Theater Oberhausen

What Theater Oberhausen does

Theater Oberhausen is a municipal public theater (Stadttheater) located in Oberhausen, North Rhine-Westphalia, Germany, owned and operated by the City of Oberhausen. The institution operates across four main programming divisions: Schauspiel (drama), Junges Theater (young theater and educational programming), Urban Arts (urban dance, Krump, and Hip-Hop), and Open Haus (community engagement and inclusive programs). It produces a multi-genre season spanning drama, contemporary plays, documentary theater, family productions, dance, and festivals, performed across multiple venues including the main Großen Haus (currently under renovation), Studio, the temporary Container-Dorf outdoor complex, Ebertbad, and external public spaces. The theater's core product is live performance and participatory cultural programming, delivered through a hybrid of full-time ensemble, artistic leadership under Intendantin Dr. Kathrin Mädler, and co-production partnerships with theaters including Theater Münster, Ruhrfestspiele Recklinghausen, and Maxim Gorki Theater Berlin.

The business model is a hybrid of public subsidy and earned revenue. Public funding from the City of Oberhausen and the state of North Rhine-Westphalia (including the 'Neue Wege' program supporting Urban Arts) forms the financial foundation, supplemented by earned revenue from individual ticket sales (€4-€17 per ticket, with children's tickets at €6 and class subscriptions at €5.50 per child), season subscriptions (Abonnements), and revenue-sharing from co-productions. The technology stack is limited to a third-party Eventim Inhouse online ticketing platform, a content website, and standard social media channels (Instagram, Facebook, YouTube, TikTok, WhatsApp); no proprietary digital platform or AI capabilities are indicated. Distribution is omnichannel across the box office, online shop, multi-venue performance spaces, community outreach via Open Haus, and national/international touring. The customer base spans general adult audiences, children and youth, families, schools and kindergartens, the urban arts and Afro-culture community, and people with disabilities, with no material revenue concentration in any single segment.

Name

Theater Oberhausen

Legal name

Theater Oberhausen

Website

https://theater-oberhausen.de

Company type

Private

Founded year

1840

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Theater Oberhausen is a publicly funded municipal theater in Oberhausen, Germany, producing drama, children's theater, urban dance, and community programs across multiple venues for diverse regional audiences including schools, families, and urban arts communities.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Performing Arts / Live Theater

NAICS

Theater Companies and Dinner Theaters (71111), Performing Arts Companies (7111), Performing Arts, Spectator Sports, and Related Industries (711)

SIC

Services-Amusement & Recreation Services (7900)

akta.pro primary industry

Performing Arts Centers & Presenters (Programming/Booking) (MPAGABAM)

akta.pro secondary industries

Classical & Contemporary Theatre (Plays/Drama) (MPAGABAH), Children’s & Youth Theatre (MPAGABAE), Theater & Performing Arts Venue Operations (Playhouses, Opera Houses) (MPAGALAB)

Keywords

• Live theater performances
• Performing arts productions
• Dance and drama theater
• Young theater programs
• Urban arts festival

Headquarters

HQ city

Oberhausen

HQ country

Germany

HQ region

Europe

Offices4 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Ticket Sales: Revenue from individual performance tickets sold through the theater's box office and online ticketing system (Eventim). Tickets are priced at 6€ per child/student, 6.50€ for family performances, with class subscriptions at 5.50€ per child.
2. Subscriptions: Season subscriptions (Abonnements) offered to regular theater-goers, with pre-sales starting annually before the new season.
3. Public Funding: As a municipal theater (Stadttheater), Theater Oberhausen receives public funding from the city of Oberhausen and the state of North Rhine-Westphalia. The Urban Arts division specifically receives funding from the Ministry for Culture and Science of NRW through the 'Neue Wege' program.
4. Co-productions and Partnerships: Revenue sharing and external funding from co-productions with partner theaters including Theater Münster, Ruhrfestspiele Recklinghausen, and Maxim Gorki Theater Berlin.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels6 records

Marketing channels10 records

Core offering

Theater Oberhausen is a municipal theater (Stadttheater) that produces and presents live performing arts across four divisions: Schauspiel (drama), Junges Theater (children's and youth theater), Urban Arts (urban dance/theater with a six-member ensemble), and Open Haus (community engagement). The theater stages drama, dance, opera, operetta, children's productions, and festivals across multiple venues including the Großes Haus, Studio, Container-Dorf, and external locations, serving audiences in the Ruhr region of Germany.

Product overview

Theater Oberhausen operates as a multi-venue municipal theater offering a diverse portfolio of productions across four main divisions: Schauspiel (drama), Junges Theater (young theater), Urban Arts (urban dance/theater), and Open Haus (community programs). The Schauspiel division presents traditional stage productions including classics, contemporary plays, and documentary theater at venues including Raumbühne Großes Haus, Studio, and Container-Bar. Junges Theater provides age-appropriate productions and educational outreach for children and families. Urban Arts, established in 2023/24, is a dedicated dance theater division with a six-member ensemble specializing in urban dance styles (Krump, Hip-Hop) and hosting major festivals (Afro Light Festival, PottClash). Open Haus serves as a community engagement platform offering participatory workshops, inclusive programs, and neighborhood initiatives. Additional offerings include the Denkraum discussion series, Theater Extra special events, inclusive accessibility services, and an online ticketing platform. During the main house renovation, the theater operates the Container-Dorf outdoor venue complex.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Schauspiel (Drama Productions) Traditional drama productions featuring the Schauspiel ensemble, including new plays, classics, and documentary theater pieces performed at Raumbühne Großes Haus, Studio, and Container-Bar venues for adult audiences.
• Junges Theater (Young Theater) Theater productions and programs specifically designed for children and young audiences, including family productions, educational offerings, and age-appropriate performances such as Swimmy and Vagabund.
• Urban Arts Urban dance theater division established in the 2023/24 season, featuring a six-member ensemble performing urban dance styles (Krump, Hip-Hop), hosting festivals and battles, and offering participatory dance programs for urban dance enthusiasts.
• Open Haus Community outreach program providing an open space for theater, art, and social exchange. Offers workshops, collaborative production development, exchange formats, and inclusive programming for all ages and backgrounds.
• Afro Light Festival Annual urban arts festival celebrating Afro-culture with music, dance, and performances. Features local and international artists, street festival, workshops, and the Urban Stage format at multiple venues.
• PottClash Festival Annual Hip-Hop culture festival celebrating the diversity of urban dance. Features battles, workshops, masterclasses, and performances. Won 'Best rising Event 2024' award.
• School & Kindergarten Programs Educational offerings including material kits, pre- and post-show preparations, backstage tours, Schultheatertage festival, Premierenklasse (premiere sponsorship), and Theater Jetzt! partnership program with schools.
• Denkraum (Theater & Philosophy) Philosophy and theater discussion series curated by Prof. Dr. Eva Weber-Guskar, exploring existential themes from productions with invited philosophers and the audience. Free admission events.
• Inclusive Offerings Accessibility services including German Sign Language (DGS) interpretation, touch tours for blind and visually impaired audiences, easy language materials, and wheelchair-accessible seating.
• Studio Battle Monthly urban dance battle series where dancers from NRW and beyond compete in various dance styles. Held in Studio, Bar, or public spaces around Oberhausen.

Quantifiable outcome

• Awarded Theaterpreis des Bundes for courageous opening to new genres, diverse audiences, and socially relevant themes
• +1 more outcomes

Named customers8 records

Segments6 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

Twelve partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• Theater MünstercoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCo-production partnership for documentary theater productions. Major co-production of 'And now Hanau' examining the 2020 Hanau racist attack, performed in Rathäuser (town halls) and public spaces rather than traditional theater venues.
• Ruhrfestspiele RecklinghausencoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerAnnual co-production partner for theater productions. Co-produced 'Catladies' documentary production with music and 'Eine perfekte Hochzeit' wedding comedy.
• Maxim Gorki Theater BerlincoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCo-production and co-preservation partner. Collaborated on 'And now Hanau' production examining racist violence, with performances also shown at Maxim Gorki Theater Berlin.
• Stadt OberhausencoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerAs the municipal theater (Stadttheater), Theater Oberhausen operates in partnership with the city of Oberhausen. The city provides funding, facilities, and administrative support. Collaborative partner on EU project Greenstage for sustainable theater operations.
• Stadtbibliothek OberhausenminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerCollaboration for Afro Light Festival programming including picture book cinema and reading events for children ages 4-6.
• VHS Oberhausen (Volkshochschule)minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerEducational partner for Afro Light Festival workshops on Afrobeat dancing, including family dance workshops and dance workshops for adults and seniors.
• Shapes & Shades KollektivminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerGermany's first Ballroom collective invited to Theater Oberhausen for AFTERSHIFT Ball event. Partnership aims to build sustainable collaboration with Ballroom scene in NRW.
• EU-Projekt GreenstageminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerLead partner in major EU project for sustainable theater operations. Theater Oberhausen works with the city of Oberhausen and international partners to make theater operations more sustainable.
• werkgruppe2coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerMusic and theater collective co-producing documentary productions including 'Catladies' with performance elements and original music.
• Freundeskreis des Theaters Oberhausen e.V.minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerFriends of the theater organization supporting theater activities through fundraising and the 'Klassenkasse' program that covers theater visit costs for children from financially disadvantaged families.
• Rotary Club Oberhausen Antony-HütteminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartner in the Klassenkasse initiative to enable children from low-income families to attend theater performances.
• EBS Krump World ChampionshipminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerInternational Krump dance championship founded by Urban Arts director Kwame Osei. Urban Arts provides creative stage programming and serves as partner for this major international Krump event.

Scale indicators4 records

Recent moves8 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Emerging players

• Kampnagel Hamburg: Hamburg-based performing arts center known for contemporary, experimental, and urban dance programming. Most directly comparable German venue to Theater Oberhausen's Urban Arts division in terms of genre mix and audience targeting, though operating in a different city.
• PACT Zollverein: Essen-based performing arts center for contemporary dance, performance, and visual arts. Adjacent Ruhr-region institution with overlapping contemporary dance audience, comparable public funding model, and similar experimental programming ethos to Theater Oberhausen's Urban Arts and Open Haus divisions.

Direct peers

• Theater Münster: NRW municipal theater and current co-production partner ("And now Hanau"). Direct peer in multi-sparten Stadttheater operations; closely comparable scale and programming depth, making it a relevant operating benchmark.
• Aalto-Theater Essen: NRW municipal opera and ballet house in Essen. Closely comparable Ruhr-region municipal theater; shares audience pool with Oberhausen and competes for opera and dance ticket spend. Multi-venue municipal operations with ballet focus parallel Theater Oberhausen's dance/Urban Arts positioning.
• Bochumer Schauspielhaus: Renowned municipal drama theater in Bochum, in the heart of the Ruhr region. Direct local peer with overlapping audience catchment, comparable repertory approach, and similar municipal funding model.
• Theater Bonn: NRW municipal theater with drama, opera, and children's programming. Comparable Stadttheater operating model and audience dynamics; relevant peer for benchmark analysis of NRW municipal theater economics.
• Schauspiel Köln: Large municipal theater in Cologne offering drama, dance, and young theater programming. Direct Stadttheater peer in NRW with overlapping repertoire (contemporary plays, classics) and similar funding model from city and state. Comparable product category but larger scale.
• Düsseldorfer Schauspielhaus: Major municipal drama theater in Düsseldorf with comparable Schauspiel, Junges Schauspiel, and community programs. Direct competitor for NRW theater audiences and co-production partners; operates with similar subscription and Abonnement model.
• Theater Dortmund: Multi-sparten municipal theater in Dortmund (drama, opera, ballet, children's theater) and direct NRW competitor for Ruhr-region audiences. Similar Stadttheater funding structure and public ownership.
• Ruhrfestspiele Recklinghausen: Annual theater festival in the Ruhr region and active co-production partner of Theater Oberhausen (Catladies, And now Hanau). Festival model and Ruhr-region focus make it a natural peer and collaborator rather than direct head-to-head competitor.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• YouTubeyoutube.com/user/TheaterOberhausen
• Facebookfacebook.com/theater.oberhausen
• Instagraminstagram.com/theater_oberhausen
• TikToktiktok.com/@theater.oberhausen?is_from_webapp=1&sender_device=pc

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles8 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 Oberhausen