This was a possibility not many people initially thought of. After all, after her tropical years as director of the Amsterdam debating centre De Balie, Ellen Walraven was in need of some more substantive work and peace and quiet on her mind, So we suspected that she would stay on in her new position as dramaturge at the country's first company Toneelgroep Amsterdam. But apparently - and not entirely unexpectedly - she liked working under Ivo van Hove less than the opportunity to take over from the Netherlands' best theatre director, Jan Zoet.
So it happened. A woman at the head of an important venue and a major producer of innovative theatre, in a city where the love of art is less obvious than the world championship of one of the local football clubs. She will have a tough time, but it is a fine - provisional - crown on the career of the woman who once began by putting Toneelgroep 't Barre Land on the map in terms of content. In ten years or so, we will declare her ministerial. So Rotterdam has gained a good one. Be careful.
The press release:
The Supervisory Board of the Rotterdamse Schouwburg has appointed Ellen Walraven as director of the Rotterdamse Schouwburg. She takes office on 1 June 2013 and is currently dramaturge at Toneelgroep Amsterdam. She is also administratively responsible for Acting Group Wunderbaum and Productiehuis Rotterdam.
Walraven was part of theatre company 't Barre Land from 1990. In 2006, she became general and artistic director of De Balie in Amsterdam.
Ellen Walraven (1967) studied theatre, film and television studies at Utrecht University, founded 't Barre Land with Jacob Derwig and others and worked as dramaturge at Toneelproducties De Tijd in Antwerp. In 2005, she was artistic director of the 30th edition of the Informal European Theatre Meeting in Utrecht. She also held board positions with Kunsten 92 and the Theater Instituut Nederland, among others.
In Rotterdam, she worked as a committee member for the Rotterdamse Kunststichting (2001-2004) as a programme maker for Productiehuis Rotterdam, and wrote a policy note on behalf of the theatre companies. She regularly publishes on various topics in the arts field and was a columnist for NRC Next.
From 1 June 2013, she will succeed Jan Zoet, who will become director of Theaterschool Amsterdam from 1 April 2013.
Ellen Walraven: 'I feel privileged to be director of such a robust and unique house as the Rotterdamse Schouwburg. Internationally secured by the festival De Keuze, host of leading national offerings, talent mentor through Productiehuis Rotterdam and connected to two exceptional companies like the Ro Theater and Wunderbaum, both of which operate close to the questions of our time, and of this city. This privilege
I share with as many Rotterdammers as possible.'
Jos Baeten, chairman of the Rotterdamse Schouwburg Supervisory Board: 'With Ellen Walraven, we are choosing both a strong substantive director, who is very knowledgeable about the national and international arts field, and a very experienced director, who will allow the Rotterdamse Schouwburg to continue to grow in the coming years.'
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