He will not have much time to investigate his new surroundings. There are only six days between his farewell performance as Rusty on June 27 and the first rehearsals at Vienna's Raimund Theater, one of the three main stages in the city. "There is still a lot that is unclear," Uwe Kröger confesses about three weeks before his first rehearsals in Vienna. "I still don't know which parts I'm going to play, and I've only seen pictures of my new apartment." What is certain is that he won't be playing a lead role this time; he has signed a half-year contract as a member of the ensemble.
"The decision to go to Vienna was rather easy to make, because I am absolutely certain that this engagement will be very important for me artistically." The reason for this optimism is the difference between the two shows. "In Les Misérables, the acting and singing are much more important than they were in Bochum." It is not yet decided whether Uwe Kröger leaves his rollerskates forever. At the beginning of next year the cast will change, and Fritz Kurtz, the producer of Starlight and Cats, seems interested in calling Kröger back--as first cast.
