‘The Protagonists’ shows actors at a theatre performance in the small Saxon town of Bad Düben, photographed in 2018 and 2022. The theatre play was not performed on a fixed stage, instead it was performed outside within the landscape as a backdrop. The roles were played by amateur actors from the city and professionals from the film and theatre scene. The audience moved to the different venues together with the actors. All portraits or group shoots were captured during rehearsals and performances. The pictures reflect the atmosphere and visual image of the theatre pieces and mix reality and play. Where does the staging begin and where does it end? The protagonist, who usually plays the first role, is not a single character in this context, but is equally represented by all the actors. Everyone becomes the hero of her role, of her self, because the desire to escape from everyday life into another, magical world forms the basis on which all participants, all protagonists agree.