51. Mülheimer Theatertage: "Schmetterball" von Dorian Brunz

In the organizer's words:

Nominated for the Mülheim Children's Play Prize 2026: "Schmetterball" by Dorian Brunz

Ari and Flo have become friends at table tennis. After the vacations, they want to go to secondary school together. Now Flo sits alone in class. Ari has died of heart failure. But the teacher still doesn't know about Ari's death and Flo can't bring himself to tell her. He claims that Ari has been accepted into the Olympic squad, where he is being trained to become a table tennis champion. A pack of lies that he can't easily get out of. Dorian Brunz skillfully switches between fantasy and reality. In succinct scenes, which in their dialogical ping pong have something of a match about them, he describes sometimes tenderly, sometimes comically, how after a loss one can be flooded with memories that don't even exist. (Theresia Walser, selection committee "KinderStücke" 2026)

Butterfly Ball
Dorian Brunz

Production of the Theater Oberhausen
Age recommendation [9+]

With: Nadja Bruder, Anke Fonferek, Jens Schnarre, Tim Weckenbrock

Director: Thomas Ladwig
Stage and costumes: Gesa Gröning
Dramaturgy: Saskia Zinsser-Krys

A commissioned work for Theater Oberhausen
Supported by "Nah dran! New plays for children's theater"

Following the performance and the audience discussion, at approx. 12:45 pm, the public jury debate on the Mülheim Children's Play Prize 2026 will take place.

All information about the play and the entire program of the 51st Mülheim Theatre Days at: stuecke.de