Stage direction

Emmy Werner

Emmy Werner was born in Vienna and grew up in a theatrical family. After graduating from school, she trained as an actress with Otto Kerry, Maria Luise Rainer and Eduard Volters. Following this, engagements took her to the Viennese Theater der Jugend and the Theater in der Josefstadt, and during this time she also worked part-time in television and radio productions. She gradually expanded the focus of her theatre activities from acting to directing in the theatre, films and television.

From 1980 to 1981, together with Stella Kadmon, she ran the Theater der Courage. In 1981, she took over the management of the Theater in der Drachengasse, which she had founded, and also worked as an actress and director here. Under her management, this theatre was several times named Best Small Stage until 1987. Following this, from 1988 to 2005 she was the Artistic Director and Joint Managing Director of the Volkstheater in Vienna – the first woman to be appointed in this capacity in a theatre of this size in the German-speaking world – where she was also responsible for many successful directorial projects.

The many prizes and awards presented to Emmy Werner include, for example, the Karl Skraup Prize for Directing, the Medal of Honour of the City of Vienna in gold, the Austrian Cross of Honour for Science and Art, 1st Class, the Viennese Women's Prize and the Grand Silver Award for services to the Republic of Austria.

Her most recent projects include the production of »Der Bockerer« at the Landestheater Niederösterreich and the CD »Unser [ve:ana] Patent – Weana. Werner. Lieder«, a homage to her father Hans Werner, the author of many Viennese songs and chansons.