The English Drama Group was founded in 1983 by Dr. Hiltrud Wedde at the “Pädagogische Hochschule Karl Liebknecht” in the GDR, which would later, in the course of reunification, become part of the University of Potsdam. Dr. Wedde’s passion for literature led her to organize dramatic readings with some of her colleagues, which quickly turned into a full drama group with plays performed by students.

 

Dr. Wedde would lead the group for almost 20 years, until her retirement in 2002. From then on, students took over the responsibilities and management of the group. Since the EDG is a course at the University of Potsdam, there have always been lecturers who served as advisors and helped with communication with the university, currently Anke Bartels and Eileen Behrendt. However, all the creative and administrative work on the productions is carried out by students.

 

The structure of rehearsals and performances has changed over the years; in the year 2000 for example, the group was split into two groups, with one of them working a whole year on a larger play, and the other one using just one semester to rehearse the “school repertory”, a collection of shorter plays, that would then be performed at schools throughout Potsdam.

 

The original home of the EDG was the theater stage in House 5 in Golm. Because of the age of the building and safety concerns, we had to leave that stage in 2015, moving to the “Obere Mensa” at Neues Palais, awaiting the necessary renovations and the opportunity to return home once again. Over the years, we have also repeatedly been guests at the Hans-Otto-Theater in the “Reithalle” and at the Kabarett Obelisk in Potsdam.

 

With the exception of the Pandemic years, which pushed the students to come up with alternative ways of rehearsing and performing, the EDG has performed a stage play every year.

 

We are very proud of our heritage and are looking forward to the next 40 years of the English Drama Group Potsdam!