Kolja Schallenberg -
"The Quentin Tarantino of Live Theatre"
(onruhr)
The world’s only director who has studied and works across the fields of opera, theatre, musical theatre, and circus.
Vita
As an award-winning director, playwright, and producer my career combines deep academic training with extensive hands-on experience. I am passionate about high-quality, over the edge live events. I am the worlds only director who studied and works across the wide range of artistic disciplines of opera, theatre, musical, and contemporary circus. Working even in the fields of immersive theatre, concerts and interdisciplinary events. Born in 1984 I often draw upon my cultural and social experiences in my work having grown up in between Germany and Sweden and lived in London, and am fluent in all three languages. In recent years I have been collaboratively working on unique artistic productions of which some are running successfully since many years and currently touring internationally, entertaining several hundred-thousands spectators during the last 20 years.
Awards
2025
nominated for Best new musical, Favorite local theatre & Best director of a musical
for “Pirates of the lake“
BroadwayWorld Sweden
2024
nominated for Best new musical, Best music & Best director of a musical
for “SOT - GjutRock“
BroadwayWorld Sweden
2023
Runner up Skaraborgs Landsbyggare
LEADER Sweden
2023
Winner Årets Forsvikare (Citizen of the year)
IFF Sweden
2023
Winner Per Lindekrantz cultural award
LRF Sweden
2022
Winner Best touristic experience
Guldgala Awards Sweden
2020
Winner Scholarship Arts Council
Germany
2015
Guest of Honor
20th Writing Award Dortmund, Germany
2009
nominated for Best director of a play for “Bacchae“
IV. International Directorsfestival, Italy
2009
Winner Special appearance for directing “24hrs - LifeDreams“
K15-Festival, Germany
2002
Winner Special award for an outstanding play for “Narrator“
Writing Award Dortmund, Germany
Director and Movement Director/ Choreographer credits include
Coming up 2026
Murder at Röda Kvarn
Circus-Comedy/ SMOFA/ Forsviks Bruksteater/ Sweden
2025-2207
All I want for Christmas
Concert-Show/ Reset Production/ International Arena Tour
“A musical firework which amazes audiences!“ HV
2025-2026
Skål & Skandaler
Crime-Event-Dinner/SMOFA/Rödesund/Sweden
“An interactive experience - the audience is part of the action“ SLA
2025
Pirates of the lake
Stunt-Musical/ SMOFA/ Forsviks Bruksteater/ Sweden
“Wonderful overall experience“ Broadway World
2024
Halloween på bruket
Immersive Theatre and Musical Spectacle/ SMOFA/ Forsviks Bruksteater/ Sweden
“Fun and exciting“ SLA
2024
ABBA Tribute!
Concert Show/ SMOFA/ Forsviks Bruksteater/ Sweden
2024
SOT - Gjut Rock
Circus-Rock-Musical/ SMOFA/ Forsviks Bruksteater/ Sweden
“Better than the 80ies“ Broadway World
2023
Kling - Ett liv för glass
Circus-Musical/ SMOFA/ Forsviks Bruksteater/ Sweden
“Great succes! “ SLA
2022
Halloween på Karlsborgs fästning
Immersive Theatre and Musical Spectacle/ SMOFA/ Forsviks Bruksteater/ Sweden
“Frightening“ SLA
2022
ME becomes WE
Circus project presentation/ University of Arts/Stockholm/ Sweden
2022
Tre kvinnor
Musical-Show/ SMOFA/ Forsviks Bruksteater
“Success - you want to see it again - and again and again “ SLA
2021
The Music of James Bond and more
Stunt-Concert-Show/ Reset Production/ Arena Tour/ Germany
“Stunning!“
2021
Halloween på bruket
Immersive Theatre and Musical Spectacle/ SMOFA/ Forsviks Bruksteater/ Sweden
“Fun and exciting“ SLA
2021
Take a chance on ABBA!
Tribute Concert Show/ SMOFA/ Forsviks Bruksteater/ Sweden
“Unique“ SLA
2020
Dr Faustess - A new Musical (Workshop)
Cockpit Theatre London/ UK
“Directed in a very inventive & clever way“ british theatre
plays since 2020
World of Musicals
Concert-Show/ Reset Production/ International Arena Tour
“High class entertainment“ SB
plays since 2019
A Musical Christmas
Concert-Show/ Reset Production/ National Tour/ Germany
“An unforgettable show“ GA
2019
Broadway Backwards
Hamburg Charity-Concert-Show/ Schmidt Theater/ Germany
“Incredible“ NDR TV
2019 & 2021
Fjolspelaren - A new Swedish Musical
SMOFA/ Fortress Theatre Karlsborg/ Sweden
„A caring and sensitive directing“ SLA
2019
Transparencia - Transgender on Stage
Theater Lüneburg/ Germany
“Thrilling and moving“ TAZ
“Unique world wide“ ARD TV
plays since 2018
Massachusetts - Bee Gees
Musical/ Reset Poduction/ Arena Tour
"A ten-star-show including original Bee Gees members“ NDR TV
2017/ 2018
The Commons (2 Workshops)
Play/ The Poor School & JW3 London/ UK
2017
Songwriters Showcase
Concert-Show/ The Other Palace West End London/UK
“A great concert!“ whatsonstage
2017
Mary Stuart (Queen of Scots) - The Musical
Mountview Academy & Karamel Klub London/UK
“Magic occurs“ british theatre
2017
Hollywood Classics
Variety-Show/ Hippodrome West End London/ UK
“A night of Hollywood Glamour at the Hippodrome!“ LLN
2016-2020
Anytime - Night Club
five Circus-Shows with five different topics/ AIDA Entertainment/ World Cruise Tour
plays since 2016
Hyperion
Technical-Circus-Multimedia-Show/ AIDA Entertainment/ World Cruise Tour
2016-2020
Songbook: Bryan Adams
Concert-Show/ AIDA Entertainment/ World Tour
“A whole new entertainment concept. Amazing!“ Rabatt
2015-2018
Samsara - The Circle Of Life
Circus-Show/AIDA Entertainment/ World Tour
“This colorful new musical thrills!“ WI
2010
My Brilliant Divorce
Dance-Play/ Theatre League
“A whole new mixture of drama, comedy and show“ WA
2009
The Pelican‘s Signature
Play/ Theatre League/ Fleetstreet Hamburg
“Absolutely exciting how real theatre can be“ hamburgtheater
2009
Bacchae
Play/ Theatre League/ Sprechwerk Hamburg, invited to the IV. international Directorsfestival
2009-2012
Le Misanthrope
Play with puppets/ Theatre Manufaktur/ German Tour
"A drop-dead gorgeous evening event“ MoPo
2009
24hrs - LifeDreams
Play/ National Theatre Bochum/ Germany
“Standing ovations for a successful theatre experiment“ RN
2008
Breakfast at Goethe’s
Staged reading/ National Theatre Nürnberg/ Germany
2007
Shark Kiss
Play/ Theatre Dortmund/ Germany
“Recommendation of the month“ RN
2006
The show must go on
Play with music/ Theatre Dortmund/ Germany
“Impressive brilliant“ WR
Other credits include
Writing credits include
currently working on Fjärilkillen (cirkus-musikal)
2023-2025 Local journalist för NWT Media (Skaraborgs Läns Allehanda)
2020 Jul-Gårds-Tomten Film-Musical/ Bergfilm/ Sweden
2019 Trans* Dialogues - Trans*people give account (Workshop) Transparence Theatre Hamburg/ Germany
2017-2020 Britains (Classical) Heroes (Adaptation for Staged Reading) AIDA Entertainment/ World Tour
2017-2020 Discovering The Earth (Adaptation for Staged Reading) AIDA Entertainment/ World Tour
plays since 2020 Crystal Ball (Acrobatic-Dance-Musical) AIDA Entertainment/ World Tour
2014 80ies Extreme (Concert-Show) AIDA Entertainment/ World Tour
2012 tba (Article) in “Und nun zu etwas völlig anderem“ published at nwkm Hamburg/ Germany
2009 Costumer Loyalty in Theatre (Article) published at University of Music and Theatre Hamburg/ Germany
2008 Sale (Play) National Theatre Nürnberg/ Germany
2008 Breakfast at Goethe's (Play) National Theatre Nürnberg/ Germany
2007 Brecht-Lure (Play) National Theatre Nürnberg/ Germany
2006 The Show Must Go On (Musical) Schauspielhaus Dortmund/ Germany
Teaching credits include
2008-date Coach for acting, circus and opera freelancer/ Germany, UK, Sweden for example Studiefrämjandet & Västra Götalandregionen
2023-2024 Substitute Teacher for English, German, Swedish Carl-Johan-Skola Karlsborg/ Sweden
2012-2015 Drama Teacher School of Entertainment Hamburg/ Germany
2009 Guest Lecturer University of Music and Theatre Hamburg/ Germany
2007-2008 Writing Workshops National Theatre Nürnberg/ Germany
2006 Guest Lecturer University Dortmund/ Germany
2004-2005 Vocal Coach Schauspielhaus Dortmund/ Germany
Training credits include
2025 Opera Directing, Stockholm university of the arts (SKH), Stockholm/ Sweden
2022 Circus Directing, Stockholm university of the arts (SKH) (Headteacher: Daniel Gulko), Stockholm/ Sweden
2016-2017 MA Theatre Directing, Mountview Academy of Theatre Arts (Professor: MBE Peter James), London/ UK
2016 Directing, Shakespeare’s Globe, London/ UK
2012-2013 Adult Education, TUK/ DISC, Kaiserslautern/ Germany
2007-2009 BA Cultural and Media Management (Producing, Theatre Management), University of Music and Theatre, Hamburg/ Germany
2001-2003 Foundation in Opera Singing, School of Music, Dortmund/ Germany (Headteacher: Thomas Körner)
Member of the following associations
Cirkuscentrum Sweden
Musical Theatre Society Sweden
National Theatre Society (Svensk Scenkonst) Sweden
LIVE/ VG LIVE Sweden
Cultural Managers Network Germany
The Musical Theatre Society Germany
Young Directors Network London UK
The Artists Social Fund Germany
Spoken Languages
German (native) Swedish (native) English (C2)
Special skills
Reading sheet music
Understanding classical languages (specially experienced with Schiller, Goethe, Shakespeare, Strindberg, Chekov, Mozart, Wagner, Britten amongst others)
Managing Producer /Artistic Director
credits include
since 2018 Forsviks Bruksteater/ Skaraborgs Musical and Film Academy Sweden www.smofa.se
2016-2019 Transparence Theatre producing company UK & Germany, www.transparencetheatre.com
2014-2019 AIDA Entertainment producing company/ World Tour, www.aida.de
2009-2011 Theatre League Germany producing company/ touring Germany
Let's create theatre together!
Contact me and let’s get creative.
Inspire, delight, amaze and more!