RambaZamba was founded by Gisela Höhne and Klaus Erforth in 1990 as a part of the Sonnenuhr e.V. association (which is now RambaZamba e.V). RambaZamba’s first premier took place in 1991. Since 1992, the theatre group has its permanent stage and practices at the Kulturbrauerei in Berlin. Currently, about up to eight premieres and 100 further performances are shown on two stages in one playing season.
Furthermore, the RambaZamba ensemble regularly does guest performances around Germany and other countries. The theatre also has an atelier at its disposal, where artists with disabilities can work and exhibit, and respectively sell their art. Since 2008, RambaZamba cooperates with a workshop for people with disabilities, namely the VIA Blumenfisch GmbH. This enables RambaZamba’s actors and actresses to have safe jobs and gives them the opportunity to work at the theater on a full- time basis. The theater is funded by the Berlin Senate Department for Culture and Europe.
From the playing season 2009/ 10 until 2016/ 17 Gisela Höhne was the sole artistic director of the theater. In 2017/ 18, Jacob Höhne took over and became the theater’s manager and artistic director. The RZA (RambaZamba Agentur) is a casting agency that is a part of the RambaZamba e.V. The RZA introduces actors and actresses with disability to movie productions or television productions. Next to the training RZA coaches and looks after their actors on set.
Awards
- Förderpreis für Darstellende Kunst of the Akademie der Künste Berlin for the Ensemble Gisela Höhne (1996).
- Sonderpreis der Jury of the Festival Politik im Freien Theater for “Medea – Der tödliche Wettbewerb”, Regie Höhne (1999).
- Deutscher Kinderkulturpreis from the Deutschen Kinderhilfswerk e.V. (1999).
- Kulturpreis der B.Z. for both directors (2004).
- Förderpreis des Lessing- Preises für Kritik (2012).
- Caroline- Neuber- Preis of the city of Leipzig for the direction and artistic management of Gisela Höhne (2014).
- Finalistenpreis Roman Herzog Preis (2018).
