Teatr: Katowice

Theatre in Katowice: over a hundred performances in the calendar, from intimate Teatr Bez Sceny and Teatr Żelazny to the Rialto, Spodek and culture centres.

For the theatregoer who knows they want to go but not yet where. Katowice has stages with a long tradition and small independent companies, and the calendar gathers them in one place.

Where are most plays staged in Katowice?

Four addresses have the most entries: the Rialto cinema-theatre, the theatre hall of the Youth Palace, the Old Timers Garage club and Teatr Bez Sceny. Scena Gliwicka 120, Teatr Żelazny, the Witosa Culture Centre, Katowice Miasto Ogrodów and the MCK Auditorium Hall are each named several times. From these nine places it is easiest to build a regular routine of theatre evenings.

Which Katowice theatre suits an intimate evening?

Teatr Bez Sceny sits in Śródmieście at 3 Maja 11 and has operated since 1997. The bill is dominated by contemporary comedies and dramas from Polish and world stage literature. Ten Golden Mask nominations brought five awards, and the company also won a Special Golden Mask for an original artistic concept.

Teatr Żelazny is run since 2011 by an association as an independent repertory theatre. Its home since 2021 is a former school in Załęże, leased from the city, at Gliwicka 148a. Inside are workshop and rehearsal rooms, offices and storerooms, but there was no space for an auditorium, so performances take place in a temporary hall for 139 seats. The repertoire includes offerings for adults and for children, and the theatre also runs theatre education.

Where to look for theatre in clubs and culture centres?

At Old Timers Garage the calendar records many performances, and the venue is both a stage and a music club. A few entries concern Scena Gliwicka 120. In the districts, performances appear at the Witosa Culture Centre and at the Szopienice-Giszowiec Municipal Culture Centre.

Single entries belong to Aficionado Cigar Club and the National Polish Radio Symphony Orchestra. In such places theatre happens occasionally, so open the event description before you go.

How do you read hall names in the theatre calendar?

The same hall may be written in several ways. You will find the Youth Palace theatre hall under three entries: as a theatre hall in brackets, after a dash and with a note about Katowice. The MCK Auditorium Hall appears once in brackets and once after a dash. In both cases it is one place, so rely on the address.

Where do large performances take place in Katowice?

For a show that needs the biggest audience the calendar points to Spodek at Aleja Wojciecha Korfantego 35 in Koszutka. The arena was erected between 1964 and 1971, and its mass resembles an inverted cone covered in aluminium scales. In the theatre calendar Spodek appears individually.

Among larger venues, Katowice Miasto Ogrodów and the MCK Auditorium Hall are named often.

Can a historic cinema serve as a theatre stage?

The Rialto cinema-theatre at św. Jana 24 has been open since 1913, and the building was put up a year earlier. Today it is run by the Silesia Film institution. Despite its status as an arthouse cinema, plays are staged here too, and the auditorium sometimes hosts concerts and meetings. The classicist facade has become the building's trademark.

Where do you look for theatre in the districts of Katowice?

Rialto and Teatr Bez Sceny lie in Śródmieście, Teatr Żelazny works in Załęże, and Spodek stands in Koszutka. Szopienice and Giszowiec have their own municipal culture centre, which also appears among theatre venues. This means an evening at the theatre does not always require a trip to the centre.

Is there theatre for children in Katowice?

Teatr Żelazny in Załęże stages plays for adults and for children, so parents can look for it in the calendar. A wider context for families comes from the article on Bielsko-Biała as a city of cartoons, where a puppet theatre operates beside the monuments to cartoon heroes.

Where can you read about the history of regional theatres?

The building of the Silesian Theatre on the Katowice Market Square opened in 1907 as the German Municipal Theatre, and a Polish theatre has worked in it since 1922. The theatre in Chorzów is described in a text on the Teatr Rozrywki, which played in a building of the former Graf Reden hotel. The story of the Śląsk Song and Dance Ensemble, which showed its premiere in a Katowice theatre, completes the picture.

Which theatre should you pick for which evening?

For a quiet, intimate evening in the centre Teatr Bez Sceny fits, and when you go with a child it is worth checking Teatr Żelazny. If you feel like staying for music after the play, consider Old Timers Garage, which combines a theatre and a club. For a spectacle for thousands of people there is Spodek, and for a performance close to home, the municipal culture centres in the districts.

How do you find a play in the calendar?

Open the page theatre in Katowice and choose a day. Want to compare with other cities? Go to the section theatre in Silesia, and for more ideas for the evening look at events in Katowice. Click Buy ticket next to a play to reach the seller.

Frequently asked questions

Which theatre in Katowice has an intimate character?

Teatr Bez Sceny, founded in 1997 in Śródmieście. It has many entries in the calendar.

Where is Teatr Żelazny in Katowice?

In the Załęże district, at Gliwicka 148a. The independent theatre was founded in 2011 and performs for adults and for children.

Are plays staged at the Rialto?

Yes, even though it is an arthouse cinema. The stage and auditorium also serve plays, concerts and meetings.

Are plays held at Spodek?

Spodek appears in the theatre calendar individually. It is a venue for large spectacles, built in 1964-1971.

Why does the Youth Palace appear under several names in the calendar?

Organisers write the theatre hall in different ways. It is the same place, so rely on the address.

How many plays are in the Katowice theatre calendar?

Over a hundred, and the list changes, so it is best to check it when choosing a particular day. The entries spread over more than a dozen venues, from small stages to a spectacle arena.

Is there an independent theatre in Katowice?

Yes, Teatr Żelazny in Załęże. It is run by an association founded in 2011 and works as an independent repertory theatre.

What do I do to buy a ticket for a play?

Press Buy ticket by the chosen play: the seller's page opens, where you pay.