Ivana Sokola

Ivana Sokola, born in Hamburg in 1995, initially studied German Literature and Art History at the Universität Hamburg and Humboldt-Universität zu Berlin. From 2018 to 2022, she studied Playwriting at the Universität der Künste. In 2021, she was awarded the Kleist Prize for Young Playwrights for her play »Kill Baby«. With her follow-up play »Pirsch«, she won the Playwrights' Prize at the 2022 Heidelberg Play Market. Together with Jona Spreter, she forms the writing duo Sokola//Spreter. Their joint play»Tierversuch« was awarded the Audience Prize of the Hans-Gratzer Scholarship at the Schauspielhaus Wien and was nominated for the Munich Prize for German-Language Drama. During the 2022/23 season, they were resident playwrights at Theater Münster. For their concept »Der Grund. Eine Verschwindung«, developed in collaboration with director Pablo Lawall, they received the 2023 Reinhold Otto Mayer Prize. Ivana Sokola has enjoyed a productive working relationship with director Jana Vetten since the world premiere of »Pirsch« at the 2023 Heidelberg Stückemarkt. In 2024, Jana Vetten directed the world premiere of »Balkan Drift« at the Schauspiel Köln; in 2025, Ivana Sokola and Jana Vetten collaborated on the world premiere of »Aqua Tofana« for the Kosmos Theater Wien. The commissioned work »Babel« for the Theater & Orchester Heidelberg in 2026/27 marks the fourth collaboration between this director and playwright.