TJP Centre dramatique national de Strasbourg, National dramatic center in Strasbourg, France.

TJP Centre dramatique national de Strasbourg is a state-recognized theater in Alsace with two separate venues: the Little Stage in the Petite France district and the Grand Stage in the Krutenau neighborhood. The two venues differ in size and programming, but share the same artistic direction.

Founded in 1974 by actor and director André Pomarat as the Maison des Arts et Loisirs, the theatre occupied a disused Protestant church in the Petite France district. It became MAL/TJP in 1982 and took the name Théâtre Jeune Public in 1992. It received the Centre dramatique national label in 1990, and its Grande Scène hall was renamed salle André Pomarat in 2009.

The TJP is known for forms of performance that go beyond conventional theater, such as puppetry, object theater, and circus arts, all of which are directed at audiences of different ages. Watching a show here often means encountering staging approaches that feel experimental and physically inventive.

The two venues are in different neighborhoods, so it is worth checking which stage hosts the performance you want to attend before heading out. Booking in advance is a good idea, as some productions have limited capacity.

Kaori Ito, a Japanese dancer and choreographer, took over as artistic director in January 2023. She is one of the few women leading a national dramatic center in France, and her background in contemporary dance shapes the programming in ways that go beyond traditional theater.