Clear the stage
Nidwalden theater kids move to the Chäslager
The young theater group thrilled its audience with its play “Zauber Zauder Schauder” in the 2024 season and is moving to a new venue for the next theater season.
The Nidwaldner Theaterkids performed an imaginative, fairytale-like story in the 2024 season.
Image: zvg
The Nidwalden theater kids thrilled their audience with the piece “Zauber Zauder Schauder”. The piece played by the children and young people took the audience into the fantastic Waldschlössli shared apartment, where unusual roommates such as the dwarf Fred, the dragon Yoko, the king’s daughter Chantal, the angel Ciel, the fairy Lilu and a newly awakened Sleeping Beauty go about their everyday lives together. They cook, celebrate and live together – but appearances are deceiving, as unpleasant feelings spoil the idyll. Help is approaching in the form of the mysterious magician Magus, who, together with his pets, makes the seemingly impossible possible and makes the unloved emotions disappear.
The imaginative piece not only unfolded a fairytale story, but also gave a deep insight into the emotional world of the young actors, according to a statement. The concerns, challenges and joys of the children and young people were presented humorously and with a lot of lightness.
Under the direction of the trio Alina Trieblnig, Sylvie Kohler and Emu Järmann, “Zauber Zauder Schauder” was developed together with the children over six months. The performances took place as part of the exhibition on amateur theater in the Nidwalden Museum Salzmagazin and were very well received – every performance was sold out except for the last seat.
Outlook for 2025: A new home for the theater kids
A significant change is imminent: the group is moving from its previous location in the Spritzenhaus to the cheese warehouse. This step opens up new technical possibilities in the areas of stage construction and catering, according to a statement. Lino Infanger, co-president and treasurer of the Theaterkids, explains: “With the move to the Chäslager, the Nidwalden Theaterkids will finally have a representative home.”
The new environment will further promote the creative process and offer children and young people even better conditions for their artistic development, the statement continues.
There was also a change in the board of directors on October 12, 2024. Jozef Lauwers is leaving the board after almost 27 years with the club. Kira Heimler was newly elected to the board. She will take over the catering business starting next season.
History of the Nidwalden Theater Kids
In 1997, the Nidwaldner Museum founded the Nidwaldner Theaterkids together with theater teacher Walti Mathis. Since its founding, 25 to 30 children and young people have used this theater program every year. Over 200 school classes and around 7,000 spectators attended their performances. Until 2007, the Nidwaldner Museum was the sole sponsor of the Nidwaldner Theaterkids. The Theaterkids have been an independent club since 2014. From 2008 onwards, the following institutions took over the financing: Cultural Promotion Canton Nidwalden, Canton Nidwalden Health Promotion and Integration, Theater Society Stans and the Märli-Biini Stans.
The Nidwaldner Theaterkids consists of a children’s theater and a youth theater. Since its founding in 1997, theater teacher Walti Mathis has led the Theaterkids on behalf of the Nidwaldner Theaterkids association. After 25 years, Walti Mathis handed over the artistic direction to Sylvie Kohler and Alina Trieblnig in 2022. Since this year there has also been a strategic partnership with the Theaterwärch Stans association. (zvg)
