After more than 20 years on the Board of Directors of Casino Theater AG Winterthur, founder Viktor Giacobbo is stepping down from his management role in summer 2025. Patrick Frey, a long-time companion on the stage and on the Board of Directors of Casino Immobilien AG, is also stepping down. Both have played a key role in the development of the Casino Theater and are stepping down to create space for new impetus.

Giacobbo, who built up the theater and had a strong artistic influence on it, will remain associated with the house. "The decision has been a long time in the making, and now I am delighted to have found a suitable succession solution together with Beat Schwab, Bettina Stefanini and Jane Wakefield. I will be relinquishing my seat on the Board of Directors in summer 2025. Of course, I will remain closely connected to the theater: as an artistic advisor for the theater management, as an artist and as a promoter of young talent," says Giacobbo.

With the resignation of Patrick Frey, the Casino Theater has lost another influential figure. Frey was already involved in the conversion of the theater and accompanied its development with many years of commitment.

The two public limited companies propose the following successor: Beat Schwab is to take over the chairmanship of Casino Theater AG. Cultural entrepreneur Jane Wakefield, who has been a member of the Board of Directors for three years, is to become Vice-Chairwoman. Bettina Stefanini is to become the new Chairman of the Board of Directors of Casino Immobilien AG. The Annual General Meeting to elect the new members will take place on June 15, 2025. Giacobbo and Frey will be appointed Honorary Chairmen of both companies.

At a time when the theater industry is struggling with dwindling audience numbers, the Grip communications agency has developed a new communications concept for the Casinotheater Winterthur. The Casinotheater is a culture house supported by artists and sympathizers, which has been running a year-round theater since 2002 at its own risk and without public funding.

The stage dynamics are supported by Grip with a new, multifunctional communication appearance. An exciting challenge as Florian Steiner, Senior Art Director at Grip, comments: "We wanted to implement the communication in such a way that, on the one hand, it acts as an event advertisement that encourages the target audience to buy Casinotheater tickets. On the other hand, it should create a clear brand look for the Casinotheater in its entirety, which also pays into the Casinotheater brand and not just the individual event."

"The Casino Theater has an adequate and great look again".

Grip developed an independent advertising presence that enables this multifunctional use. In a variety of subjects, the theater performances come to life on street posters and in digital advertising materials. Photographers Rainer Schär's shots bring out the specific aspects of each production well, while the layout and typography create a memorable identity and capture the electrifying dynamics of the stage. Although it is still difficult to assess the success after such a short time - Florian Steiner from GRIP is nevertheless satisfied: "The Casinotheater has an adequate and great look again. We are very pleased that the new appearance is well received by artists and Winterthur residents alike.