Theater RAST

What Theater RAST does

Theater RAST (Stichting RAST Amsterdam) is an Amsterdam-based nonprofit theater company founded in 2000 by Şaban Ol, Celil Toksöz, and Gert de Boer, producing intercultural musical theater rooted in Turkish-Kurdish Dutch experience. The company develops original productions that combine personal narrative, music, and tragicomic storytelling to address themes of migration, bicultural identity, gender-based violence, and intergenerational trauma. Its portfolio spans more than 30 documented productions including "GRACE" (nominated for the BNG Bank Theaterprijs 2023), "Bergen Verzetten" (NRC four-star review, 2024), "EUS," "Wees Onzichtbaar," and "Tosca" (a Kurdish-language folk opera). RAST operates four program pillars: annual theater productions that premiere in Amsterdam and tour nationally and internationally; a two-year talent development trajectory for emerging theatermakers; international coproduction and exchange with partners in Turkey (Stadstheater Istanbul, Amed Stadstheater) and Iraqi Kurdistan (Teatra Jiyana Nû); and community participation projects in Amsterdam West.

The company's revenue model is a hybrid of public subsidy, earned ticket income, coproduction revenue sharing, and tax-deductible donations. Structural multi-year funding comes from Fonds Podiumkunsten (national) and Amsterdams Fonds voor de Kunst (Amsterdam municipal) for the 2025-2028 cycle; the organization is registered as an ANBI (Algemeen Nut Beogende Instelling). Distribution runs through a network of Dutch theaters and festivals — including Podium Mozaïek as primary Amsterdam venue, Oerol Festival for premieres, and ITA for coproductions — plus international touring in Europe, Turkey, and Iraq. Pricing follows standard Dutch theater box-office channels under the CAO Toneel & Dans collective labor agreement for project honoraria. The core team is approximately 11 staff covering artistic direction (Ayşegül Karaca and Sidar Toksöz as of January 2026), business leadership (Sophie Claassen), communications (Miska Aksular), and production, supported by a volunteer board (A. Özalp chair, E. Hajian secretary, M. Bednarski treasurer, M. Geurts general member).

Name

Theater RAST

Legal name

Stichting RAST Amsterdam

Website

https://rast.nl

Company type

Private

Founded year

2000

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Theater RAST is an Amsterdam-based nonprofit theater company founded in 2000 that produces intercultural musical theater rooted in Turkish-Kurdish Dutch experiences, serving Dutch general audiences, Turkish-Kurdish Dutch communities, theater venues and festivals, and emerging theatermakers across the Netherlands and internationally.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Performing Arts

NAICS

Theater Companies and Dinner Theaters (71111)

SIC

Services-Amusement & Recreation Services (7900)

akta.pro primary industry

Regional & Repertory Theatre Companies (MPAGABAB)

akta.pro secondary industries

Touring Theatre Productions (MPAGABAC), Media Arts & Performance (Film, Stagecraft, Lighting, Sound) (EDAMAAAJ)

Keywords

• Intercultural theater productions
• Musical theater performances
• Talent development programs
• Theater coproductions
• Community theater projects

Headquarters

HQ city

Amsterdam

HQ country

Netherlands

HQ region

Europe

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Public Subsidy: Theater RAST receives structural multi-year funding from public cultural funds. The company is subsidized by Fonds Podiumkunsten (national performing arts fund) and Amsterdams Fonds voor de Kunst (Amsterdam arts fund) for the 2025-2028 period.
2. Ticket Sales: Revenue generated from ticket sales for theater productions, with performances at venues across the Netherlands and international tours.
3. Donations and ANBI Support: As a registered ANBI (Algemeen Nut Beogende Instelling) institution, Theater RAST accepts tax-deductible donations. The organization has a donation account (NL55INGB0004339101) and benefits from the 'Geefwet' multiplier of 1.25 for gifts.
4. Coproduction Revenue: Revenue sharing from coproduction partnerships with theaters such as Internationaal Theater Amsterdam, Podium Mozaïek, and Amed Stadstheater in Diyarbakır.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

Theater RAST is an Amsterdam-based theater company that produces intercultural musical theater productions exploring Turkish-Kurdish Dutch experiences, migration, identity, and social themes through accessible storytelling. The company operates four activity areas: annual theater productions premiering in Amsterdam and touring nationally, two-year talent development trajectories for emerging theatermakers, international coproduction exchanges with partners in Europe, Turkey, and Iraq, and community theater projects in Amsterdam West neighborhoods.

Product overview

Theater RAST is an Amsterdam-based theater group producing urgent stories that illuminate the tragedy and optimism of a diverse society. The company operates across four main activity areas: theater productions (annual productions in Amsterdam and touring nationally), talent development (two-year trajectories for emerging theater makers), international exchange (coproductions and tours with partners in Europe and Turkey), and community projects (theater activities in Amsterdam West). The portfolio includes music theater, storytelling, classical repertoire, and experimental productions spanning genres from tragicomedy and stand-up comedy to science fiction and folk opera. Key productions include 'Is dit nu liefde' (music theater about the manosphere), 'Onbegrijpelijk Rijk' (exploring privilege), 'GRACE' (Tarantinoesque western), 'The Returned' (science fiction), and the digital content series 'Stages Places' (international vlog). The company is led by artistic directors Ayşegül Karaca and Sidar Toksöz, with Sophie Claassen as business leader, and receives structural funding from Fonds Podiumkunsten and Amsterdams Fonds voor de Kunst.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• De Laatste Minuten A raw, absurdist yet touching theater performance about two best friends reuniting in the afterlife, exploring friendship, addiction, loss, and whether one can truly escape oneself. Created for audiences attending the Bostheater summer programming.
• Is dit nu liefde Urgent music theater production about the manosphere and how people can find each other again despite generational trauma and ingrained role patterns, exploring a complex mother-son relationship. Scheduled to premiere from September 2026.
• Onbegrijpelijk Rijk Theater piece examining the seductive glamour and dark edges of privilege while searching for the common denominator between rich and poor: our vulnerable, sometimes uncomfortable humanity. Scheduled to premiere from October 2026.
• Het is haar eigen schuld Theater monologue about femicide, created in collaboration with De Balie Amsterdam and HTIB, exploring the most predictable form of murder and the lack of attention it receives. Directed by Celil Toksöz with text by Roos Voorhorst and actor Alev Kutluer.
• Stages Places 16-part international vlog series exploring how theater can help tell stories that cross borders and broaden perspectives, featuring interviews with theater makers worldwide.
• Bergen Verzetten Performance about irreversible choices, love and family, exploring the criminal underworld through the lens of human compassion and the stories of people who grew up in criminal environments.
• GRACE

Quantifiable outcome

• Productions tour across Netherlands and internationally to Europe, Turkey, and Iraq

Named customers5 records

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature1 record

Partnerships

Ten partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• Internationaal Theater AmsterdamcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCoproduction partner for Kroniek van een aangekondigde dood and TOSCA. One of the major Dutch theater institutions providing production support and venues.
• Amed Şehir Tiyatrosu (Amed Stadstheater)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerDiyarbakır-based theater company (formerly Diyarbakır Stadstheater) with deep coproduction history including HAMLET (60+ performances in Europe, Iraq, and Turkey), TOSCA, and Don Quichot. The company continues independent operations after government-mandated contract terminations in 2016.
• Podium MozaïekcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerKey Amsterdam venue and coproduction partner hosting multiple RAST productions including De neus (premiere), Is dit nu liefde (premiere), and ongoing programming. Serves as primary Amsterdam venue for the company's work.
• reART Wereldmuziek Koor & EnsemblecoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerMusic ensemble coproducing Arabesk and providing musical contributions to multiple productions including Kroniek van een aangekondigde dood.
• reART CollectivecoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCultural collective coproducing Arabesk with Theater RAST as part of The Spirit Amsterdam festival.
• Teatra Jiyana NûminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerKurdish theater company in coproduction for TOSCA.
• George en Eran ProductiesminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerProduction company of George Tobal and Eran Ben-Michaël, coproducing the George en Eran trilogy including the final production through Theater RAST.
• Stadstheater IstanbulcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerIstanbul municipal theater in coproduction with Şaban Ol's translations of Dutch plays (Vals/Tuzak) brought to Turkish audiences.
• Storytelling CentrecoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerAmsterdam-based storytelling organization coproducing Ik zie, ik zie wat jij niet ziet through their Storytelling/Theater Lab program.
• George Tobal and Eran Ben-MichaëlcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCreators and performers of the George en Eran trilogy, collaborating with RAST for production and touring of the complete trilogy including 'Wereldvrede op' series.

Scale indicators4 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Broad incumbents

• Het Nationale Theater: Dutch national theater company with multi-venue programming across The Hague and touring nationally. Broader incumbent with a wide repertoire that occasionally commissions intercultural work but does not specialize in Turkish-Kurdish Dutch perspectives.
• Internationaal Theater Amsterdam (ITA): Largest Amsterdam theater institution and a strategic coproduction partner for Theater RAST (Kroniek van een aangekondigde dood, TOSCA). A broader incumbent that occasionally curates intercultural repertoire but is not a niche specialist like RAST.

Regional players

• NTGent: Flemish national theater with an internationalist contemporary repertoire and touring programming. Comparable as a mid-sized publicly funded European theater company producing socially engaged work, though not Dutch and not Turkish-Kurdish focused.
• Stadstheater Istanbul: Istanbul municipal theater company and coproduction partner with Theater RAST on Şaban Ol's Dutch-to-Turkish translations (Vals/Tuzak). Comparable producing peer working in Turkish-language contemporary theater with touring ambitions.
• Amed Şehir Tiyatrosu: Kurdish-language theater company based in Diyarbakır and a long-standing coproduction partner for Theater RAST (HAMLET, TOSCA, Don Quichot). Comparable as a producing peer working in Kurdish/Turkish cultural storytelling and touring transnationally.

Direct peers

• Frascati Theater: Amsterdam venue/programmer supporting experimental and contemporary performance. Comparable as an Amsterdam-based presenter of socially engaged contemporary theater that hosts and coproduces work with diverse makers.
• Orkater: Amsterdam-based independent theater company producing contemporary music theater and ensemble-driven work. Comparable peer in Dutch contemporary theater scale and aesthetic, where Sidar Toksöz earned his 2025 Theo d'Or nomination.
• Bellevue Theater Amsterdam: Amsterdam-based maker-focused venue known for innovative and socially relevant programming. Comparable to Theater RAST in serving as an Amsterdam platform for contemporary makers addressing current social themes.
• Podium Mozaïek: Amsterdam theater venue and producer focused on intercultural programming and diverse makers. Direct coproduction partner with Theater RAST on multiple productions (De neus, Is dit nu liefde), sharing a similar multicultural audience-development mission in Amsterdam West.

Others

• De Balie: Amsterdam cultural venue and debate platform that commissioned Theater RAST's femicide monologue 'Het is haar eigen schuld'. Comparable as an Amsterdam institution engaging with the same sociopolitical themes (migration, polarization, gender violence) that drive RAST's programming.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/theaterrast
• YouTubesoundcloud.com/user-150481055
• Facebookfacebook.com/theatergroep.rast
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/theater-rast

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles9 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 RAST