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Here comes our selection for the 2024 edition of FRATZ!


It was the first time FRATZ implemented a jury and an open call to reach out to a wider community of theater makers for very young audiences. Our aim was to bring more artistic perspectives into our programming process and the festival.

We received 113 entries in response to the open call and thank all colleagues for taking part and sharing their work. After reviewing and discussing the entries in several rounds, the jury chose three productions. Together with a play curated by our Indian partner THINK ARTS Kolkata and the contributions and cooperations of the festival organizer, Theater o.N., the festival will present a diverse program for babies and children.

The productions selected by the jury are:

Dalija Acin Thelander
Fields of tender

An immersive durational dance performance for babies and children with disabilities | 6 months to 10 years

tout petit
Shall we together...
Performance for children from 2,5 years and seniors

Magnet Theatre
Bounced
Performance for children from 3-6 years 

The production selected by the arts organization ThinkArts Kolkata is:

Sananda Mukhopadhyaya
I Am Home (Hanv Gara Asa)
Play for children from 2-5 years

The productions presented by the organizer Theater o.N. are:

Alfredo Zinola
THINGS at the End of the World 
A dance performance about materials and nature | from 2 years

Theater o.N. & Nir de Volff
LUFT
Dance performance for all ages | from 3 years

The jury chose originally one more performance:
Hong Kong Five Senses Education Experimental Theatre (HK5Senses)
Lines on Planet
All starts from a line - Performance for children from 2 years

Sadly, we had to learn that Gemini Wong Yuk Tak, the artistic director of Hong Kong Five Senses, passed away last November. For the group, which is currently struggling with questions of how to go on, it is currently not possible to realize a trip to Germany and show their production “Lines on planet” at the festival.
We would like to create an exchange with the artists of HK5 Senses as part of the festival to honor the great work Gemini created for young children in Hong Kong and the passion with which she followed her goal of inspiring families to nourish their relationships through the performing arts. This continues a conversation we started digitally with Gemini at FRATZ symposium 2022.

The jury consisted of six members:

Tessa Hart - culture and change maker in the performing arts, film and sociocultural field
Susanne Tod - theater educator with a focus on diversity and access consulting
Marie Yan - author and dramaturg with a focus on postcolonial and queer-feminist perspectives
* Vera Strobel/Dagmar Domrös/Doreen Markert - artistic directors of Theater o.N. & FRATZ International.

We congratulate all invited groups and artists! We look forward to seeing the productions together and entering in a lively exchange in Berlin in the fall.

The FRATZ team

***

ThinkArts Kolkata  is an organization, that creates, curates and facilitates quality arts engagements and experiences for children and young audiences in various cities in India. Theater o.N./FRATZ International have been in contact with ThinkArts for many years and have asked the organization to curate a guest performance from India and design a laboratory for the local scene. https://www.thinkarts.co.in/