Chris Pichler: “Christmas means that you belong somewhere”

2023-12-10 15:58:00

The story of a family that gives life to the Christmas goose, the letter from a boy who asks Santa Claus to exchange his sister: actress Chris Pichler will brighten up the OÖN Christkindl Gala on December 14th in the Schauspielhaus of the Linz State Theater with humorous stories. “I want to distract people from their worries and still encourage them to think,” says Pichler. For them, that is the task of culture: “To stimulate a discourse and be entertaining at the same time.” Every good piece needs “moments in which people are made to think and touched” and at the same time something enjoyable.

The fact that Chris Pichler, like all artists, is working for free that evening is not a given for the 54-year-old: “Being an actress is a profession that should be paid.” She makes an exception for the OÖN-Christkindl: “I see the good deed behind it.” Christmas has a lot of value for Pichler. “I spent many Christmases alone,” she says. Later she was often invited by friends. Today she is the one who invites friends who would otherwise be alone to celebrate together: “Christmas means that you belong somewhere. That there is a place where you are welcome.”

Grew up in the workshop

The path to the theater was not a straight one for Chris Pichler. She was born in Linz, went to school in Wels, and when she was twelve the family moved to St. Marien (in the Linz-Land district). Her father had a car repair shop: “I practically grew up there. As a child I rode around there on roller skates.” After graduating from high school, she studied landscape ecology until she had doubts about the profession. “So I looked for a career that went from the inside out and I came up with acting.” Her mother accepted this decision immediately, but her father took a little longer. Then he became her biggest fan: “He organized entire tour buses to my performances.” Even today, when Pichler plays in Upper Austria, half of his relatives are in the audience.

Pichler is now in demand as a radio play speaker, actress and director. She also often creates solo evenings about famous women, from Romy Schneider to Marilyn Monroe to Empress Sisi. “They are women who mastered their lives with dignity and strength. Despite all the difficulties, they remained feminine and did not resort to masculine attitudes.” Why does Pichler often devote himself to celebrities? “We need public figures to rub against,” she says. “They are exemplary and refer to life as a whole.”

The OÖN Christkindl Gala

At the gala in aid of the OÖN-Christkindl on December 14th at 7:30 p.m. in the Schauspielhaus of the Linz State Theater will be Eric Papilaya, the State Theater Dance Ensemble (with an excerpt from “Romeo and Juliet”), the Musical Theater Academy, Chris Pichler, Chanda Rule (Gospel), the hard choir, Bede with a palm tree and the Munderfinger Goaßlschnalzer.