Theatre of the West

Berlin’s renowned stage for musicals can be found on bustling Kantstraße just a few steps from the Zoologischer Garten station. Opened in 1896, this magnificent Wilhelminian building boasts a long and rich stage tradition matched by few other theatres in Germany. Since 2003, the Theatre of the West has been hosting a mix of German-language versions of international smash-hit musicals from We will rock you to Mamma Mia as well as such home-grown classics as the Udo Jürgens’ musical Ich war noch niemals in New York or a musical version of the popular movie Schuh des Manitu.

Upcoming Highlight: Ku'damm 59 - The Musical

The sequel to the successful musical Ku'damm 56 continues the story of the Schöllack sisters and their mother. A story about four fearless women fighting for emancipation and self-determination at the end of the 1950s. Embark on a musical journey through time to Berlin in the 1950s.

Tickets for Ku'damm 59 - Das Musical

120 years of stage history

The theatre first opened its doors in 1896 with a production of The Thousand and One Nights. By the 1920s, the focus was largely on opera and operetta. Under the Nazi regime, the theatre was renamed the Volksoper. When it was badly damaged in the air raids during the last years of the war, performances were moved to other venues. In the post-war years, the building was provisionally repaired and with the Städtische Oper Berlin’s traditional venue still unusable, the opera ensemble moved in. In 1961, the ensemble took up residence in the new and impressive Deutsche Oper in Bismarckstraße, and the theatre revitalised its tradition of focusing on musicals. It celebrated its 65th anniversary with the première of My Fair Lady in a German-language version – a massive hit which enjoyed an unbroken run of two years. In 1985, the theatre landed a similarly sensational success with the German-language première of the musical La Cage Aux Folles.

Take a look behind the scenes with us in our Berlin Unboxed podcast

In this episode of Berlin Unboxed, we take you on a journey back to the 1920s. Listen to the gossip of the theatre scene in those days - and find out who Trude Hesterberg had perform on her Wilder stage. Stage technician and archivist Thimo Butzmann opens (almost) all the doors for us with his big bunch of keys. He has been working here at the theatre for 30 years - and is also known internally as the Phantom.

More about our podcast Berlin Unboxed

Your Berlin trip, top accommodation and tickets - all in one offer

Book our rail hit deal Berlin KU'DAMM 59 now:

✔ 3 or 4-day city break incl. train and hotel with breakfast including best seat ticket on the 2nd day of travel for the musical "KU'DAMM 59" in Berlin
(Arrival daily except Sunday)

Book KU'DAMM 59 railway hit

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