# Schillerstraße

Schillerstraße ("Schiller Street") was a German improvisational comedy show that aired weekly on Sat.1. It was recorded without a script and broadcast unedited to a large extent. The American broadcaster Fox has earned the licence for Schillerstraße and is to produce its own series.

## Idea and show structure

The setting of the show is the living room of the main actor (until 2008 Cordula Stratmann, in 2009 Jürgen Vogel - all the actors keep their real names) who lives on the fictional street "Schillerstraße" in Cologne, Germany. The main character is regularly visited by friends and relatives. The participants only know the topic of the episode in advance. The whole plot has to be improvised comically. The cast receive directions from the Spielleiter (game master) on their headphones, and have to follow the cues, e.g. "Cordula: Tell the others you're pregnant!". The show mostly airs unedited and things that go wrong are not removed, either.
The main cast have included Cordula Stratmann, Annette Frier, Martin "Maddin" Schneider, Michael Kessler and Ralf Schmitz. They interchange with dozens of other guests.
The show was created by Maike Tatzig who is also the show's executive producer. In September 2005 she took over the task of the game master, after Georg Uecker left or had to leave the show for unknown reasons.
The show is produced by Hurricane Fernsehproduktion GmbH.

## Development

Schillerstraße first aired on 3 September 2004 on the German TV channel Sat.1. The episodes originally only lasted 30 minutes were aired in the later evening programme and were a big success. For this reason, the run time was extended in January 2005 and moved into a prime time slot on Thursdays. On 26 January 2007 Schillerstraße got a new slot during Friday evening prime time and started with a special 90-minute 100th episode broadcast in which the actors and the game master Maike Tatzig looked back at the previous 99 episodes. The former game master Georg Uecker was not mentioned once; instead they decided to make it look like Maike Tatzig had been the game master since the beginning of the show.
After Uecker left the show, producer Maike Tatzig became the game master in autumn 2005, officially due to schedule problems of Uecker.
On 20 April 2006 the stage was extended. So that the show could reasonably be continued without Cordula Stratmann, who was on maternity leave and was therefore not available for some episodes, they created a pub next door, the Schillereck (Schiller corner). Stratmann's pregnancy was never part of the show. Her character on the show became fat and had to go to a diet camp. The pub is "owned" by Bernhard Hoëcker, a friend of Cordula's. The stages are set in a right angle. To be able to use both stages in one show, a rotatable audience stand was constructed.

## Awards won

| Year | Award | Categories |
| 2005 | Rose d'Or | Preis der Presse (Press Award) |
| 2005 | Deutscher Comedypreis (German Comedy Award) | as beste Impro-Serie (best improvised show) |
| 2005 | Deutscher Soockmyass (German Television Award) | as beste Impro-Comedy (best improvised comedy) |
| 2006 | Goldene Romy (Golden Romy) | in the category beste Programmidee (best idea) |
| 2006 | Radio Reet Award 2005 | in the category Comedy 2005 |

## Episodes
### Season 1

* Die neue Wohnung (Willkommen in der Schillerstraße) – The New Flat (Welcome to Schillerstraße)
* Babysitter wider Willen – Involuntary Babysitter
* Gute Geister, schlechte Geister – Good Ghosts, Bad Ghosts
* Maddins neue Flamme – Maddin's New Acquaintance
* Das Regal – The Shelf
* Das Fitness Fieber – Fitness Fever
* Die Tupperparty – Tupperware Party
* Der Hausputz – House Cleaning
* Halloween – Halloween
* Die Herbstgrippe – Autumn Flu
* Der Führerschein – Driving License
* Der Mutterbesuch – Mother's Visit
* Der Malkurs – Painting Course
* Die defekte Heizung – The Damaged Radiator
* Der Charity Ball – Charity Ball
* Der Advent – Advent

### Season 2

* Frohes Neues – Happy New Year
* Der Ex-Freund – Ex Boyfriend
* Die Hypnose-Kassette – Hypnosis Cassette
* Die Schwangerschaft – Pregnancy
* Kölle Alaaf – Carnival
* Die Observierung – Observation
* Das Gipsbein – Casted Bone
* Die Findelfische – Foundling Fish
* Das Theaterstück – The Play
* Die Nachtschwester – Night Nurse
* Der Lottoschein – Lottery Ticket
* Der Spieleabend – Game Evening
* Guck mal, was da krabbelt – Look At What's Crawling There
* Die Untermieterin – Subtenant
* Die Kontaktanzeige – Lonely Hearts Ad
* Schlüsselalarm – Key Alert
* Das Blind Date – Blind Date
* Himmelfahrtkommando – Ascension Squad
* Die Streithennen – Brawlerettes
* Der kulinarische Nachbar – Culinary Neighbour
* Die Renovierung – Renovation
* Der Liebeskummer – Lovesick
* Die Heimarbeit – Homework
* Bella Italia – Bella Italia

### Season 3

* Die Rückkehr – The Return
* Die Parteifreunde (Spezial) – Party Friends (Special)
* Die verlorenen Jungs – The Lost Boys
* Der Zahn – Tooth
* Das Oktoberfest – Oktoberfest
* Die Quizshow – Quiz Show
* Der Stromausfall – Blackout
* Die Bewerbung – Job Application
* Vaterbesuch – Father's visit
* Die Urlaubsbekanntschaft – Holiday Acquaintance
* Die Rivalen – Rivals
* Der Geburtstag – Birthday
* Der Esoteriktrip – Esotericism Trip
* Der Töpferkurs – Potter's Workshop
* Der Fremdverliebte – Foreign Lover
* Das Liebeshoroskop – Love Horoscope
* Die Schlägerei – Fight
* Das Weihnachtswichteln – Secret Santa
* Der Ski-Urlaub – Ski Holiday
* Der Pechvogel – Jinx
* Der Schwiegerelternschreck – Son-In-Law
* Der Tanzwettbewerb – Dancing Contest
* Der Lebensmitteltest – Food Control
* Der Fahnenflüchtling – Deserter
* Die Geschiedenen – The Divorced
* Die Jecken sind los – The Crazy Are Coming
* Der neue Ralf – The New Ralf
* Der Einbruch – Break-In
* Der Personaltrainer – Personnel Trainer
* Der Frühjahrsputz – Spring-Cleaning
* Der Ausrutscher – The Slip Up
* Deutschlands neues Topmodel – Germany's New Top Model
* Frohe Ostern – Happy Easter
* Die Erbschaft – Legacy
* Die unfreiwillige WG – Flat Share By Accident
* Der Psychologe – Psychologist
* Der Abschied – Good Bye
* Die Anstreicher – Painters
* Die Nervenkrise – Nervous Crisis
* Die Eröffnungsparty – The Opening Party
* Warten auf Gast Nr.1 – Waiting For Guest No. 1
* Profikellner gesucht! – Master Waiter Wanted
* Die Marketingkampagne – Marketing Campaign
* Die Karaokeparty – Karaoke Party

### Season 4

* Willkommen zurück! – Welcome Back!
* Die veränderte Cordula – Changed Cordula
* Die Geschäftsidee – Business Idea
* Der Wasserschaden – Water Damage
* Der Gutachter – The Assessor
* Der Astronaut – The Astronaut
* Der Kurschatten – Diet Camp Acquaintance
* Die Wette – The Bet
* Der Liebesbote – Messenger of Love
* Der Martinszug – St. Martin's Procession
* Die Wetterfee – Weather Host
* Der Hochzeitsplaner – Wedding Planner
* Das Tai-Chi-Video – Tai Chi Tape
* Die Mehrwertsteuererhöhung – Increase of VAT
* Der Weihnachtsbasar – Christmas Bazaar
* Der Director's Cut – Director's Cut
* Der Steckbrief – Profile
* Tetjes Schwester – Tetje's Sister
* Die Karnevalsparty – Carnival Party
* Der zweite Frühling – Indian Summer
* Die Thekenbauer – Bar Builders
* Die Safari – Safari
* Die Kegelbahn – Bowling Alley
* Der Wasserhahn – Water Tap
* Bernhards Rückkehr – Bernhard's Return
* Der Mönch – The Monk
* Der Talentwettbewerb – Talent Competition

### Season 5

* Nachmieter gesucht! – Searching For The Next Tenant!
* Die Einrichtungsprofis – Furnishing Professionals
* Das Rollenangebot – Role Offer
* D'r Kölsche Jung – The Boy From Cologne
* Der Pokerabend - Poker evening
* Der Alleskönner - The allrounder
* Das erste Date – The First Date
* Der Check-up – The Check-up
* Die Homestory – The Homestory
* Der Koffertausch – The Suitcase Exchange
* Kopflos in Köln – Headless in Cologne
* Pochers heiße Pyjamaparty - Pocher's hot slumber party

## International versions

The format was sold internationally and the rights were sold to the American media company Fox which is going to produce the show in the United States, United Kingdom, Australia, New Zealand and Canada. The rights have been sold as well to France, Italy, Spain, Belgium, the Netherlands, Finland, Estonia, Russia, Romania, Hungary, Turkey, Czech Republic, Israel and Bulgaria.
In South Africa the show is produced and aired by Afrikaans channel kykNet under the title Proesstraat.
In 2011 the show was canceled in Germany.
| Country | Name | Presenter(s) | Channel | Date of transmission |
| Germany (original format) | Schillerstraße | Georg Uecker (2004–2005) Maike Tatzig (2005–2011) | Sat.1 | September 3, 2004 – 2007 2009–2011 |
| Italy | Buona la prima! | Ale & Franz | Italia 1 | April 17, 2007 – September 4, 2009 June 14, 2017 – June 28, 2017 |
| Italy | Improvviserai | Ale & Franz | Rai 2 | July 18, 2019 – February 26, 2020 |
| Estonia | Vilde tee | Artur Talvik & Tiit Palu | TV3 | 2009–2010 |
| Russia Belarus Ukraine | Южное Бутово Juzhnoje Butovo | Aleksandr Tsekalo & Ruslan Sorokin | Channel One ONT ICTV | September 13, 2009 – September 19, 2010 |
| France | Totale Impro | Benjamin Castaldi | M6 | November 26, 2005 – February 25, 2006 |
| Finland | Runeberginkatu | Minttu Mustakallio, Elina Knihtilä, Jukka Rasila & Juha Varis | Nelonen | September 3, 2007 – November 19, 2007 |
| South Africa | Proesstraat | Nina Swart Elize Cawood Nina Swart & Pedro Kruger | kykNet | February 2010 – 2016 |
| Bulgaria | Младост 5 Mladost 5 | Toshko Yordanov | bTV | March 15, 2013 – May 31, 2013 |
| Canada ( Quebec) | Rue King | Stéphane Bellavance | TVA | September 16, 2020 – present |