Heyoka Theater

At the HEYOKA Theater, people with disabilities, people with mental illness, dedicated amateur actors, and professionals perform together.
The foundation and strength of our work lie in mutual respect, acceptance, and trust – in each individual participant and in the ensemble as a whole. Based on this, we are able to discover, combine, and bring a wide variety of talents to the stage.

The term “Heyoka” comes from the language of the North American Lakota. In the culture of the Plains Indians, the Heyoka were tasked with continually challenging conventional ways of living together.

Also known as “Contraries,” they would, for example, turn the usual work rhythms upside down, behave eccentrically, and introduce a kind of healing disruption into everyday life. The only requirement for this important role was a fundamental willingness to be different from everyone else.