texts, songs, and shows with a five-minute spotlight per performer.
• TDJW-Schule & Kita Educational outreach program connecting theater productions with school and kindergarten curricula, offering dramaturgical materials and pre/post-show support.
• Mobile Productions (TDJW unterwegs) Traveling theater performances that bring productions to schools and external venues, including fire stations and outdoor locations across Leipzig and Saxony.
• Fritzi war dabei Theatrical city tour based on the children's book about the Peaceful Revolution of 1989 in Leipzig, suitable for school classes and families.
• Open-Air Summer Theater Outdoor theater performances held at fire stations throughout Leipzig during summer months as part of the mobile touring program.
• ClubFusion Annual festival and project celebrating youth culture and participation, held as part of the Specials & Projekte programming.
• Sächsisches Puppentheatertreffen Saxon puppet theater meeting organized as a special project and festival for puppet theater, hosted as part of the Specials & Projekte programming.
• Online Ticket Sales Digital ticketing platform for purchasing admission to theater performances and programs, managed through the Eventim Inhouse webshop.

Named customers2 records

Segments6 records

Ideal customer profiles5 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Integration5 records

Partnerships

13 partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• Stiftung Friedliche RevolutioncoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerKooperation with Stiftung Friedliche Revolution for the production 'Fritzi war dabei' — a theatrical city tour tracing the footsteps of the Peaceful Revolution of 1989 in Leipzig. Part of the broader 'Freiheits- und Einheitsdenkmal in Leipzig' project. The production is also supported by the City of Leipzig and federal funding (BKM).
• UNICEF LeipzigcoreGTM or Marketing PartnerUNICEF Leipzig is a cooperation partner for Play & Connect, the weekly open foyer program that brings together children, families, and the theater ensemble for intercultural exchange, play, and community building.
• Fördergesellschaft des TDJWcoreGTM or Marketing PartnerThe support association Fördergesellschaft des TDJW provides financial and promotional backing for Play & Connect and other programs, functioning as a fundraising and advocacy partner.
• Leipziger Städtische BibliothekenminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnership for the multilingual reading series 'Gute-Nacht-Geschichten' (Good Night Stories), with volunteer readers from Leipzig's libraries participating in the program.
• Bulgarischer Kulturverein LeipzigminorGTM or Marketing PartnerCultural association providing multilingual readers for the 'Gute-Nacht-Geschichten' series, supporting intercultural programming.
• Oseredok Leipzig e.V.minorGTM or Marketing PartnerUkrainian cultural organization co-hosting multilingual Good Night Stories sessions and supporting integration programming at TDJW.
• Deutsch-Ukrainischer Kultur- und Bildungsverein LeipzigminorGTM or Marketing PartnerGerman-Ukrainian cultural and educational association partnering on multilingual events and cultural programming for refugee and migrant communities.
• Puppentheater HalleminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerTransfer (Übernahme) of the award-winning production 'Die goldene Gans' from Puppentheater Halle, with support from Figurentheater Chemnitz. Represents a co-production and repertoire-sharing arrangement between regional puppet theaters.
• Thalia Theater HamburgminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerTDJW took over (Übernahme) the production 'Wolf' from Thalia Theater Hamburg, indicating a co-production/repertoire sharing arrangement.
• Initiative Awareness e.V.minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnership for the Teenie Dance event series, providing awareness and safety programming for the alcohol-free teen dance events held at the Demmse venue.
• Stadt LeipzigcoreOthersThe TDJW is a municipal enterprise (Eigenbetrieb) of the City of Leipzig, which provides core public funding, operational support, and institutional legitimacy.
• Bundesministerium für Kultur (BKM)coreOthersFederal funding body providing co-financing for productions including 'Fritzi war dabei', through federal budget allocations managed by the Saxon State Parliament.
• Sächsisches Staatsministerium für Wissenschaft und Kunst (SMWK)coreOthersSaxon State Ministry co-financing TDJW programming through state cultural budget allocations.

Scale indicators4 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Direct peers

• Theater an der Parkaue: Berlin's state-owned youth theater producing contemporary theater for children and young people. Comparable in mission, public ownership structure, and target audience to TDJW, with a similar focus on devised and contemporary works.
• GRIPS Theater Berlin: Berlin-based children's and youth theater publicly funded by the Berlin Senate, producing original plays for young audiences. Directly comparable to TDJW in mission, target audience (children and teens), public funding model, and focus on socially relevant themes.
• Junges Schauspiel Hamburg: Youth theater division of Schauspielhaus Hamburg, producing plays for children and young audiences. Comparable institutional setting, programming breadth across age groups, and public funding model to TDJW.
• Junges Theater Bremen: Bremen's dedicated children's and youth theater with multiple stages and a city-mandated cultural education role. Closely comparable in scale, mission, and public ownership to TDJW.
• Theater an der Glocksee: Hannover-based independent youth theater producing contemporary productions for young audiences. Comparable as a publicly supported children's and youth theater with a strong educational outreach component.
• Puppentheater Halle: Regional puppet theater in Saxony-Anhalt that has co-produced with TDJW (transfer of 'Die goldene Gans'). Comparable in puppet-theater focus and regional Saxony collaboration footprint.
• Junge Staatstheater Stuttgart: Children's and youth programming arm of the Stuttgart State Theater. Comparable in offering stage productions targeted at children and youth within a publicly funded state-theater ecosystem.
• Münchner Volkstheater - Junge Bühne: Youth programming division of Munich's Volkstheater, producing plays for young audiences. Comparable as a publicly funded children's and youth theater with multi-stage operations.

Emerging players

• Kampnagel Hamburg: Hamburg-based performing arts venue with a strong program in contemporary, experimental, and youth-relevant performance. Comparable as a regional presenting platform for young and contemporary audiences, though broader in genre than TDJW.
• FFT Düsseldorf: Forum Freies Theater (FFT) in Düsseldorf presents contemporary performing arts including productions for young audiences. Comparable as a regional presenter and co-producer of contemporary theater reaching younger demographics.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Instagraminstagram.com/theaterderjungenwelt
• Xx.com/TdJW_Leipzig

Compliance3 records

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles3 records

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 of the Young World