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Bertolt Brecht Headshot

Bertolt Brecht

Date of Death: August 14, 1956 (58)

Birth Place: Augsburg, GERMANY

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BIO

Bertolt Brecht was a German playwright, director, and poet who is widely regarded as one of the most influential figures in 20th-century theatre. Born on February 10, 1898, in Augsburg, Germany, Brecht was the son of a Catholic father and a Protestant mother. He studied medicine at the University of Munich but soon turned his attention to writing and theatre.


Brecht's first major success as a playwright came with his play "Drums in the Night," which premiered in 1922. The play was a critical and commercial success and established Brecht as a major figure in German theatre. He went on to write several other plays, including "In the Jungle of Cities" (1923), "The Threepenny Opera" (1928), and "The Mother" (1932).
Brecht's plays were known for their political and social commentary, and he often used his work to critique capitalism and the rise of fascism in Germany. He was a committed Marxist and believed that theatre should be used as a tool for social change. His plays were also known for their use of "alienation" techniques, which were designed to distance the audience from the action on stage and encourage them to think critically about what they were seeing.
In addition to his work as a playwright, Brecht was also a prolific director and producer. He founded the Berliner Ensemble in 1949, which became one of the most important theatre companies in Europe. He also worked extensively in film, writing and directing several movies, including "Kuhle Wampe" (1932) and "The Threepenny Opera" (1931).
Brecht's influence on theatre and performance is still felt today. His ideas about theatre as a tool for social change and his use of alienation techniques have been adopted by many contemporary theatre practitioners. His plays continue to be performed around the world, and his influence can be seen in the work of playwrights and directors from Samuel Beckett to Tony Kushner.
Brecht died on August 14, 1956, in East Berlin, Germany. His most recent work was the play "The Caucasian Chalk Circle," which was first performed in 1948.

Productions

 
[Off-Broadway, 2014]
Playwright

Writing

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Movies

The Threepenny Opera
[ 1931 ] writer
The 3 Penny Opera
[ 1931 ] writer
Ubiytsy vykhodyat na dorogu
[ 1942 ] writer
Frauenschicksale
[ 1952 ] lyricist
Katzgraben
[ 1957 ] writer
Mother
[ 1958 ] writer
Mother Courage and Her Children
[ 1961 ] writer
Der Tod des Flohzirkusdirektors
[ 1973 ] writer
Galileo
[ 1975 ] writer
The Life Story of Baal
[ 1978 ] writer
Mahagonny
[ 1980 ] writer
Die Antigone des Sophokles nach der Hölderlinschen Übertragung für die Bühne bearbeitet von Brecht 1948 (Suhrkamp Verlag)
[ 1992 ] writer
The Career of Arturo Ui: New Version
[ 1996 ] writer
L'étude du chercheur ambulant
[ 2009 ] writer
Im Dickicht Der Städte
[ 2013 ] writer
Santa Joana dos Matadouros
[ 2014 ] writer

Awards and Nominations

Tony Awards - 1977 - Best Original Score (Music and/or Lyrics) Written for the Theatre

Bertolt Brecht, Happy End


winner
Drama Desk Awards - 1970 - Oustanding Lyrics

Bertolt Brecht, The Rise and Fall of the City of Mahogonny

Tony Awards - 1963 - Best Play

Bertolt Brecht, Mother Courage and Her Children


winner
Evening Standard Awards - 1962 - Best Play

Bertolt BrechtThe Caucasian Chalk Circle

Videos

News


Interview: Mwenya Kabwe of THE GREAT YES, THE GREAT NO at The Wallis Annenberg Center For The Performing Arts
by Andrew Child - Feb 4, 2025

'A dramaturg generally works as a kind of advisor to a playwright,” muses Mwenya Kabwe, a theatre-maker currently based in Cape Town, South Africa. How, then, does a dramaturg engage with a process in which there is no playwright in the strictest sense of the term?
Review: UTE LEMPER SINGS KURT WEILL at 54 Below Was Sublime
by Analisa Bell - Jan 31, 2025

The show was an exquisite celebration of both the rich history of Weill’s compositions and the unique interpretative brilliance of Ute Lemper.
Baryshnikov Arts Announces Lineup for 20th Anniversary Spring Season
by A.A. Cristi - Jan 29, 2025

Baryshnikov Arts will kick off its 20th Anniversary Spring Season with A MOTHER, a new play written by Neena Beber and co-conceived by Beber and Jessica Hecht, at Baryshnikov Arts, 450 W. 37th Street.
Works Starring Jessica Hecht, Marisa Tomei, and More Will Come to Baryshnikov Arts This Spring
by Stephi Wild - Jan 28, 2025

New productions featuring Jessica Hecht, Marisa Tomei, Christopher Abbott, and more are coming to Baryshnikov Arts this spring. Learn more about the upcoming spring season here!
DIE DREIGROSCHENOPER is Now Playing at Theatre Basel
by Stephi Wild - Jan 21, 2025

Die Dreigroschenoper by Bertolt Brecht, with music by Kurt Weill, is now playing at Theatre Basel. Jörg Pohl, actor and co-director of the drama department at Theater Basel, was recently awarded the Gertrude Eysoldt Ring.
Student Blog: An End of Year Reflection on the Semester
by Student Blogger: Piper Greisl - Dec 31, 2024

In an end of year reflection, student blogger Piper Greisl looks back on her first semester as a junior and her first semester as a theatre student.
Review: STRANGER THAN THE MOON, Coronet Theatre
by Alexander Cohen - Dec 5, 2024

One for the Brecht completionists
Review: USF School of Theatre & Dance Presents Bertolt Brecht's THE RESISTIBLE RISE OF ARTURO UI
by Peter Nason - Nov 23, 2024

Cody Farkas is stunning as the title character in Brecht's frightening and funny work.
Strike Anywhere Performance Ensemble Presents TELL ME SOMETHING: AN EVENING OF JOYFUL RESISTANCE
by A.A. Cristi - Nov 21, 2024

Join the Strike Anywhere Performance Ensemble at The Rat for TELL ME SOMETHING, an evening of joyful resistance.
Interview: Artemisia LeFay's WASTED GIRL at Don't Tell Mama Is a Thrilling Gothic Ride
by Rebecca Kaplan - Nov 18, 2024

Artemisia LeFay’s Wasted Girl, “an intoxicatingly gothic ride through some of the darker manifestations of passion,” is back at Don’t Tell Mama on 11/24. Read a conversation with Artemisia about the show and the concept of the “wasted girl.”
STRANGER THAN THE MOON To Be Announced At The Coronet Theatre
by A.A. Cristi - Nov 15, 2024

The Coronet Theatre and Berliner Ensemble will present the UK Premiere of STRANGER THAN THE MOON, featuring text by Bertolt Brecht with music by Hanns Eisler and others.
Review: THE CABINET OF DR. CALIGARI Is A Dark Dream at Quantum Theatre
by Greg Kerestan - Nov 11, 2024

Out of nowhere, the silent film classic The Cabinet of Doctor Caligari rocketed back into the zeitgeist about five years ago. It's name dropped, adapted, referenced everywhere from art films to children's cartoons.
Paul Mescal in STREETCAR, Whitney White's MACBETH IN STRIDE & More Play BAM
by Blair Ingenthron - Nov 11, 2024

BAM has revealed its 2025 Winter Spring Season, featuring Paul Mescal in A Streetcar Named Desire, Whitney White's Macbeth in Stride, and more. Learn more about the full lineup here!
Student Blog: What Is This Feeling? Midterms, My Life, and Moving Forward
by Student Blogger: Theron Abel - Nov 10, 2024

October, the month of change, is upon us. The leaves turn from a tranquil green to a crunchy burnt orange, the morning air becomes less balmy and gains a biting crispiness, and my grades always decline. Curse you, midterms. Alas, some things never change; I still find time to dance with my friends, watch The Office, and act a fool on campus.
Interview: Brian Jucha of LOVE BOMB at Catastrophic Theatre
by Brett Cullum - Nov 8, 2024

Read our interview with Brian Jucha of LOVE BOMB at Catastrophic Theatre.
University Of Washington School Of Drama to Present THE CAUCASIAN CHALK CIRCLE
by Chloe Rabinowitz - Oct 31, 2024

The University of Washington School of Drama will present a reimagined production of THE CAUCASIAN CHALK CIRCLE, exploring themes of justice and community. Learn more and see how to purchase tickets.
UCSB Department of Theater/Dance Will Perform THE THREEPENNY OPERA
by Stephi Wild - Oct 30, 2024

 The Department of Theater and Dance at the University of California, Santa Barbara will present Bertolt Brecht and Kurt Weill’s groundbreaking musical, The Threepenny Opera.
The Theater Project and Cranford Library to Present Staged Readings of New Plays
by Chloe Rabinowitz - Oct 29, 2024

Discover new plays at a free staged reading event at Cranford Community Center, presented by The Theater Project and Cranford Library, followed by a playwright-audience discussion. Learn more and see how to purchase tickets.
University of California, Santa Barbara To Present THE THREEPENNY OPERA
by A.A. Cristi - Oct 24, 2024

The Department of Theater and Dance at the University of California, Santa Barbara will present Bertolt Brecht and Kurt Weill’s groundbreaking musical, The Threepenny Opera.
Columbia University's School Of The Arts to Present Reimagined THE THREEPENNY OPERA
by Chloe Rabinowitz - Oct 14, 2024

Columbia University School of the Arts will present a bold adaptation of THE THREEPENNY OPERA, reimagined by Leah Plante-Wiener with a fresh translation and innovative music, reflecting modern society's complexities. Learn how to purchase tickets.

FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS

How many shows has Bertolt Brecht written?

Bertolt Brecht has written 36 shows including Die Sieben Todsünden (Lyricist), Mother (Playwright), Galileo (Playwright), The Good Woman of Setzuan (Playwright), Brecht on Brecht (Lyricist), Man is Man (Playwright), A Man's a Man (Bookwriter), Mother Courage and Her Children (Playwright), Brecht on Brecht (Source Material), Baal (Playwright), The Exception and the Rule/ The Prodigal Son (Playwright), The Caucasian Chalk Circle (Playwright), Drums in the Night (Playwright), The Resistible Rise of Arturo Ui (Playwright), The Rise and Fall of the City of Mahagonny (Libretto), The Rise and Fall of The City of Mahagonny (Bookwriter), The Good Woman of Setzuan (Playwright), Berlin to Broadway with Kurt Weill (Lyricist), The Measures Taken (Playwright), Downfall of the Egotist Johann Fatzer (Playwright), Happy End (Bookwriter/Lyricist), A Kurt Weill Cabaret (Lyricist), Mother Courage and Her Children (Playwright), The Antigone of Sophokles (Playwright), An Evening with Ekkehard Schall (Material), The Threepenny Opera (Bookwriter/Lyricist), The Caucasian Chalk Circle (Playwright), The Resistible Rise of Arturo Ui (Playwright), In the Jungle of Cities (Playwright), Here Lies Jenny (Lyricist), Here Lies Jenny (Lyricist), Mother Courage (Playwright), LoveMusik (Lyricist), The Caucasian Chalk Circle (Playwright), Good Person of Szechwan (Playwright), A Man's a Man (Playwright).

What awards has Bertolt Brecht been nominated for?

Bertolt Brecht has been nominated for several awards throughout his career. Some of his notable nominations include Best Original Score (Music and/or Lyrics) Written for the Theatre at the Tony Awards for "Happy End," Outstanding Lyrics at the Drama Desk Awards for "The Rise and Fall of the City of Mahagonny," Best Play at the Tony Awards for "Mother Courage and Her Children," and Best Play at the Evening Standard Awards for "The Caucasian Chalk Circle."

What awards has Bertolt Brecht won?

Bertolt Brecht has won several awards throughout his career. Some notable awards include Outstanding Lyrics at the Drama Desk Awards for "The Rise and Fall of the City of Mahagonny" and Best Play at the Evening Standard Awards for "The Caucasian Chalk Circle". These accolades recognize Brecht's exceptional talent and contribution to the world of theater.

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