Kolja Schallenberg (born April 1984) is a German director and play writer.
Born in Hagen, Germany, Kolja studied classical singing at the Musical school in Dortmund. He graduated in cultural and media management from Hochschule für Musik und Theater Hamburg. He also attended courses in grown-up education at Technische Universität Kaiserslautern.
From 2002, Kolja has been involved in a number of theatrical productions across Germany as associate director: Konzertdirektion Landgraf, Stage Entertainment Germany, Musiktheater im Revier Gelsenkirchen and Thalia Theater Hamburg, just to mention a few. During this period, he collaborated with some notable personalities such as Günther Grass, Prof. Hermann Schmidt-Rahmer, Euro Voices, Laith Al Deen and many more.
In 2006, Kolja debuted as director with "the Show must go on" at Schauspielhaus Dortmund, followed by "Frühstück bei Goethe" at The Staatstheater, Nürnberg, "Alles muss raus" and "24 Stunden - LebensTräume" at Schauspielhaus Bochum.
For his work, Kolja received multiple invites to festivals and awards: der Literaturwettbewerb Dortmund, das Fringe Festival Hamburg, K15-Festival and was nominated for best director at the IV. international directors festival.
In 2014, he took the role of Artistic Director and he is co-responsible for the highly regarded spectacular productions shown all over the world on board of AIDA Cruises, the German arm of Carnival Cruises.
He is currently studying Theatre Directing at Mountview Academy of Theatre Arts in London, led by Peter James.
The Show must go on. Revue. 2006 (with texts by Udo Grashoff; world premiere Theater Dortmund)
Ein Gespräch im Hause Stein über den abwesenden Herrn von Goethe. 2006 (by Peter Hacks; Theater Dortmund)
Shark Kiss. 2007 (by Gerhard Meister; German premiere Theater Dortmund)
Über die Schädlichkeit des Nikotins. 2007 (by Anton P. Tschechow; Theater Dortmund)
Frühstück bei Goethe. Collage. 2008 (with original texts by Johann Wolfgang von Goethe; Staatstheater Nürnberg)
Alles muss raus! Lyrik, Prosa, Szenen und Musik aus allen Epochen. 2008 (Staatstheater Nürnberg)
24 Stunden – Lebensträume. 2009 (world premiere Schauspielhaus Bochum; invited to K15-Festival)
Die Bakchen. 2009 (by Euripides; Sprechwerk Hamburg; invited to IV. international Directorsfestival
Der Menschenfeind. (by Molière; Monsuntheater Hamburg) 2009. Reopening in 2012.
Stücke Schießen. New Writers. New Texts. New Plays. 2009–2011 (Theater Liga Hamburg/Kulturhaus III&70)
Die Signatur des Pelikans. A Strindberg Project. 2010 (Theater Liga Hamburg/Fleetstreet)
Meine tolle Scheidung. 2010 (by Geraldine Aron; Theater Liga Hamburg/Galeria Kaufhof Dortmund)
Samsara - The Circle of Life. 2015 (by Timo Wuerz & Kolja Schallenberg; AIDA Cruises)
Kolja Schallenberg (2002) (in German), Erzähler oder Konstruktive Kritik : Szenische Lesung
Kolja Schallenberg; Udo Grashoff (2006) (in German), The Show must go on : Dramatische Revue
Kolja Schallenberg (2009) (in German), 24 Stunden – Lebensträume
Kolja Schallenberg (2009) (in German), Kundenbindung am Theater
Kolja Schallenberg (2012), nwkm Hamburg, ed., "tba" (in German), und nun zu etwas völlig anderem
Kolja Schallenberg; Timo Wuerz (2015), AIDA Cruises, ed., Samsara - The Circle of Life
Special Award for best play at 7. Dortmunder Literaturwettbewerb (2002) for Erzähler oder Konstruktive Kritik
