Jacob Frölich, director of Theater de Winsinghhof in Roden, will leave Drenthe on September 1. He succeeds Daniël Wever as director of Theater de Molenberg in Delfzijl.
Frölich is looking forward to his new step. “I am very happy with it. A new theater is being built and the Molenberg is really a step bigger than the Winsinghhof, I really see a challenge to turn it into something beautiful.”
Still, he will miss the Winsinghhof. “We had a fantastic time together and achieved a lot on many fronts. The number of visitors is very high and the diversity has increased.”
One of the changes in diversity is the increase in the classical genre. “Classical music is now really on the map in Roden. There are six performances per season in the classical field. I also think that we have developed socially.”
Not everything as director came easily for Frölich. “We have survived many bumps. Consider, for example, the corona period and the enormous fire in the theater. We therefore had to run at half capacity for an entire season. Yet we have come out strong.”
Saying goodbye to the staff and to Roden was difficult for him. “When I told the employees about my decision yesterday, I had a lump in my throat. From day one I have sought cooperation with Roden and the Rôners are super loyal. I will really miss Drenthe and Roden in particular.”
Not much is known yet about his successor, but Frölich does have advice for his replacement. “I will certainly think along and have also advised the board. There will probably now be a vacancy, after which the board will have to think about who really fits Roden well.”
“At the same time, the new director must realize that he is the director of a small-scale theater, where one moment you have contact with the councilor and the next moment you have to lay out the red carpet,” he concludes.
Frölich started at Theater de Winsinghhof in 2021, after his position as marketing and communications specialist at the North Netherlands Orchestra.
He previously worked in the same role at Stadsschouwburg De Harmonie in Leeuwarden.