Theater Plauen-Zwickau faces cuts - petition launched

Faced with a deficit of millions in the coming year, the Plauen-Zwickau Theater is threatened with a reduction in personnel and even the elimination of an entire division. According to General Director Dirk Löschner, the shareholders are currently considering corresponding reduction scenarios on the basis of an external report. "This gives us cause for great concern." The support associations of the two theaters have now launched a petition.

They are calling for the theater's funding to be secured without restrictions for the next two years. They are also appealing to the state and the Vogtland-Zwickau cultural region to increase their subsidies. Otherwise, the end is imminent.

The theater is financed by money from its shareholders - the cities of Plauen and Zwickau - the state and the Vogtland-Zwickau cultural region, as well as its own income such as admission fees. It currently has around 300 employees. They run the opera, drama, ballet, orchestra and the "Jupz!" youth division in both cities. However, the theater is facing a deficit of 3.3 million euros in 2025, and there is even talk of imminent insolvency.

Theater management: capacities are exhausted

Since the merger of the two theaters, many savings have already been made, emphasized Managing Director Sandra Kaiser. These include the reduction of several jobs. However, the company has now reached its lower limit and capacity has been exhausted. The new increase in costs is mainly due to pay rises. Around 80 percent of expenses are personnel costs.

A number of savings are already being prepared to counteract this. For example, there will be three fewer major productions in the new season, Löschner explained. In addition, the theater balls will be suspended and the philharmonic concerts will be performed at the Gewandhaus in Zwickau instead of the Neue Welt. This will save on rental costs, but will also generate less income. This is because there are only half as many seats available in the Gewandhaus. The savings resulting from these measures have been estimated at around half a million euros.

Unrest among the workforce

"There is great unrest and disappointment among the workforce," said works council head Marcus Sandmann after a general meeting. The theater itself had done its homework in recent years. "We are the heart of the city." Making savings now and denying colleagues the money they deserve is unacceptable.