Coburg State Theater: Pumpkin Princess enthralls Brose Kids

35 girls and boys from the Brose Kids Club were given an exclusive peek behind the scenes of the children’s opera “Die Prinzessin auf dem Kürbis” (“The Princess on the Pumpkin”). And there was a very special surprise for the young guests after the performance on Thursday: They were able to meet and take souvenir photos on the stage set with the Princess on the Pumpkin (Laura Incko), Miranda (Kora Pavelic), the Princess on the Pea (Joanna Stark) and the Prince (Peter Aisher). Director Dr. Bernhard Loges also welcomed the young audience and answered their many critical questions about the theater business on and off stage.

With this visit by Brose’s education and care facility, the State Theater is expanding its diverse cooperation with schools in the region to the family-owned company. Further joint campaigns and workshops with the drama teacher Christin Schmidt are to follow. “We’re delighted at this cooperation with the State Theater,” says Dorothea Schaufler, Director of the Brose Kids Club. “The educational theater program arouses an interest in culture among children and gives them a feel for the pleasure that comes from creative thinking. This helps drive personal, social and technical development.”

The children’s opera, which was premiered in Coburg, is highly popular and almost completely sold out. The 6- to 12-year-old children of Brose employees are inspired by the imaginative work. “I thought the pillow fight was great,” was the verdict of Max (6). The female audience was also impressed by the magical costumes and colorful set. “The yellow costume the Pumpkin Princess wore was just so beautiful,” said Johanna (8).

Following the “Town Musicians of Bremen”, the “The Princess on the Pumpkin” is the next highlight from the State Theater’s program aimed at a young audience. The imaginative, musically impressive and tender children’s opera about a Prince in search of a bride and the entanglements love causes soon captivates everyone.

The diverse educational program the State Theater offers for all age groups is a valuable element in bringing young people closer to and allowing them to engage with art and culture. The stage becomes a place of encounter, a laboratory and a mouthpiece for young people. It is not seldom the case that the young members of the audience are gripped by stage fever.

Since 2009, expert educationalists have looked after the school-aged children of employees of the family-owned company at the Brose Kids Club in Coburg. With its diverse program of changing focal topics, the Brose Kids Club complements the work of local institutions and so helps employees strike a better work-life balance. Around 300 girls and boys a year are looked after during term time. The great demand for the care and education offered to 6- to 12-year-olds by the club meant that a new building was added to its premises at Hinterer Glockenberg in September 2019. As a result, 50 children can be cared for simultaneously.

More than 350 different courses and family events with over 2,000 participants have been held there in the past 10 years. The Brose Kids Club is open to all employees of the company. Qualified, experienced educationalists care for the children and continuously expand and improve the club’s services. The children are looked after bilingually in German and English. Girls and boys from ten different nationalities currently make use of the club’s offerings.