Adapt—or else
Adapting stage productions for TV demands more than just capturing the magic of a live performance—it’s about reimagining it to fit the narrative, the medium, and the audience. This balance was at the heart of my work as show producer for DER PALAST: Season 2, where I tried to bring every creative choice back to one guiding principle: relevance.
To create production numbers that felt organic to the story while honoring the rich cultural legacy of the Friedrichstadt-Palast, here’s what I found essential:
Key Take-Aways
1️⃣🩰 Align Choreography with Narrative: Dance is about storytelling. Numbers inspired by archived performances from ARISE were delicately adapted to reflect the characters’ emotional journeys. While every production number pushed the series’ storyline, they were also convincing as standalone show tableaus from beloved crowd-favs.
2️⃣📺 Adapt for the Screen: What works on stage doesn’t always directly translate to TV. The choreography had to be restructured to fit the stage layout and adjusted to suit the intimacy of the camera. Wide, theatrical gestures were balanced with smaller, nuanced moments for close-ups.
3️⃣🎞️ Make the Legacy Relevant: Drawing from the Palast’s heritage was both an honour and a challenge. Consulting on historical accuracy and ensuring the production stayed true to its roots meant using original costumes and reimagining classic aesthetics, all while finding ways to connect with the series’ audience.
4️⃣🎬 Collaborate to Bring the Vision to Life: When the script vaguely described “a brilliant dance scene,” it was up to the creative team to turn those words into reality. Working closely with the Palast’s in-house ballet ensemble and choreographers, with the series’s choreographer Tini Bach, acclaimed director Uli Edel, and the creative departments of both film and theatre, we focused on making every moment both visually stunning and emotionally resonant.
Don’t Forget That…
Ultimately, adapting live performance for TV is about preserving the grandeur of the stage while fully embracing the storytelling possibilities that the screen’s intimacy brings to performance. Each choice must serve the story and connect with viewers, whether they’re in the front row of the Palast or watching at home.
🎶 Sneak peek! The music of the clip below was conceived by series’ composers Martin Lingnau and Ingmar Süberkrüb, and blends gracefully the bittersweet Palast theme with the choral setting of a fresh, dancefloor-ready 1990’s banger, “I Just Wanna Dance.” It’s a perfect example of how sound elevates the storytelling for the silver screen.
Explore More
Watch the new episodes now on ZDF mediathek: https://www.zdf.de/serien/der-palast
Get your ticket to watch a Palast show live here: https://www.palast.berlin/
