Ferdinand Schmalz
Ferdinand Schmalz, born in 1985 in Graz, studied theatre studies and philosophy in Vienna. He was an assistant director at the Schauspielhaus Vienna and Schauspielhaus Düsseldorf. In 2013 he received the Retzhofer Drama Prize for his debut play am beispiel der butter (the example of butter). In 2014 he was voted up-and-coming playwright of the Year by Theater heute. His play dosenfleisch (canned meat) premiered in 2015 at the Autorentheatertage in a production by the Burgtheater Vienna. This was followed in 2015 by der herzerlfresser (heart eater) at Schauspiel Leipzig, der thermale widerstand (thermal resistance) at the Schauspielhaus Zürich in 2016. Both plays were subsequently performed at the Deutsches Theater. In 2017, Ferdinand Schmalz won the Ingebord-Bachmann Prize and wrote jedermann (stirbt) [everyman (dies)] for the Burgtheater in Vienna. In the season 2018/19 his piece der tempelherr. ein erbauungsstück held its world premiere at the Kammerspielen of the DT. In the season 2019/20, his piece everyman (dies) jedermann (stirbt) premieres at the Kammerspiele.

Photo: Reinhard Werner