Toneelgroep Oostpool

Toneelgroep Oostpool, known since October 2022 as Theater Oostpool, is a Dutch professional theatre company based in Arnhem. It is one of the four large theatre companies in the Netherlands' national cultural basic infrastructure (BIS), alongside companies such as Internationaal Theater Amsterdam. The company traces its origins to Toneelgroep Theater, founded in 1953 to serve Arnhem and the eastern Netherlands. In 1955 it was the first company in the Netherlands to stage Samuel Beckett's controversial play Waiting for Godot. Over the decades it evolved through several phases: it became the first democratised theatre company in the Netherlands in the 1970s, survived a severe crisis in the 1980s with a restart as Theater van het Oosten, and was renamed Toneelgroep Oostpool in 2000 under the leadership of Peer Wittenbols and Rob Ligthert. In 2003 it gained its own theatre, Huis Oostpool, on the Nieuwstraat in Arnhem. Since 2013 it has been part of the national BIS and thus one of the four 'major' theatre companies of the Netherlands. The company tours both large and small productions throughout Dutch theatres and performs at its own home theatre. It is also a regular presence at theatre festivals such as De Parade and Oerol. In co-production with youth theatre company Sonnevanck from Enschede, Oostpool creates performances for young people aged 12 to 18, staged in a special theatre truck on schoolyards in Gelderland and Overijssel. Since 1 June 2021, Daria Bukvić has been artistic director. The company has no fixed acting ensemble but works regularly with actors such as Hannah Hoekstra, Rick Paul van Mulligen, Florian Myjer, Ariane Schluter and others. Its youth productions have won several Gouden Krekel and Zilver Krekel awards. In 2020 the company faced reports of sexually transgressive behaviour by then artistic leader Marcus Azzini, which led to an external investigation and his eventual departure. In July 2024 it was announced that the Raad voor Cultuur advised continued support for Theater Oostpool as a major theatre company for the period 2025–2028.

The company that became Theater Oostpool was founded in 1953 as Toneelgroep Theater, intended to serve Arnhem and the eastern Netherlands. In 1955 it was the first company in the Netherlands to stage Samuel Beckett's controversial play Waiting for Godot. In 1964 Elise Hoomans and Hans Croiset took over the leadership. From 1966 Toneelgroep Theater had its own hall in the former Volksuniversiteit building on the Rijnstraat, now Theater aan de Rijn. In the 1970s it became the first democratised theatre company in the Netherlands, with input into leadership, repertoire choices, a structural plan, and actors on the board. In 1978 the company moved to the small hall of the Arnhem Schouwburg. During the crisis years of the 1980s the company fell on hard times and in 1987 had to dismiss all employees. A restart followed under the name 'theatervoorziening' Theater van het Oosten, with artistic leadership by director Agaath Witteman. In 2000 Peer Wittenbols and Rob Ligthert came to Arnhem and gave the company a new name: Toneelgroep Oostpool. The company sought to strengthen its ties with Arnhem and the eastern Netherlands, performing mainly in small halls and on location across the region, but also in large halls. In 2003 Toneelgroep Oostpool acquired a new theatre on the Nieuwstraat: Huis Oostpool. The performances there created a new regular audience in Arnhem. Since 2013 Toneelgroep Oostpool has been part of the national cultural basic infrastructure (BIS) and thus one of the four 'major' theatre companies of the Netherlands. In May 2021 Daria Bukvić was appointed as the new artistic director after the departure of Marcus Azzini. In October 2022 the company's name was changed to Theater Oostpool. In July 2024 it was announced that the Raad voor Cultuur also advises supporting Theater Oostpool as a major theatre company for the period 2025-2028. Throughout its history the company has worked with numerous directors and actors, and since 2021 its artistic team has consisted of Daria Bukvić, Char Li Chung, Jan Hulst and Kasper Tarenskeen, joined from September 2024 by Priscilla Vaudelle and Florian Myjer. The company has no fixed acting ensemble but collaborates regularly with actors such as Hannah Hoekstra, Rick Paul van Mulligen, Florian Myjer, Ariane Schluter, Abe Dijkman, Chris Peters, Daniel Cornelissen, Astrid van Eck, Chiem Vreeken, Tim Olivier Somer, Thomas Höppener, Isabelle Kafando, Sidar Toksöz and Ludwig Bindervoet. In co-production with youth theatre company Sonnevanck from Enschede, Oostpool creates performances for young people aged 12 to 18, staged in a special theatre truck on schoolyards in Gelderland and Overijssel. These youth productions have won several awards: Bromance (2015, 2018) and Princess (2018) won a Gouden Krekel; It's my mouth I can say what I want to (2017) and Pretpak (2016) received a Zilver Krekel; and in 2024 the truck production Supertramp, directed by Mart van Berckel, was awarded a Gouden Krekel.

• 2024

  Raad voor Cultuur advises continued support for 2025-2028; Priscilla Vaudelle and Florian Myjer join artistic team; Supertramp wins Gouden Krekel.

• 2022

  Name changed to Theater Oostpool (October).

• 2021

  Daria Bukvić appointed artistic director (1 June).

• 2013

  Becomes part of the national cultural basic infrastructure (BIS) as one of the four major theatre companies.

• 2003

  New own theatre Huis Oostpool opens on the Nieuwstraat in Arnhem.

• 2000

  Peer Wittenbols and Rob Ligthert rename the company Toneelgroep Oostpool.

• 1987

  Crisis forces dismissal of all employees; restart as Theater van het Oosten under Agaath Witteman.

• 1978

  Moves to the small hall of the Arnhem Schouwburg.

• 1970

  Becomes the first democratised theatre company in the Netherlands.

• 1966

  Gains its own hall in the former Volksuniversiteit building on the Rijnstraat (now Theater aan de Rijn).

• 1964

  Elise Hoomans and Hans Croiset take over leadership.

• 1955

  First company in the Netherlands to stage Waiting for Godot by Samuel Beckett.

• 1953

  Founded as Toneelgroep Theater to serve Arnhem and the eastern Netherlands.

One of the four major professional theatre companies in the Netherlands' national cultural basic infrastructure (BIS), rooted in Arnhem and the eastern Netherlands, with a strong focus on both large and small venues, site-specific work, and youth theatre.

• Large and small hall productions

  Touring productions performed in Dutch theatres and at the company's home theatre.

• JONG Oostpool youth productions

  Productions for ages 12-18 in co-production with Sonnevanck, staged in a theatre truck on schoolyards in Gelderland and Overijssel.

• Festival performances

  Regular appearances at theatre festivals such as De Parade and Oerol.

1. 1Laat je inspireren door het Nederlandse theatertoneelgroepoostpool.nl
2. 2Toneelgroep Oostpoolwikidata.org
3. 3Theater Oostpoolnl.wikipedia.org