Petra Fischer
Dramaturge and educator in youth theatre
Swiss Performing Arts Award 2024
Petra Fischer was born in Berlin in 1963. She now lives in Zurich and Chur and works as a dramaturge, theatre educator, lecturer and curator. She is a leading voice of youth theatre in Switzerland and Germany. After studying theatre at the Hans Otto Institute for Drama in Leipzig from 1981 to 1986, she worked as a theatre educator and dramaturge at the Theater Junge Generation in Dresden. This was followed by stints at the Grips Theater Berlin and the Theater an der Sihl in Zurich. She was head of the Junges Schauspielhaus Zurich from 2009 to 2019. She has worked as a dramaturge and educator for young audiences at the Theater Chur since the 2020/21 season and as Artistic Director of the youth dance and theatre festival fanfaluca in Aarau since 2020. Among other things, she is also a member of the boards of the youth theatre association ASSITEJ Schweiz/Suisse/Svizzera/Svizra, the Theater Stadelhofen in Zurich and the Zirkusquartier Zurich. In 2015, the German sister association ASSITEJ Deutschland presented her with an award for outstanding services to children’s and youth theatre.
Petra Fischer is in demand in a variety of areas as an expert and educator in children’s and youth theatre – and also as a guest lecturer at the Schwyz University of Teacher Education and the Zurich University of the Arts (ZHdK). In addition to being Co-Director of the yearly national festival fanfaluca, she also chairs its programme group, which is made up of teenagers and young adults. She has been a jury member and curator of the Theatertreffen der Jugend and the German Children’s and Youth Theatre Awards as well as festivals such as Augenblick mal, Blickfelder and Schöne Aussicht. She supports productions as a dramaturge at the Theater der Jungen Welt in Leipzig as well as with jetzt&co. Theaterproduktion, Company Mafalda, Skillz to dance and the Theater Atoll in Zurich. She also chairs the Advisory Board of the German youth theatre centre Kinder- und Jugendtheaterzentrum in der BRD and has been a member of the German Academy of the Performing Arts since 2022.
Petra Fischer is a central figure on the Swiss youth theatre scene, having made her mark on it in her own modest but persistent way. As a dramaturge, she earns praise with her precise analysis of both content and aesthetics. Her feedback is always constructive and to the point. A thoughtful curator and educator, she takes a broad view and succeeds in encouraging people of all ages to attend the theatre. With her tireless commitment, she has often set the tone and is now revered as one of the greats of youth theatre in both Switzerland and Germany.
Gabi Bernetta, Jury member
