The aroma of old wood and the faint echo of laughter cling to the air in the former Schlecker market on Hinterbärenbadstraße. This unassuming orange building, nestled deep within a Munich residential area, is now home to ‘Theater Und so fort’ – a stage that has defied odds, displacement, and financial constraints for nearly three decades. It’s a story not just about survival, but about the unwavering spirit of a man, Heiko Dietz, and the community he has built around his passion for theater.
Heiko Dietz: The Heartbeat of the Theater
At 58, Heiko Dietz is more than just the director; he is the soul of ‘Theater Und so fort’. Before a performance, you’ll find him at the box office, chatting with regulars, his presence as integral to the experience as the play itself. And then, without missing a beat, he’ll be on stage for two hours, delivering a captivating performance. When not in Sendling, he’s gracing other stages or penning new works for his beloved theater.
Dietz’s journey into theater began in high school. After training at the Zerboni acting school and three seasons at the Kammerspiele under Dieter Dorn, he found his true calling in the independent scene. “Independent work has always appealed to me more,” he explains, a sentiment that has guided his path ever since.
A History of Resilience and Relocation
The ‘Und so fort’ story is one of constant motion and unwavering determination. Founded as a free theater group in 1992, it officially became a theater with its own stage in 1999 under Dietz and Christian Kroos. Their first home was in Hans-Sachs-Straße 12, a space they swiftly took over after learning of its vacancy. “We didn’t hesitate,” Dietz recalls, a characteristic that has defined their approach to challenges.
After a decade, they were forced to move, finding a new temporary home in the old Theater Unterton. But fate had more trials in store. In July 2017, a construction-related water damage and a botched renovation rendered them homeless once again. “We sank in Kurfürstenstraße 8,” Dietz recounts with a wry smile. Giving up, however, was never an option. For two years, until October 2019, they became a nomadic troupe, performing in almost every free theater in Munich, even transforming the Milla Club into a stage.
During these “traveling years,” their loyal audience proved their unwavering support. “Our regulars supported us, they pilgrimaged after us,” Dietz proudly states. “In some theaters, they were surprised why we had more guests than their own productions.”
A New Home in Sendling: An Accidental Discovery
Their current home in Sendling was found by chance. A friend, cycling past the empty Schlecker market, noticed it had been vacant for four years and secured a contact number. This serendipitous discovery led ‘Theater Und so fort’ to its current location, where it has been established for seven years.
The move to a residential area presented a new challenge: attracting a local audience beyond their devoted followers. “There’s nothing else here,” Dietz points out. “There are many new residents here. And it happens very often that people consciously say, ‘we don’t have to go into the city’.” The strategy worked, and the theater now feels at home in its quiet surroundings. Coincidentally, like at all their previous locations, a magnolia tree stands near the theater – a comforting constant in their ever-changing journey.
Funding and the Fight for Cultural Survival
Heiko Dietz is the tenant of the pavilion for 15 years, with an option for five more. This arrangement was due to the owner’s preference for an individual over an association. Dietz then sublets the building to Theta e. V., the association that has been the operational backbone since the theater’s early days in Glockenbachviertel. Dietz, of course, chairs the association.
There are no permanent employees; the core team on and behind the stage works on a freelance basis. Theta e. V., while not a traditional support association, provides the stage and supports productions. Each production is structured as a separate GbR (Gesellschaft bürgerlichen Rechts), which Dietz says reduces administrative effort. “Each production is a self-contained cosmos, which I always find very important,” he explains. “Applications for funding are made by the association, and the money is then specifically given to the production GbRs, each of which is only there to make a specific play. This also makes everything easier to check.”
The City of Munich provides crucial funding, with ‘Und so fort’ receiving 116,160 Euros annually from the Cultural Department, placing it in the mid-range of the eight funded theaters. “I am absolutely grateful that we receive money from the city,” Dietz says. “It’s not a given.” This was starkly evident when the theater was once excluded from a previous two-year funding model, reportedly due to a jury member’s personal animosity.
Beyond ticket sales and renting out the premises, the theater has no other income. The theater bar has operated on a donation basis with self-service since the pandemic. The funding covers only about half a year’s fixed costs. “The other half has to be earned,” Dietz states, referring to the challenge of generating income from the up to 84 seats in the hall. He resists focusing on occupancy rates, believing that playing is the only alternative. “I honestly never calculated that,” he admits. “I don’t think about such things because I always feel that if I start thinking about it, I’m chasing a number. And I’d rather not.”
The Power of Small Contributions and a Full Season
Even small revenues make a difference; 200 Euros can cover a month’s electricity bill. Dietz emphasizes the importance of the theater’s presence over financial minutiae. “Of course, you can start calculating every single light bulb, but I don’t do all that. I think it’s more important that the offer is there.”
This philosophy extends to their extended playing season, which runs until mid-August, longer than most other theaters. “That means we are definitely present. We are in the newspaper, in the running text. Everything else is closed. But I want to go to the theater: Who is open? Theater… Und so fort, I’ll go there. I always notice that immediately. In summer, most of the new guests are there.”
From its overall budget, ‘Und so fort’ stages four in-house productions each season. The summer production is entirely self-funded. The scale of productions is dictated by the requirements of the plays and the annual schedule. “Five, six people are already the absolute maximum if we want to do several productions.” In their “traveling years,” for instance, the troupe focused on one, larger production. “But now we know: next year the first play has five people. And then I have to adjust to what the overall funding allows,” Dietz explains.
“Perhaps there will also be a production without a stage set – just a black room. Then you save money and can pay an actor again. That’s more like the sport: How do I deal with what I have. Apart from financial restrictions, Theater… Und so fort stands for truly free theater. We have no limits in what we do. Also in the themes that you want to show.”
A Stage for Every Story: From Comedy to Contemporary Drama
At Westpark, audiences can experience both classic boulevard comedies like Fabrice Roger-Lacan’s “The Door Next Door” and profound contemporary dramas such as Lot Vekemans’ “False.” Last year, Dietz dramatized “And Feathers Everywhere,” a novel by Bachmann Prize winner Nava Ebrahimi. The countless posters in the foyer bear witness to the variety of past productions, a diversity they aim to maintain.
On Hinterbärenbadstraße, they act rather than lament. “Sometimes, when I participate in a round table, they say: ‘You can’t make theater with that.’ Then I can always say: Give it to me and I’ll make something. What’s the point? Of course, I can always get upset, but getting upset doesn’t do me any good. He who complains, dies earlier.”
Dietz still sees room for improvement. “This so-called ‘Kultureuro’ would be such a simple solution that everyone could handle. Nobody cares if you pay one Euro more for a hotel overnight stay.” He also believes it’s important to focus more on the fixed costs of a theater with its own stage. “We have relatively high rent and ancillary costs. Others don’t even have half of that, you can calculate all that.” He believes a separate, earmarked funding based on fixed costs would be sensible.
The New Season: Tackling 9/11 and Thrillers
The plans for the current 2026/27 season are complete. The season kicked off with the premiere of “Towers 217” on Friday, written by Dietz himself. The play commemorates the 25th anniversary of 9/11, exploring the attack. “Hard stuff, there is still a lot that is unexplained or unclear,” Dietz notes. The play delves into questions of memory, perception, and truth.
In November, the German premiere of Bernhard Aichner’s thriller novel “My Vest White,” featuring the regular duo of Heiko Dietz and Conny Krause, will take the stage. The new year will bring a refreshed revival of the 2019 production of Josef Hader’s and Alfred Dorfer’s “India,” relocated to the Bavarian Forest.
“Towers 217” will run regularly until November 1st, with tickets starting from 17 Euros, available at undsofort.de or at the evening box office.
Source: https://www.abendzeitung-muenchen.de/kultur/buehne/84-plaetze-so-kommt-dieses-kleine-theater-mitten-im-muenchner-wohngebiet-ueber-die-runden-art-1157795
