History of the theatre company
For almost 40 years a company that wants to make the best theatre of its time
ITA is the largest theatre company in the Netherlands. We have been for almost 40 years. Anyone who looks at our history through today's eyes sees a common thread. Amsterdam's Stadsschouwburg is home to companies that want to make the very best theatre of their time. Then. And still today.
A radical start (1987)
In 1987 two Amsterdam companies - Het Publiekstheater and Toneelgroep Centrum - merged to form Toneelgroep Amsterdam. They built on a tradition going back to De Nederlandse Comedie, but immediately chose a radically different course.
Under director Gerardjan Rijnders the avant-garde moved from the small auditoriums to the main stage of Stadsschouwburg Amsterdam. Rijnders worked with ‘urban’ language and broke with form. In montage productions such as Bakeliet (1987) and Titus, geen Shakespeare (1988), the audience moved through the production themselves and made their own connections. With well-known actors such as Pierre Bokma and Kitty Courbois, Toneelgroep Amsterdam became, within a short time, the company everybody was watching.
The world as a playing field (2001–2023)
When Ivo van Hove took over the artistic leadership in 2001, the company pushed its boundaries more decisively outwards. Together with designer Jan Versweyveld, Ivo van Hove made theatre that was in demand all over the world. His marathon productions became landmarks: in Roman Tragedies (2007) the audience walked on stage among the actors while six hours of Shakespeare unfolded. Kings of War (2015) forged three history plays into a portrait of power, with Hans Kesting as an unforgettable Richard III.
There were large adaptations such as The Fountainhead, Angels in America and A Little Life. But also intimate work such as The human voice, with which Halina Reijn toured the world for more than ten years.
Toneelgroep Amsterdam turned its gaze to the world. From London to New York and from Paris to Taipei: the productions could be seen everywhere, sometimes with international stars such as Jude Law and Juliette Binoche in the leading roles.
One house (2018)
In 2018 the company took a further step. Toneelgroep Amsterdam and Stadsschouwburg Amsterdam merged and became: Internationaal Theater Amsterdam. The name Internationaal Theater Amsterdam, ITA, underlined the international ambition.
New leadership | Eline Arbo (2023)
At the end of 2023 Eline Arbo was appointed as ITA's new artistic director. Together with Clayde Menso (general director) and Denise de Boer (managing director) she forms ITA's executive board. Eline grew up in Tromsø in Norway, studied theatre studies in Oslo and then took the directing course in Amsterdam, where she stayed.
Her productions are musical and compelling, often adaptations of novels, in which people search for their place in the present. Her adaptation of Édouard Louis’ The End of Eddy was her breakthrough as a director in the Netherlands. The four leading actors were jointly nominated for a Louis d’Or for the best leading role. For her adaptation of Annie Ernaux’ The Years she won the Olivier Award for Best Director in London.
Eline Arbo
In the spring of 2024, ITA's executive board commissioned an external, independent research agency to investigate the organisational culture as experienced by staff and a report of inappropriate behaviour. In the summer ITA published the findings. The organisation adopted all the conclusions and recommendations, took measures to strengthen social safety within the organisation, and continues to work with all ITA colleagues on an inspiring working environment.
Eline Arbo laid the foundation in 2025 for the company's new artistic course: producing and presenting theatre that matters, that speaks to the imagination, stimulates the senses, enlarges our capacity for empathy and has a lasting impact. The international ambition remains, but that is not possible without firm Amsterdam roots. Since Eline's arrival, new faces such as Felix Schellekens, June Yanez and Sanne den Hartogh have been added to the ensemble of renowned actors such as Marieke Heebink, Maria Kraakman and Janni Goslinga.
International collaboration remains central to ITA's artistic programme. Following directors such as Simon Stone, Robert Icke, Simon McBurney and Katie Mitchell, the coming seasons will present work by Rebecca Frecknall (Julie, A Streetcar Named Desire, The Architect), German-Iranian director Mina Salehpour (Prophet Song) and Norwegian director Kjersti Horn (Wuthering Heights), among others.
The Storm Within - Ammodo Docs
In 2025 Ammodo made a short documentary about Eline Arbo, one of the makers they support. They follow her while she is making the production Haugtussa and travel with her to Norway, the place where she was born.