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THE ART OF STAYING MANY | Erfurt

Video still on the animated event trailer. Facade of a prefabricated housing estate, in front of it colorful silhouettes of people and two flying globes. In dark lettering "Erfurt 16.+17.06." and the logo of the Phoenix Theater Festival. © Roman Hagenbrock

August 16 and 17, 2024 | Plattenstufen-Festspiele presented by the PHOENIX Theaterfestival

In Erfurt, the Forum took place away from the cathedral and old town on the Platz der Völkerfreundschaft in the middle of the high-rise housing estate in Rieth. And was planned as a very practical friendship strategy with networking, communities, a performative beauty salon (Frauke Frech) and arguing, grumbling, singing (citizen) choirs – for a resistant and combative local community.

Impressionen

A group of summery dressed people follow a tour guide across the square in Erfurt's Rieht district. In the background you can see skyscrapers and prefabricated buildings. © Elena Kaufmann
A stage lit up in pink, surrounded by people on benches in the square in Erfurt-Rieth. In the background, prefabricated buildings rise up against the night sky. © Jonas Walter
Member of the Bundestag Awet Tesfaiesus stands at the lectern and gives a welcoming address. © Jonas Walter
Heavily made up in a blue bomber jacket and with her mouth wide open, a woman screams into a microphone. People stand in a semi-circle around her and watch her. © Jonas Walter
In the middle of a square, eight people stand on a white sheet in different poses, united in a group picture. © Jonas Walter
Carsten Schneider, Federal Government Commissioner for Eastern Germany, stands at the lectern and gives a welcoming address. © Jonas Walter
A beauty salon is set up in the open air. Two women have their hair and make-up done by the staff. © Jonas Walter
The performer and activist Tanja Krone, dressed in a blue dress with a red apron over it, speaks into the microphone in a dynamic pose in front of a sausage stand. © Jonas Walter
Four people of different ages stand in front of a screen and apply mustard. © Jonas Walter
Ein als Cowboy gekleideter Performer steht in Zuschauerreihen auf dem Platz und hält einen gefüllten Drahtkorb in der Hand. © Elena Kaufmann
In front of the festival information point in a blue container on the square, a woman in a headscarf and a man leaning on a stick sit side by side and talk. © Elena Kaufmann

Program overview

August 16, 2024

10 a.m. – 10:15 a.m.

Market Barker

Welcome with Anica Happich (Artistic Director PHOENIX Theaterfestival)

Start of the day with announcements about the current world situation, the height of the water level under the slab concrete and the wind force that is blowing against us.

  • Venue: Truck on the Platz der Völkerfreundschaft / BRUNNENPLATZ
10 a.m. – 5 p.m.

Grand Beauty On Tour

Transcultural beauty salon with Frauke Frech, Isabel Galindo, Jessica Lopez, Sharifah Rasoli, Hengame Sadeghi

GRAND BEAUTY is a radically diverse beauty salon in which beauty and care experts with and without a migrant background, self-taught artists and professionals work together. Beauty is understood here as a gesture of solidarity with one another, as a concept of a good life free from oppression.

GRAND BEAUTY is an award-winning transcultural salon for beauty, diversity and dialog and was awarded the 2021 "The Power of Arts - Transforming Society" prize.

  • Venue: Wellness Café/ Container/ BRUNNENPLATZ
11:30 a.m. – 3:30 p.m.

Get involved, an exercise in adding your mustard to the mix.

Workshop with Tanja Krone

The director, musician and performer Tanja Krone invites everyone to add their own bit of mustard to the general situation, in the literal sense of the word: in the collective process of making mustard, you can enter into conversation with Krone – about the meaning of the spicy paste when it’s once again about the sausage, as well as about the mustard of the present in general.

  • Venue: Truck on the Platz der Völkerfreundschaft / BRUNNENPLATZ
15:30 - 16:00

Greetings

Evelin Richter (social worker Rieth, cooperation partner Plattenstufen Festspiele), Carsten Schneider (Minister of State and Commissioner of the Federal Government for East Germany), Holger Bergmann (Managing Director of the Fonds Darstellende Künste), Silvia Werner (Network Director Verbund Festival Friends), Anica Happich (Artistic Director Plattenstufen Festspiele / Initiator PHOENIX Theaterfestival)

4 p.m. – 6 p.m.

Truck Time

Truck Time is an active and activating chill out time and place of constant discussion about THE ART OF STAYING MANY: Come along, inform yourselves and us, exchange ideas – about fears, questions, wishes about contemporary history. On our journey through nine venues, the truck will offer you a listening ear and connect the experiences, places and reports via analog CHAT. And if you want to do something concrete, you can build DIY wind turbines with us – to measure together how and where the political wind is blowing.

  • Venue: Truck on the Platz d. Völkerfreundschaft / BRUNNENPLATZ
4 p.m. - 4:45 p.m.

Orchester on Tour

Children's concert and instrument exploration

An exclusive mini-concert! Gundula Mantu (violin) and Kremena Christowa (viola), members of the Erfurt Philharmonic Orchestra, introduce their instruments to the children. There is a lot to recognize, sing along to and discover. From the animals that hide in the viola and the violin to the way a mute changes the sound - we learn all this during "Orchestra on Tour".

  • In cooperation with Theater Erfurt
  • Venue: Truck on the Platz d. Völkerfreundschaft / BRUNNENPLATZ
  • n case of bad weather, the event will take place indoors. Further information at https://phoenixfestival.de/


4 p.m. - 5:30 p.m.

Let's exchange business cards

Networking format with the Thüringer Theaterverband, FESTIVAL FRIENDS VERBUND, Fonds Darstellende Künste, PHOENIX Theaterfestival

An event of the Plattenstufen-Festspiele. You can find more information here.

  • Venue: Truck on the Platz d. Völkerfreundschaft / ARENA
6 p.m. – 7 p.m.

Im Brandzeichen des Astronomischen Pferdes

Western-Show by Rumpel Pumpel Theater

An event of the Plattenstufen-Festspiele. Further information can be found here.

8.30 p.m. – 9:30 p.m.

Cats of Erfurt

The junkyard musical by glanz&krawall, with live music by the Schrotti Star Orchestra.

An event of the Plattenstufen-Festspiele. Further information can be found here.

August 17, 2024

10 a.m. – 10:15 a.m.

Market Barker

Welcome with Anica Happich (Artistic Director PHOENIX Theaterfestival)

Start of the day with announcements about the current world situation, the height of the water level under the slab concrete and the wind force that is blowing against us.

  • Venue: Truck on the Platz der Völkerfreundschaft / BRUNNENPLATZ
10:00 a.m. - 16:00 p.m.

Truck Time with the Remida Kreativ Mobil

Truck Time is an active and activating chill-out time and a place for constant discussion about the ART OF BEING MANY: Come along, find out more about us and yourselves, share your fears, questions and wishes about contemporary history. On our journey through 9 venues, the truck will give you an open ear and connect the experiences, places and reports via analog CHAT. And if you want to do something concrete, you can build DIY wind turbines with us - to measure together how and where the political wind blows.

Discover, collect, create - free space for children!

The “Kreativ Mobil” is a mobile laboratory, a workshop, a discovery space and an exhibition venue. Non-toxic waste and leftovers from industry, trade, crafts and commerce are prepared in an appealing way and thus tempt you to be creative and artistic. The aim is to raise awareness of the wealth of materials and their diverse uses. In one to two hours, the children have the freedom to experience the topic of “sustainability” with all their senses, to design and create a unique work of art.

Open-minded Thuringia action days ("Weltoffenes Thüringen")

In concern for democracy in our state, organizations and people from all over Thuringia are involved in Weltoffenes Thüringen. From 10 a.m., volunteers from Erfurt will be offering a craft activity for children. Wool dolls will be made as a sign against misanthropy and for a diverse Thuringia. Information material and flyers on the “Weltoffenes Thüringen” initiative will also be available for interested parties.

  • Venue: Truck on the Platz d. Völkerfreundschaft / BRUNNENPLATZ
12:15 p.m.

Durch Dick und Dünn

An event of the Plattenstufen-Festspiele. Further information can be found here.

1:30 p.m. – 3 p.m.

ANNAMEDEA and her Meckerchor

Meckerchor by anna stiede and Susann Neuenfeldt, a cooperation with Panzerkreuzer Rotkäppchen

Choir: Tanja Krone, Tommy Neuwirth, Anica Happich, Maren Barnikow, Anna Barth, u.v.m.

The East German practice of giving out and complaining is an expression of opinion and a subversive practice of seeking trust that originated in GDR times. What wishes and dreams are hidden in today's rants? The performance artist anna stiede, who comes from Thuringia, has developed the citizen ANNAMEDEA together with the director Susann Neuenfeldt. Now, in the face of the upcoming state elections, ANNAMEDEA works and wanders through the East with a growing, life-affirming choir of grumblers, open to all those who need to moan. An invitation to a collective, sensual and powerful act of complaining. Next stop: Erfurt and Dresden!

  • Venue: Platz d. Völkerfreundschaft / ARENA, BRUNNENPLATZ
2:00 p.m.

PLATTE performative neighborhood walk in Rieth with M.over Company

An event of the Plattenstufen-Festspiele. Further information can be found here.

2 p.m. - 7 p.m.

Siebdruck for everyone

Upcycling and consumer sensitization with Conny Lohse (liebewicht) Upcycling instead of devaluing!

An event of the Plattenstufen-Festspiele. Further information can be found here.

  • Please bring T-shirts, jute bags or sweaters with a high cotton or viscose content.
  • Venue: Truck on the Platz d. Völkerfreundschaft / BRUNNENPLATZ
7:30 p.m. - 9:30 p.m.

Cats of Erfurt

The junkyard musical by glanz&krawall, with live music by the Schrotti Star Orchestra.

An event of the Plattenstufen-Festspiele. Further information can be found here.