ROTTERDAM \u2013 After two years, Ren\u00e9 Geerlings and Maas theater en dans are parting ways. Since taking on the role of artistic director-manager in 2020, Geerlings has guided the company on an artistic path that brought together youth theatre, social engagement, experimentation, and diversity of voices. Under his leadership, among other things, Maas theater en dans has further developed as a place where young people are central, new perspectives are made visible, and encounters between the queer community, creators, and audiences have become a natural part of the artistic profile. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
Geerlings increased the international visibility of Maas theatre and dance. The toddler performance BullyBully<\/em> grew into an international success, was awarded a Silver Cricket and received adaptations in Turkey and Finland. Also The Wizard of Oz<\/em>, which brought together queer perspectives, music and theatre, was a defining performance from this period. <\/p>\n\n\n\n Ren\u00e9 Geerlings: \u201cFor me, Maas has always been a place where wonder, playfulness, and social urgency can meet. A place where young people feel seen, where creators are allowed to take risks, and where there is room for stories and forms that aren't always told or shown as a matter of course. I look back with pride on everything we've built together. On the performances, the creators, the staff, the partners, and especially on the audience, who challenged and inspired us time and again. I am incredibly grateful to everyone who was part of this journey.\u201d<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n Maas theatre and dance and Ren\u00e9 Geerlings look back with appreciation on what has been built together and look forward with confidence to the future, in which Maas will continue to make space for new generations of creators, children, young people and audiences. <\/p>\n\n\n\n <\/p>","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" ROTTERDAM – Nazes jaar nemen Ren\u00e9 Geerlings en Maas theater en dans afscheid van elkaar. Sinds zijn aantreden als artistiek directeur-bestuurder in 2020 gaf Geerlings richting aan een artistieke koers waarin jeugdtheater, maatschappelijke betrokkenheid, experiment en veelstemmigheid samenkwamen. Mede onder zijn leiding ontwikkelde Maas theater en dans zich verder als een plek waar jonge mensen […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":711,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_eb_attr":"","_themeisle_gutenberg_block_has_review":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_access":"","_jetpack_dont_email_post_to_subs":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_tier_id":0,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paywalled_content":false,"_jetpack_feature_clip_id":0,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paid_content":false,"activitypub_content_warning":"","activitypub_content_visibility":"","activitypub_max_image_attachments":3,"activitypub_interaction_policy_quote":"anyone","activitypub_status":"federated","wpai_meta_description":"","footnotes":"","jetpack_publicize_message":"","jetpack_publicize_feature_enabled":true,"jetpack_social_post_already_shared":true,"jetpack_social_options":{"image_generator_settings":{"template":"highway","default_image_id":0,"font":"","enabled":false},"version":2},"jetpack_post_was_ever_published":false},"categories":[15614,11917,8843],"tags":[513,75],"class_list":["post-123576","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-beleid","category-persberichten","category-podiumkunst","tag-jeugdtheater","tag-rotterdam"],"views":3504,"jetpack_publicize_connections":[],"jetpack_featured_media_url":"","jetpack-related-posts":[{"id":97413,"url":"https:\/\/cultureelpersbureau.nl\/en\/2025\/05\/peuter-of-dictator-grootheidswaan-van-bullybully-slaat-wereldwijd-aan\/","url_meta":{"origin":123576,"position":0},"title":"TODDLER OR DICTATOR? MEGALOMANIA OF BULLYBULLY STRIKES WORLDWIDE","author":"een van onze leden","date":"29 May 2025","format":false,"excerpt":"The toddler performance BullyBully (3+) by Ren\u00e9 Geerlings is making international headlines, with a playful message about power and resistance. What started as a co-production between Maas theatre and dance and the ATTA Festival in Istanbul quickly grew into an international success. Since 2022, the toddler show and...","rel":"","context":"In "PERSBERICHTEN"","block_context":{"text":"PERSBERICHTEN","link":"https:\/\/cultureelpersbureau.nl\/en\/genre\/service\/persberichten\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/cultureelpersbureau.nl\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/05\/bullyindonesia.png?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1","width":350,"height":200},"classes":[]},{"id":71356,"url":"https:\/\/cultureelpersbureau.nl\/en\/2021\/10\/nieuwe-leiding-maas-theater-en-dans-zet-hoog-in-met-gepeperde-spelshow\/","url_meta":{"origin":123576,"position":1},"title":"New Maas Theatre and Dance management sets high stakes with peppery game show","author":"Wijbrand Schaap","date":"4 October 2021","format":false,"excerpt":"We spend a large part of our lives just trying to save our own skins. You might as well try to find a bit of humour in it, because life isn\u2019t something we can control anyway. These are no small insights into life that Ren\u00e9 Geerlings, the new director of Maas Theater en Dans, offers\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "Alleen voor leden"","block_context":{"text":"Alleen voor leden","link":"https:\/\/cultureelpersbureau.nl\/en\/genre\/service\/members-only\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/cultureelpersbureau.nl\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/10\/10_MID_De-Grote-Red-Je-Reet-Show_Maas-theater-en-dans_%C2%A9Kamerich-Budwilowitz.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/cultureelpersbureau.nl\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/10\/10_MID_De-Grote-Red-Je-Reet-Show_Maas-theater-en-dans_%C2%A9Kamerich-Budwilowitz.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/cultureelpersbureau.nl\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/10\/10_MID_De-Grote-Red-Je-Reet-Show_Maas-theater-en-dans_%C2%A9Kamerich-Budwilowitz.jpg?resize=525%2C300&ssl=1 1.5x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/cultureelpersbureau.nl\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/10\/10_MID_De-Grote-Red-Je-Reet-Show_Maas-theater-en-dans_%C2%A9Kamerich-Budwilowitz.jpg?resize=700%2C400&ssl=1 2x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/cultureelpersbureau.nl\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/10\/10_MID_De-Grote-Red-Je-Reet-Show_Maas-theater-en-dans_%C2%A9Kamerich-Budwilowitz.jpg?resize=1050%2C600&ssl=1 3x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/cultureelpersbureau.nl\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/10\/10_MID_De-Grote-Red-Je-Reet-Show_Maas-theater-en-dans_%C2%A9Kamerich-Budwilowitz.jpg?resize=1400%2C800&ssl=1 4x"},"classes":[]},{"id":72305,"url":"https:\/\/cultureelpersbureau.nl\/en\/2021\/12\/twee-livestreams-en-persconferentie-voor-peuters-door-maas-theater-en-dans\/","url_meta":{"origin":123576,"position":2},"title":"TWO LIVESTREAMS AND PRESS CONFERENCE FOR TODDLERS BY MAAS THEATRE AND DANCE","author":"een van onze leden","date":"28 December 2021","format":false,"excerpt":"The weekend of Friday 7, Saturday 8 and Sunday 9 January 2022 will be a special theatre weekend despite the lockdown, because then Maas theatre and dance will broadcast live two existing performances as well as a unique Toddler Press Conference. The Grote Red Je Reet Show (6+) and Lampje (8-108 yrs) would be on during the Christmas holidays,...","rel":"","context":"In "Alleen voor leden"","block_context":{"text":"Alleen voor leden","link":"https:\/\/cultureelpersbureau.nl\/en\/genre\/service\/members-only\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/cultureelpersbureau.nl\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/12\/Peuterpersconferentie_Maas-theater-en-dans-scaled.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/cultureelpersbureau.nl\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/12\/Peuterpersconferentie_Maas-theater-en-dans-scaled.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/cultureelpersbureau.nl\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/12\/Peuterpersconferentie_Maas-theater-en-dans-scaled.jpg?resize=525%2C300&ssl=1 1.5x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/cultureelpersbureau.nl\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/12\/Peuterpersconferentie_Maas-theater-en-dans-scaled.jpg?resize=700%2C400&ssl=1 2x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/cultureelpersbureau.nl\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/12\/Peuterpersconferentie_Maas-theater-en-dans-scaled.jpg?resize=1050%2C600&ssl=1 3x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/cultureelpersbureau.nl\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/12\/Peuterpersconferentie_Maas-theater-en-dans-scaled.jpg?resize=1400%2C800&ssl=1 4x"},"classes":[]},{"id":94843,"url":"https:\/\/cultureelpersbureau.nl\/en\/2024\/07\/nieuwe-peutervoorstelling-prrrt-prrrt-flap-flap-3-gaat-in-premiere-bij-maas-theater-en-dans\/","url_meta":{"origin":123576,"position":3},"title":"New toddler show PRRRT PRRRT FLAP FLAP (3+) premieres at Maas theatre and dance","author":"een van onze leden","date":"18 July 2024","format":false,"excerpt":"On Saturday 19 October, Maas theatre and dance's new toddler performance PRRRT PRRRT FLAP FLAP (3+) will premiere at the Maaspodium in Rotterdam. Creators Sara Giampaolo and Esther Schouten are building on the line of toddler theatre that Maas has developed in recent years: big themes in a playful way,...","rel":"","context":"In "PERSBERICHTEN"","block_context":{"text":"PERSBERICHTEN","link":"https:\/\/cultureelpersbureau.nl\/en\/genre\/service\/persberichten\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/cultureelpersbureau.nl\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/07\/prrrrtflap.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1","width":350,"height":200},"classes":[]},{"id":94124,"url":"https:\/\/cultureelpersbureau.nl\/en\/2024\/04\/bernadette-stokvis-vertrekt-einde-zomer-als-zakelijk-directeur-van-maas-theater-en-dans\/","url_meta":{"origin":123576,"position":4},"title":"BERNADETTE STOKVIS LEAVES END OF SUMMER AS BUSINESS DIRECTOR OF MAAS THEATRE AND DANCE","author":"een van onze leden","date":"24 April 2024","format":false,"excerpt":"Bernadette Stokvis is leaving after 11 years of service as business director of Maas theatre and dance. Her successor will be recruited soon. Stokvis has been business director at Maas since 2013. Before that, she was initiator, artistic coordinator and later business director of Korzo The Hague. Thanks in part to her leadership, Maas is a BIS company...","rel":"","context":"In "beleid"","block_context":{"text":"beleid","link":"https:\/\/cultureelpersbureau.nl\/en\/genre\/beleid\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"Bernadette Stokvis door Fred Ernst","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/cultureelpersbureau.nl\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/04\/image001.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/cultureelpersbureau.nl\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/04\/image001.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/cultureelpersbureau.nl\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/04\/image001.jpg?resize=525%2C300&ssl=1 1.5x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/cultureelpersbureau.nl\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/04\/image001.jpg?resize=700%2C400&ssl=1 2x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/cultureelpersbureau.nl\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/04\/image001.jpg?resize=1050%2C600&ssl=1 3x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/cultureelpersbureau.nl\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/04\/image001.jpg?resize=1400%2C800&ssl=1 4x"},"classes":[]},{"id":93590,"url":"https:\/\/cultureelpersbureau.nl\/en\/2024\/02\/de-beste-shitvoorstelling-in-jaren-komt-uit-rotterdam\/","url_meta":{"origin":123576,"position":5},"title":"The best shit show in years comes from Rotterdam","author":"Wijbrand Schaap","date":"18 February 2024","format":false,"excerpt":"It seems that at the inset performances of Maas Theatre&Dans' latest, 'Stuntkont', a few schools have already complained. Classes even walked out. Logical perhaps, at least for adult school teachers who can't take poop-and-pee jokes. Children from 6 to 106 can only laugh really hard at them. So poop-and-pee jokes turn out to be...","rel":"","context":"In "PODIUMKUNST"","block_context":{"text":"PODIUMKUNST","link":"https:\/\/cultureelpersbureau.nl\/en\/genre\/podiumkunst\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"still uit de teaser voor Stuntkont.","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/cultureelpersbureau.nl\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/02\/Schermafdruk-van-2024-02-18-18-13-58.png?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/cultureelpersbureau.nl\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/02\/Schermafdruk-van-2024-02-18-18-13-58.png?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/cultureelpersbureau.nl\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/02\/Schermafdruk-van-2024-02-18-18-13-58.png?resize=525%2C300&ssl=1 1.5x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/cultureelpersbureau.nl\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/02\/Schermafdruk-van-2024-02-18-18-13-58.png?resize=700%2C400&ssl=1 2x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/cultureelpersbureau.nl\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/02\/Schermafdruk-van-2024-02-18-18-13-58.png?resize=1050%2C600&ssl=1 3x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/cultureelpersbureau.nl\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/02\/Schermafdruk-van-2024-02-18-18-13-58.png?resize=1400%2C800&ssl=1 4x"},"classes":[]}],"jetpack_shortlink":"https:\/\/wp.me\/p3yKke-w9a","jetpack_sharing_enabled":true,"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/cultureelpersbureau.nl\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/123576","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/cultureelpersbureau.nl\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/cultureelpersbureau.nl\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/cultureelpersbureau.nl\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/711"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/cultureelpersbureau.nl\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=123576"}],"version-history":[{"count":1,"href":"https:\/\/cultureelpersbureau.nl\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/123576\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":123578,"href":"https:\/\/cultureelpersbureau.nl\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/123576\/revisions\/123578"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/cultureelpersbureau.nl\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=123576"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/cultureelpersbureau.nl\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=123576"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/cultureelpersbureau.nl\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=123576"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}