Luna Schweiger (29) is part of a new Karl May tour. In the live audio drama "Old Shatterhand unter Kojoten", the actress performs on stage alongside Hardy Krüger Jr. (58) and Volker Zack (55). The production will be seen in 30 German cities, as announced by organizer Highlight Concerts.
Schweiger takes on the role of Emily Milton. Hardy Krüger Jr. plays the main character Old Shatterhand, while Volker Zack portrays Luke O'Hara. The story is freely adapted from motifs by Karl May. Tour dates include February 1, 2027 in Husum, February 2 in Itzehoe, and February 3 in Dessau. Other cities include Osnabrück, Kiel, Leipzig, Dresden, Erfurt, Hamburg, and Berlin.
The Wild West Comes to Life in the Mind
Unlike the well-known Karl May festivals, this production does without horses, riders, and large natural scenery. Instead, the Wild West comes to life as a live audio drama before the eyes and in the minds of the audience. Voices, music, and sounds are created directly on stage during the performance.
This is accomplished by sound effects artists Axel Senn and Patrick L. Schmitz, who alternate depending on the date. Using everyday objects, they make audible things like hoofbeats, crunching sand, gunshots, and a moving stagecoach. The stage becomes a kind of open sound studio, where the normally hidden creation of the sonic world becomes part of the performance.
The plot revolves around a gang causing trouble in the Llano Estacado. After Old Shatterhand and Sam Hawkens come across an ambushed stagecoach, they take up pursuit. In the course of the story, the two themselves become targets.
The actors stand at microphones, switch between multiple narrative levels, and support the action with facial expressions, gestures, and costumes. In this way, speech, acting, and handmade sounds combine to form a continuous narrative.
The ensemble also includes Jean-Marc Birkholz as Joe Stewart, whom many Karl May fans know as Winnetou from the festivals in Elspe. Direction is by Klaus Krückemeyer, who is also co-author and appears on stage himself as Sam Hawkens.
She Brings Acting Experience
Luna Schweiger has been in front of the camera since childhood. After her film debut in "Keinohrhasen", she took on roles in "Phantomschmerz", "Zweiohrküken", "Kokowääh", "Kokowääh 2", and "Schutzengel", often performing alongside her father Til Schweiger. For her leading role in "Schutzengel", she was honored in 2013 with the Jupiter Award as best national actress.
In addition to her film career, Schweiger has appeared in the children's show "Die Pfotenbande" as well as in the TV formats "Dance Dance Dance" and "Schlag den Star". Her more recent film productions include "Lieber Kurt", "Manta Manta - Zwoter Teil", "Das Beste kommt noch!", and "Broke. Alone. A Kinky Love Story". She also regularly competes in show jumping competitions and has achieved success there.
