Located on the eastern part of the market square, The Silesian Theatre is the largest building dedicated to the dramatic arts anywhere in the region. Choose a bold and innovative staging of a play or enjoy an evening of entertaining comedy at Silesia's oldest theater. The theater is dedicated to the Polish writer and painter from the modernist period, Stanisław Wyspiański, who has included many themes of Silesian folk tradition in his work. The theater building dates back to 1907, a time when it was used by the German Theater. Nowadays, the theater stages both Polish and foreign plays as well as comedies, mixing traditional and contemporary theatrical movements.;
Part of Silesia's identity
The theater building was designed by architect Carl Moritz, who gave it a neo-Classicist style with elements of Modernism. Opened in 1907, it was used by German theater for the first 15 years. After restoration of Silesia to Poland, in October 1922 the building started being used by the Polish Theatre of Katowice, thanks to the initiative of the Society of Friends of the Polish Theater. More than one thousand plays have premiered at this venue over the past century, with many outstanding directors, set designers and composers working with the theater, including Tadeusz Kantor, Kazimierz Kutz, Franciszek Starowieyski, Barbara Ptak, and Wojciech Kilar. Throughout the last century up to present time, the theater has always played an integral role in the cultural life of the region.
Performances across three stages
Today, the theater presents a wide repertoire of performing arts across three stages. On the Main Stage, you can take in outstanding works of classical Polish and world drama. The Chamber Stage, established in 1981, is often the venue for contemporary works from both Poland and the international theater scene. Third place of presentation is the Malarnia (meaning "Paint Shop") Stage, created in 1992 in former Masonic lodge premises. Here, you can enjoy literary encounters and presentations of music, as well as galleries for the fine arts. Recently, some Silesian Theatre presentations have also been staged on The Mall Stage located inside a nearby shopping center. The theater has also presented drama written in the local Silesian dialect, such as "Polterabend" by Stanisław Mutz, directed by Tadeusz Bradecki and "The Fifth Side of the World" by Kazimierz Kutz directed by Robert Talarczyk. The company has toured in many European cities, including Moscow, Vilnius, Brussels, Vienna and Paris.
