What Staatstheater Oldenburg does

Staatstheater Oldenburg, legally Oldenburgisches Staatstheater, is a state-funded performing arts institution located in Oldenburg, Lower Saxony, Germany. It is constituted as an institution of the State of Lower Saxony (Land Niedersachsen) with additional co-funding from the City of Oldenburg (Stadt Oldenburg) and operates as a public-sector cultural entity rather than a privately or publicly traded company. The theater presents a multi-genre program spanning opera and musical theater (Musiktheater), drama (Schauspiel), ballet, orchestral concerts (Staatsorchester), youth theater (Junges Staatstheater), Low German theater (Niederdeutsches Schauspiel), and experimental digital formats (Sparte 7 / DigitEx). Productions are staged across three venues — the Großes Haus, the Kleines Haus, and the Exhalle — with additional open-air performances at the Schloss.

The institution serves regional audiences in and around Oldenburg through individual ticket sales, season subscriptions (Abo), group bookings, school and youth programs, and theater education (Theatervermittlung, Musikvermittlung). Distribution is via a physical box office (Theaterkasse) and an online ticket shop integrated with CTS EVENTIM, supplemented by email marketing through CleverReach and social channels including Facebook, Instagram, and YouTube. Accessibility features include MobileConnect streaming-based hearing support and barrier-free performances, with GDPR (DSGVO) and BITV 2.0 compliance.

Revenue is structurally underpinned by recurring public subsidies from the State of Lower Saxony and the City of Oldenburg, with secondary earned revenue from ticket and subscription sales, on-site gastronomy, donations, and sponsorship. The commercial technology stack is operational rather than product-facing, comprising Microsoft 365 for internal collaboration, Softgarden and Textkernel (AI-based CV parsing) for HR, Google Analytics, CleverReach for newsletters, and standard web infrastructure. Leadership consists of Generalintendant Georg Heckel and Verwaltungsleitung Stephan Bruhn. The theater's 2026/27 season (Spielzeit 26/27) is publicly programmed with new productions including 'The Sound of Music', 'Der Nussknacker', 'Viel Lärm um Nichts', and 'Die Wut, die bleibt'.

Name

Staatstheater Oldenburg

Legal name

Oldenburgisches Staatstheater

Website

https://staatstheater.de

Company type

Private

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Staatstheater Oldenburg is a publicly funded state theater in Lower Saxony, Germany, presenting opera, drama, ballet, concerts, and youth theater across three venues. It serves Oldenburg residents and regional audiences via ticket sales, subscriptions, and educational programs, with core funding from the State of Lower Saxony and the City of Oldenburg.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Performing Arts Theater

NAICS

Theater Companies and Dinner Theaters (711110), Dance Companies (711120), Musical Groups and Artists (711130), Performing Arts Companies (7111)

SIC

Services-Amusement & Recreation Services (7900)

akta.pro primary industry

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

akta.pro secondary industries

Musical Theatre (Non-Broadway/Fringe) (MPAGABAG), Classical Ballet (Full-Length & Repertoire) (MPAGADAA), Children’s & Youth Theatre (MPAGABAE), Theater & Performing Arts Venue Operations (Playhouses, Opera Houses) (MPAGALAB), Concert Halls & Music Venue Operations (Symphony Halls, Recital Venues) (MPAGALAC)

Keywords

• Performing arts theater
• Opera and ballet
• Stage drama productions
• Orchestral concerts
• Youth theater programs

Headquarters

HQ city

Oldenburg

HQ country

Germany

HQ region

Europe

Offices2 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: Direct ticket sales for performances at the box office (Theaterkasse) and online via the ticket shop. Customers can pay by cash, EC card, credit card, or SEPA direct debit.
2. Subscriptions (Abo): Subscription packages offering discounted access to multiple performances throughout the season, with customer data including name, address, phone, email, bank details, and status (student, disabled) stored.
3. Public Funding: State-funded institution of the State of Lower Saxony (Land Niedersachsen), also supported by the City of Oldenburg (Stadt Oldenburg).
4. Gastronomy: On-site dining services for theater visitors.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

Staatstheater Oldenburg is a state-funded performing arts institution that produces and presents live stage performances across multiple genres — drama (Schauspiel), opera and musical theater (Musiktheater), ballet (Ballett), and orchestral concerts (Staatsorchester). It also runs youth theater, Low German theater, experimental/digital programming, and theater/music education programs, selling tickets and subscriptions to performances held in its three venues (Großes Haus, Kleines Haus, Exhalle).

Product overview

Staatstheater Oldenburg is a multi-disciplinary performing arts institution offering a diverse portfolio of theatrical productions across multiple genres. The core offerings include Schauspiel (drama), Musiktheater (opera/musical), Ballett (ballet), and Konzert (orchestral concerts) performances, along with specialized programming for young audiences through Junges Staatstheater and experimental digital formats via Sparte 7/DigitEx. The theater operates multiple venues including the Großes Haus (main stage), Kleines Haus (studio theater), and Exhalle (experimental venue). Additional services include comprehensive theater education and outreach programs (Theatervermittlung), music education (Musikvermittlung), a digital media archive (Mediathek), and box office services for ticket sales. The institution also presents guest performances and features the resident state orchestra (Oldenburgisches Staatsorchester).

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Staatsorchester: The state orchestra of the Oldenburgisches Staatstheater
• Orchesterakademie
• Exhalle
• Großes Haus
• Kleines Haus

Products and services

• Schauspiel (Drama)
• Musiktheater (Opera/Musical Theater)
• Ballett (Ballet)
• Konzert (Concerts)
• Junges Staatstheater (Young People's Theater)
• Niederdeutsches Schauspiel (Low German Drama)
• Sparte 7 / DigitEx (Experimental and Digital Theater)
• Theatervermittlung (Theater Education and Outreach)
• Musikvermittlung (Music Education)
• Gastspiele (Guest Performances)
• Theaterkasse (Box Office and Ticketing Service)

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Integration14 records

Feature2 records

Partnerships

Five partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• Land Niedersachsen (State of Lower Saxony)coreOthersThe Oldenburgisches Staatstheater is an institution of the State of Lower Saxony (Land Niedersachsen). The state provides primary institutional funding and support for the theater's operations and programming.
• Stadt Oldenburg (City of Oldenburg)coreOthersThe City of Oldenburg is a cultural partner and funding source for the theater, providing additional financial support alongside state funding.
• Hochschule für Schauspielkunst Ernst BuschminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerCooperation with the Ernst Busch Academy of Dramatic Arts for the production 'Farm der Tiere' (Animal Farm), involving student involvement in puppetry and performance.
• FigurenKombinatminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerEnsemble for contemporary puppet theater founded in 2012, with which Maik Evers collaborates on puppet-related productions at the theater.
• theaterspielMarieminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerEnsemble for contemporary children's and youth theater founded in 2017, collaborating on youth-oriented productions.

Scale indicators2 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• Theater Bremen: Multi-genre publicly funded theater (Oper, Schauspiel, Ballett, Konzert) serving a comparable northern German mid-sized city. Operates a similar subscription- and ticket-based revenue model with public subsidies and offers the closest genre and audience overlap to Oldenburg.
• Theater Freiburg: Baden-Württemberg Stadttheater with full multi-genre repertoire (Schauspiel, Musiktheater, Tanz, Konzert) and a similar publicly funded operating model. Closely comparable in scale and in the breadth of disciplines maintained simultaneously.
• Theater Osnabrück: Stadttheater serving a Lower-Saxony city of comparable size to Oldenburg, with similar multi-genre programming (Schauspiel, Musiktheater, Ballett, Junges Theater). Direct geographic and demographic peer within the same state.
• Badisches Staatstheater Karlsruhe: State theater offering opera, ballet, concerts, and drama under public subsidy in a mid-sized German city. Closely analogous institutional design and full-discipline repertoire to Staatstheater Oldenburg.
• Staatstheater Wiesbaden: Hessian state theater with multi-genre programming (Oper, Schauspiel, Ballett, Konzert) under public subsidy. Closely comparable mid-sized-city operating model, subscription structure, and ensemble economics.
• Staatstheater Braunschweig: Lower-Saxony-based state theater with full multi-genre programming (opera, drama, ballet, concerts) and a venue portfolio comparable to Oldenburg's. Sister-state institution sharing the same Land Niedersachsen funding environment and regulatory framework.
• Staatstheater Kassel: Hessian state theater operating a comparable multi-genre repertoire (opera, drama, ballet, concerts) for a similarly sized German city under a public-subsidy model. Most structurally analogous to Staatstheater Oldenburg across funding model, ensemble structure, and venue mix.
• Landestheater Niedersachsen: State-funded touring theater also operating under the Land Niedersachsen umbrella, with comparable repertoire across drama, music theater, and youth productions. Closely comparable funding base and regional touring-vs-resident hybrid model.

Broad incumbents

• Nationaltheater Mannheim: Larger multi-genre state theater (Oper, Schauspiel, Ballett, Konzert) serving a comparable southern German city. Operates the same publicly funded multi-discipline model but at a larger scale and with a stronger national brand.
• Theater Basel: Swiss publicly funded multi-genre theater (Schauspiel, Oper, Ballett) operating across a similar repertoire and subscription model but at a larger scale, with cross-border audience reach into Germany. Comparable institutional design and programming mix.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks4 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• YouTubeyoutube.com/c/OldenburgischesStaatstheater
• Facebookfacebook.com/oldenburgisches.staatstheater
• Instagraminstagram.com/oldenburgischesstaatstheater/?hl=de
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/staatstheater-oldenburg

Compliance2 records

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles4 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 Staatstheater Oldenburg