Theater am Neumarkt
| Theater Neumarkt | |
|---|---|
The theater building at Neumarkt, Zürich
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| General information | |
| Type | Theatre |
| Location | Neumarkt, Zürich, Switzerland |
| Coordinates | 47°22′13″N 8°32′42″E / 47.370246°N 8.544995°ECoordinates: 47°22′13″N 8°32′42″E / 47.370246°N 8.544995°E |
| Completed | 1742 |
| Technical details | |
| Floor count | 3 |
| Design and construction | |
| Architect | David Morf |
| Other information | |
| Seating capacity | 220 |
The Theater am Neumarkt (English: Theater at Neumarkt) or by its present official name Theater Neumarkt is a theatre in the German-speaking Switzerland situated at Neumarkt, Zürich. It is part of the building complex Bilgeriturm–Neumarkt and also houses the Hottinger guild for two days a year.
The building was constructed by David Morf in 1742 as the guild house of the Schumacher (shoemakers) guild and was later used as the meeting point of the Communist Party of Switzerland that was there founded in 1923. The government of the city of Zürich bought the building in 1933, since 1966 it houses the present Neumarkt Theater, as well as the Neumarkt restaurant in the ground floor.
The hall in the second floor probably was used sporadically as a venue in the 18th century by the then guild house. Since the 1940s it was in use under the name "Theater am Neumarkt" for guest performances and also served as a permanent venue, among others from 1949 to 1951 to the Cabaret Cornichon. After it had been used as an alternative site to the Schauspielhaus venue, increasingly evident occurred in the fifties and sixties for the use as a contemporary theater.
interior, 2nd floor
supraporta showing the insigna of the former shoemaker guild
Thus, on 13 January 1965 the city theater under the direction of the administrative department of the Zürich mayor was established, but failed financially and artisticly. Re-opened on 12 January 1966, presenting Havel's "The Garden Party", the Neumarkt Theater was founded in its present form. Under the direction of Felix Rellstab (1966–1971), it was established as the second theater stage in Zürich that performed contemporary plays. Among other stage actors, Mathias Gnädinger was one of the most prominent Swiss actors of the first Neumarkt ensemble, and from 1968 to 1971 Paul Bühlmann was also a member of the theater's ensemble,
The theatre on the two floors at Neumarkt has about 220 seats, further 40 seats at a small external stage and the crew provides also a rehearsal stage at the Werdinsel location having additional 100 seats.
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