Become a member of the Gessnerallee association!

Dear visitors to Gessnerallee, dear artists

Gessnerallee turned 35 this season and has been one of the most important cultural institutions for the independent theatre scene in Switzerland since it was founded. To ensure that it remains a beautiful, exciting venue for dance, theatre, performance and music in the future, we need your participation. 

Are you a regular visitor and enjoy the artistic programme? Or are you enthusiastic about the Gessnerallee and would like to support it? Then we would be delighted if you would become a member of the Gessnerallee Theatre Association. A membership gives you the opportunity to get involved and enjoy great benefits. To sign up or ask questions, you can contact our colleague Shelagh Armit with a simple email: info@gessnerallee.ch. 

If you would like to find out more about what makes Gessnerallee special and find out more about Gessnerallee's goals for the coming years, read the article ‘Step by step together into 2028’.

Why you should become a member

With your curiosity and loyalty, you contribute to the development and continued existence of this beautiful and lively cultural institution. 

As a member of the association, you are an important voice in the organisation of the house. The more members and the more diverse the voices, the more sustainable Gessnerallee will be. 

Your vote counts at the general meeting. You have a say in appointments to the board or approve relevant documents such as the bylaws or the mission statement. 

Your vote also counts at the Resonanzraum. Here you can discuss the direction of the theatre, the further development of the association and cultural policy and artistic issues directly with the board, the theatre management and other friends of Gessnerallee. 

With your membership fee, you support the theatre not only ideologically, but also financially. You contribute to advancing our mission and making the artistic programme even more radiant.

The benefits of your membership

• You can purchase a discounted season pass.

• You will receive invitations to specific events - such as programme performances, special formats and drinks receptions.

• You will be invited to exclusive exchange formats with the board and the theatre directors.

• You will receive the printed Gessnerallee newspaper four times a year free of charge  and sent directly to your home. 

• You can take part in the annual general meeting and elect board members as well as vote on strategic issues. 

The cost of your annual membership fee

• Regular: CHF 50

• Patrons (incl. companies): CHF 250

• Members t., TanzLOBBY IG Tanz Zürich, Danse Suisse, SBKV, Team Gessnerallee: CHF 20

If we have aroused your interest, we look forward to hearing from you by e-mail to our colleague Shelagh Armit at: info@gessnerallee.ch.

Now for the weekly overview of the programme, newspaper articles, news and everything we want to share with you:

Programme recommendations of the week

16 May, 6 pm / 17 May, 4 pm / 18 May, 2 pm

‘Water the Earth, Polish the Steel, Tighten the Threads’ by Simone Aughterlony, Sarah Burger, Johanna Kotlaris, Dafi Kühne

Dancer and choreographer Simone Aughterlony and visual artists Sarah Burger, Johanna Kotlaris and Dafi Kühne present the results of their research on the subject of hands. Over the course of three days, the Südbühne will be transformed into a walk-in, performative installation that visitors can enter and leave at any time during the event. More information

16 and 17 May, 10 pm

‘MIRLITONS’ by Aymeric Hainaux & François Chaignaud

‘MIRLITONS’ is a concert, battle and ritual. A small platform, shoes, microphones and unconventional noises are part of the duet by dancer-choreographer François Chaignaud and musician Aymeric Hainaux. An exuberant, rhythmically nerdy battle as part of ‘ZÜRICH TANZT’. More information

17 May, 8 pm and 18 May, 6 pm

‘Gentle Unicorn’ by Chiara Bersani

People attribute magical powers and mythical meanings to the unicorn. But what does the unicorn itself have to say? Also as part of ‘ZÜRICH TANZT’ the Italian choreographer and performer Chiara Bersani gives the unicorn a voice and a story, so that it can assert its own place in society. A subtle choreography about social attributions and voyeuristic gazes. And how to reciprocate or elegantly undermine them. More information

Newspaper

Last September in the first issue of our newspaper three articles appeared that offered you an in-depth insight into the Gessnerallee and its work. 

«Das Theater war das Leben, das Leben war Theater»

For a quarter of a century André Donzé and Küde Brun worked as technicians at Gessnerallee. On their retirement, they look back and tell us what interested them even more than the technology: what happens on stage. To the article (only in German)

Step by step into the year 2028

Since the 2024/25 season Kathrin Veser and Miriam Walther have been managing Gessnerallee. Their vision and goals for the theatre. To the article

Aesthetics of Access - Exploring Artistic Accessibility

One focus of Gessnerallee's curatorial and dramaturgical work over the next four years will be Aesthetics of Access (‘Aesthetics of Accessibility’). Art that offers disabled and deaf/hard of hearing visitors the same aesthetic experience as non-disabled, hearing audiences. To the article

Furthermore

Our colleagues from Theater Rampe in Stuttgart are currently looking for new support in the area of digital public relations and programme coordination. More information on the job advertisements

We appreciate your interest in Gessnerallee and look forward to welcoming new members to the association.

The Gessnerallee team

PS: Since the start of the season last summer, we have already published three issues of our newspaper, and the fourth is currently in production. If you also appreciate good cultural stories and a lovingly produced print newspaper, then subscribe to the Gessnerallee newspaper. You can find all the information on our website.