The 10 most outstanding German-language plays presented over the last 12 months have been invited to Berlin as part of the "Theatertreffen," or "Theater Encounter" - Germany’s most eminent theater festival.

A jury of seven theater critics selected plays from a pool of 400 German productions. These include productions from Vienna, two from companies in Cologne and Hamburg, as well as Munich, Graz and Berlin. This year's theme - "We are still alive!" - is reflected in a number of the new works presented.

Theatertreffen runs through May 23, and is accompanied by conferences, premiere parties and workshops for young thespians. As part of International Forum, an adjacent festival, 43 directors, actors and playwrights from 20 different countries are also invited to Berlin to participate in the annual event.

Author: Sam Edmonds

Editor: Kate Bowen