The visit to the Pfalztheater on the afternoon of May 12 was very special and probably the most emotional visit to date as part of the Leadership Connect program. Special because the Pfalztheater is the only host of the Leadership Connect Days in the artistic field. Emotional because it not "only" had to deal with a major crisis with Covid-19, but in December 2022 water damage was caused by the sudden use of a sprinkler system in the "Großes Haus", which left clear traces.

We are sitting on the top floor of the Pfalztheater, where, during normal play hours, the audience gathers during the breaks, discusses the performance and enjoys drinks and small snacks. At present, this is not possible because the "Großes Haus" cannot yet be used again due to the water damage. Of necessity, a stage has been set up in the foyer, where rehearsals are taking place during the visit. Music and dialogues penetrate upwards and make the visit to the Pfalztheater even more authentic. Günther Fingerle, press officer at the Pfalztheater, gives us a guided tour of the building, including the workshop stage, small performance hall, tailor shop, choir room and make-up, where the participants are explained, for example, how wigs are made.

After the tour, Daniel Böhm, Artistic Director, Tanja Hermann, Operations Director of the Pfalztheater, and Jutta Schmidt, Head of Human Resources and Deputy Commercial Director, talk about the last three years and what they have experienced since the beginning of Covid-19 until today, when performances can again take place in the small halls and outside the Pfalztheater. They make it very clear: without the motivation among each other, managers and employees, it would never have been possible to get out of these crises.

During the Corona period, it was very difficult for the entire team, especially during the times when contact was prohibited. That meant no singing, dancing or rehearsals. When the performances could take place again, people were enthusiastic and showed up in large numbers. Then came the water damage. But again, it was clear to everyone: "We want to continue, we don't want to just disappear." The audience was thrilled with how the theater managed to get back on its feet after these setbacks. There was also much approval and congratulations from the German theater community. In retrospect, the Corona pandemic is even seen as a kind of "preparation" for the water crisis. On the one hand, the Pfalztheater developed technically during the pandemic, on the other hand, the management learned how to better deal with the fears of the employees. There had never been so much communication before than during the crises.

And how was the communication like during the crisis? "Often, open, honest," is how Tanja Hermann sums it up. By that, she means both communication within the team and with the outside, media for example. It was important for them to be open about the fact that they do not yet have a solution for certain situations. All participants agree that this is the right way to go, because transparency strengthens trust. In addition, the employees were also involved in the decision-making processes, as they had a different perspective and thus different approaches to solving the problems.

After these hard times, the theater management now knows: they will get through any crisis. The passion for theater is obvious, at the latest when Hermann reveals to us, "In the very hard times, when I was very stressed and not feeling well, I sat in on rehearsals for a few minutes and just watched. And after that I felt better again."

We would like to thank all participants for these very personal impressions and insights into the work and management methods at the Pfalztheater!