Spessartgrotte - Das Theater in Mainfranken

The Spessart Grotto was founded in 1986 and celebrated its 25th anniversary in 2011.

Everything began on 30 May 1986 with cabaret, jazz and cabaret. Among the first artists were u. a .: Urban Priol, Georg Schramm, Dieter Nuhr, Willy Astor, Günther Grünwald, Andreas Giebel, Ingo Appelt, Sissy Perlinger, Helen Vita, Martin Schneider, Vince Ebert and Volker Pispers.

From 1989 on, the first theater productions were put on stage. To date, about 90 comedies and 37 children's pieces have been performed in the Spessartgrotte. Currently there are up to 250 performances per year.

Since 1996 there is the "Förderverein der Spessartgrotte e.V.". Its members have set themselves the task of promoting the performances of the Spessartgrotte theater, promoting the theater and promoting the public's long-term interest.

The Spessartgrotte resides in the oldest and until the beginning of the 19th century the only inn in Langenprozelten. It used to be called "To the Golden Angel" - meaning Saint Michael.

Around 1550, the Gasthaus zum Engel was of particular importance, as the courts that used to be held in the open air - Unter den Linden - were moved to closed rooms. A room on the upper floor was declared a village court. There the Peters and Lucien court met in bad weather (today's theater hall). In fine weather, the court met in the semicircular stem, the so-called court gazebo (today's beer garden). There was also the municipal pillory, on which thieves and blasphemers were displayed. There was a "violin" assigned to female addicts, or convicts were put on the bench.

For centuries the angel was the social and political center of the community.

In 1805, the community, which still had heavy war burdens, was forced to sell the rundown property. It changed ownership several times before it was acquired in 1968 by Friedrich and Anneliese Lussert.

In the early 1970s, the hall on the upper floor, which was formerly used as a dance hall, got its grotto-like character. The name SPESSARTGROTTE originated.

In May 1986 Helga Hartmann founded the Kleinkunstbühne Spessartgrotte. In the meantime, the theater enjoys great popularity far beyond the region.

The Spessart Grotto is funded by:

• Free State of Bavaria
• District Lower Franconia
• Main-Spessart district
• City Gemünden
• Sparkassenstiftung der Sparkasse Mainfranken Würzburg
• Friends of Spessartgrotte e.V.