Janina Szarek and the Teatr Studio am Salzufer – Tadeusz Różewicz Bühne Berlin

TRANSform Drama School
 

Founding the TRANSform Drama School proved to be a way out of the situation because it opened up the possibility of setting up their own theatre in the not too distant future. Lessons started on 15 January 2002. The course was to take seven semesters. The teaching staff was made up of people from many nations, including experts in the art of words and movement, singing and acting. The school prepared the students for a professional life in the theatre, but also in the film and television industries. And although it was a private institution, the degree certificates were recognised by public authorities which meant that the students could apply for a grant under the Federal Training Assistance Act ( BAföG for short). In the year the school was established, the students took part in “Eurodrama 2002”, the Wrocław forum for contemporary dramatic composition, which was organised by the Teatr Polski in Wrocław. They also took part in workshops put on by Krystian Lupa and Dea Loher, one of the most important contemporary authors and playwrights in Europe.

The students at the school represented the multicultural flair of Berlin, even though many young people were of Polish descent. The school has repeatedly produced excellent graduates, with Karolina Lodyga (graduation year 2007) being the most famous. The television and theatre actress became known for roles, including Katharina in Dominik Graf’s crime series “In The Face of Crime”, which was awarded the German Film Prize in 2010 for the best series. A similar successful role, which ensured her place in the affection of the public, was that of Katja Polauke in the television series “Anna und die Liebe” shown on Sat.1. The actress also appeared in an episode of the much-loved crime series “Tatort” (2013). She was also very much at home in German theatres, including the Comödie Dresden (“Nackter Wahnsinn”) and the Schlosstheater Celle in the lead role of “Alice in Wonderland”. She also gained further recognition when the popular television series “4Blocks”, in which she was also involved, received a Golden Camera. Karolina Lodyga remembers her drama school: “The TRANSform Drama School is unique. After two years at a different school, I switched to TRANSform and started my training from the beginning. The two schools were very different, which was immediately noticeable. At TRANSform, I immediately threw myself into the work which was intensive and hard like nowhere else. Today, I think that there is no other drama school like it in Germany.”[5]