In German with English surtitles

There was no text. There was no theme. We didn’t know each other. But it’s time to take risks and trust that something will grow from coming together and meeting. It’s time to set aside differences and self-boundaries and trust that we will find common ground. Let’s take the risk!

At Ballhaus Naunynstraße, around forty theatre makers of Color and Black artists came together in two groups to think about, experiment with, and produce theatre. Contributors such as director, author, and lecturer Adewale Teodros Adebisi, lighting designer Emilio Cordero Checa, sound designer Sky Deep, the screenwriter, director and actor Toks Körner, the artist, architect, stage designer and costume designer Jaq Lisboa, the opera singer, actor and director Nino Sandow, the stage designer and costume designer Sarah Seini and the dramaturge Jasco Viefhues shared their knowledge.

Texts were written, staging images were dreamed up, acting constellations were tested, much was discarded, new things were attempted, and now: Showing! We share with the audience what we have!

For the second time, as the first successful workshop showing, Extended Cooperation Vol. I, took place back in May. Because this workshop is a necessity at a time when social hierarchization and exclusion are being politically pursued and implemented with renewed force: It is about coming together to design, work, create, and find our own rhythms for the body, speech, and self-assertion.

In 2023, Ballhaus Naunynstraße was honored with the main prize of the Theaterpreises des Bundes: As the birthplace of post-migrant theatre and – according to the jury’s reasoning – because Ballhaus Naunynstraße, as a „singular framework,“ enables new practices of theatre-making. The prize money was used for the realization of this workshop, of Extended Cooperation Vol. I and Vol. II.