26.09.2026 10 Uhr | "Hinter Glas" | 11. Deutsches Kindertheaterfest

"Behind Glass"
D'HAUS CITY KIDS' CLUB: COLLECTIVE

A pane of glass can protect us from many things: from wind and weather, from a dangerous lion, from loud noises, or from theft. Behind it, we’re not afraid of anything at all… or are we? We dive into the world of a shopping mall. The employees here know exactly how to protect themselves from the dangers of the world. Customer contact? Only possible digitally now. Many routines define their daily work—until one day, someone unexpectedly turns the shopping mall upside down. And the glass pane behind which the employees hide begins to crack. 
 In this theater club production, the 14 performers—ages 8 to 13—confront deep-seated fears, scare each other and the audience, take a running jump over shadows, and battle a monster. Only to realize in the end that a life free of fear isn’t hidden behind a pane of glass, but requires the courage to step out from behind it, one small step at a time. 

11th German Children’s Theater Festival

In September 2026, the Federal Association for Theater Education, in collaboration with LATIBUL, will host the 11th German Children’s Theater Festival in Cologne under the motto “Off to Utopia!”

Since 2004, the festival has been held every two years at a different theater. It is the only nationwide gathering that showcases productions by children for children. The festival highlights both the artistic value of children’s theater and the wide variety of themes, subject matter, methodological approaches, and performance styles. A total of six selected children’s theater groups are invited to the festival to present their productions. The selection of productions is carried out by a twelve-member jury—composed equally of experts under 12 and experts over 24.

The festival will be complemented by an accompanying professional exchange, which will be organized in 2026 by ASSITEJ e.V. and the Center for Children’s and Youth Theater in the Federal Republic of Germany (KJTZ). From September 24–27, 2026, the LATIBUL circus grounds in Cologne will become a gathering place for children’s theater groups from all over Germany. Four days full of imagination, encounters, and the stage—with the plays taking center stage!

The German Children’s Theater Festival is a project of the Standing Conference “Children Play Theater,” consisting of six federal associations for cultural education of children and youth, and is supported by the Federal Ministry of Education, Family, Senior Citizens, Women, and Youth (BMFSFJ).

Click here to visit the German Children’s Theater Festival website