Schauspielhaus Wuppertal

Schauspielhaus Wuppertal
The theatre in 2005
General information
Status	closed
Type	Theatre
Location	Wuppertal, North Rhine-Westphalia, Germany
Address	Bundesallee
Coordinates	51°16′02″N 7°11′37″E / 51.26722°N 7.19361°E / 51.26722; 7.19361Coordinates: 51°16′02″N 7°11′37″E / 51.26722°N 7.19361°E / 51.26722; 7.19361
Construction started	1964
Opened	1966 (1966)
Design and construction
Architect	Gerhard Graubner
Other information
Seating capacity	745 / 135
Website
wuppertaler-buehnen.de

Schauspielhaus Wuppertal was a Schauspielhaus, a theatre for plays, in Wuppertal, North Rhine-Westphalia, Germany. The 745-seat municipal theatre is on Bundesallee next to the river Wupper in Elberfeld. Designed by Gerhard Graubner (), it was opened in 1966, run from 2001 by 'Wuppertaler Bühnen' (Wuppertal Stages, municipal theatres in Wuppertal). Starting in 2009, the house operated only 135 seats, and it was closed on 30 June 2013.

All theatres in Wuppertal were damaged in World War II. Performances were held in various locations. After the opera house was restored in 1956, the town decided in 1962 to build a new house dedicated to plays. In 1963 Gerhard Graubner was commissioned to build a house with 750 seats. Construction started in 1964.

The Schauspielhaus was opened on 24 and 25 September 1966, playing Gotthold Ephraim Lessing's Nathan der Weise and Else Lasker-Schüler's Die Wupper ().Heinrich Böll delivered a speech for the inauguration in the presence of president Heinrich Lübke, "Die Freiheit der Kunst" (Freedom in the art).

Since June 2000, the building has been protected as an architectural monument. During construction at the opera house from 2006 to 2009, it showed also opera and productions of the 'Tanztheater Wuppertal' (Dance Theatre Wuppertal) created by Pina Bausch. In 2009 the house needed major repair, forcing it to be closed. As a renovation could not be funded, a 135-seat studio theatre, the 'Kleines Schauspielhaus' operated in the foyer from the 2009/2010 season. The premiere was on 25 September 2009 Eine Billion Dollar. Protests by citizens achieved a delay for the complete closing until 2013. The last performance was on 30 June 2013. Cleanup has to be finished by 31 July 2013. A further use as an international archive for the dance theatre or en extension of the Von der Heydt Museum is considered, but depends on major renovation that likely also can not be funded.