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'''Theatergesellschaft Preziosa 1883 e.V.''' is an amateur theatre association in the Ückendorf district of [[wikipedia:Gelsenkirchen|Gelsenkirchen]], North Rhine-Westphalia, Germany. Founded in 1883, it is described as the oldest theatre association in Gelsenkirchen.<ref name="dewiki" />

== History ==
The association was founded on 13 August 1883 by Karl Höfert senior, after a newspaper notice called interested men and women to a meeting at a local inn. More than 60 men, mostly miners who enjoyed singing, responded, and the "Gesellschaft deutsche Bühne Gelsenkirchen Ückendorf" was formed with Höfert as chair. The group was founded while the [[wikipedia:Anti-Socialist Laws|Anti-Socialist Laws]] were still in force; according to German Wikipedia, the authorities were wary of independent theatre associations until 1890.<ref name="dewiki" />

In 1906 the group first staged ''Preciosa'', a play with music by [[wikipedia:Carl Maria von Weber|Carl Maria von Weber]], and took its present name from it. It was entered in the register of associations at the Gelsenkirchen district court on 9 March 1929. Performances have continued almost without a break since its founding. The only pauses came in 1915–1916 and 1943–1946 during the two world wars. Wilhelm Herrmann, chair from 1948 to 1989, also became managing director of the regional association of folk and amateur theatres in North Rhine-Westphalia. The association celebrated its 125th anniversary in 2008 and published a chronicle for the occasion.<ref name="dewiki" />

== Repertoire ==
The early repertoire consisted of [[wikipedia:Singspiel|Singspiele]], [[wikipedia:Operetta|operettas]] and folk plays. Fairy-tale productions were added in 1971, and since 1993 the group has mainly performed boulevard comedies. From 1975 it took part in exchange performances with the [[Liebhabertheater-Gesellschaft Solothurn]] in Switzerland.<ref name="dewiki" />

== Venue ==
The association has no theatre of its own. It rents space at the comprehensive school (Gesamtschule) in Ückendorf and has also performed at the Max-Planck-Gymnasium in Gelsenkirchen-Buer.<ref name="dewiki" />

== Organisation ==
All of the roughly 45 members of the ensemble work as volunteers, and up to 20 children take part in the fairy-tale productions. Members build the sets, make-up and costumes themselves. The association has been recognised as non-profit since 2007 and is a member of the [[Bund Deutscher Amateurtheater (BDAT)]].<ref name="dewiki" />

== References ==
<references>
<ref name="dewiki">[https://de.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Theatergesellschaft_Preziosa_1883&oldid=263097501 Theatergesellschaft Preziosa 1883], German Wikipedia, retrieved 14 October 2026.</ref>
</references>

{{Wikipedia article|Theatergesellschaft Preziosa 1883}}