Rabo Theater De Meenthe in Steenwijk
Rabo Theater De Meenthe, opposite Steenwijk station, has a 605-seat theatre hall, a 126-seat Vestzaktheater and an Evenementenhal for up to 1,700 people.
Photo credits
A crowd dancing under stage lights and mirror balls at an event in the Evenementenhal of De Meenthe in Steenwijk: De Meenthe · CC BY-SA 4.0
Quick answers
- Main hall
- Eleq Theaterzaal, 605 seats
- Address
- Stationsplein 18331 GM Steenwijk
- Station
- Steenwijk, 50 m away
- Parking
- At the door, free after 12:00; free P+R nearby
- Wheelchair seats
- Rows 6–7 in the Eleq; book by phone
- Doors at concerts
- One hour before the start in the Evenementenhal
- Box office
- Tue–Fri 10:00–16:00 and 45 minutes before a show
- Contact
- +31 521 514004
Holidays at Rabo Theater De Meenthe
Open on the holidays: these nights are in the agenda.
Rabo Theater De Meenthe agenda: upcoming events
Tonight, this week and the months ahead at this venue in Steenwijk.
Last night at Rabo Theater De Meenthe: Quinn & Aaron 6+
Plan your visit to Rabo Theater De Meenthe
How many people fit in De Meenthe? Hall capacities
The Eleq Theaterzaal seats 605 people, the Vestzaktheater 126 and the Evenementenhal holds up to 1,700, so a night here ranges from an intimate club show to a full theatre.
At 605 seats the Eleq is bigger than the main halls of Schouwburg Ogterop in Meppel (about 480) and Schouwburg Odeon in Zwolle (459), and the Evenementenhal is the large hall for standing concerts. The three halls under one roof are separate rooms: the Eleq Theaterzaal is the raked main theatre, the Dyka Vestzaktheater is the small, intimate room, and the Evenementenhal is the large multifunctional hall used for standing concerts and festivals. Capacities in the table are for the rooms, never a building total.
| Hall | Capacity | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Eleq Theaterzaal (De Meenthe) | 605 seats | De Meenthe, meeting rooms page |
| Dyka Vestzaktheater (De Meenthe) | 126 seats | Wikisage, De Meenthe |
| Evenementenhal (De Meenthe) | Up to 1,700 people | De Meenthe, meeting rooms page |
| Historic hall (Schouwburg Ogterop, Meppel) | About 480 seats | Schouwburg Ogterop, technical page |
| Hanzestrohmzaal (Schouwburg Odeon, Zwolle) | 459 seats | Musicalweb, Schouwburg Odeon |
Seating at De Meenthe: assigned seats or free seating?
Most shows in the Eleq Theaterzaal have assigned seats; the Vestzaktheater and the Evenementenhal always use free seating.
Eleq Theaterzaal
Assigned seats for most shows; seat and row on the ticket
Vestzaktheater
Free seating
Evenementenhal
Free seating, often standing
Wheelchair places
Rows 6 and 7 of the Eleq, by phone only
In the Eleq the seat and row are printed on your ticket, and when you book online you choose your own seat on the map. The Eleq is a "lijsttheater" (a framed-stage theatre): the first row sits lower than the stage, so in the front rows you look up at the performers, while the floor rises towards the back and gives the rows behind a good view of the stage. For a clear overview of the whole stage, choose a seat a few rows back; wheelchair places are in rows 6 and 7.
In the Vestzaktheater and the Evenementenhal nobody has an assigned seat: you pick a place when you walk in, so being early gets you a better view. Many Evenementenhal concerts are standing concerts.
How an evening at De Meenthe works
From booking to the interval drink.
- Book online at any time of day (€1.50 booking fee), or by phone or at the box office (€3.50).
- Park at the door or take the train: the station is 50 metres away.
- Eat first if you like: the theatre restaurant asks you to sit down between 17:30 and 18:30.
- Hand in your coat at the free cloakroom, since coats may not go into the hall unless you keep them on.
- Take your seat; latecomers report to staff, who say whether they can still be guided in.
- Collect your interval drink, which is included in most tickets; without an interval it waits for you after the show.
Eating at De Meenthe: theatre restaurant, interval drink and coins
The theatre restaurant serves a three-course choice menu for €35 before a show, and the ticket price of most shows includes one interval drink.
The menu has regional dishes and changes every half year.
- Three courses €35; a course fewer: starter €9.50, main course €22.50, dessert €8.00.
- Sit down between 17:30 and 18:30 before an evening show; before a matinee you eat after the show.
- Reserve online until 15:00 on the day of the show, or by phone on 0521 514004 between 10:00 and 15:00.
- Dietary wishes: tell the restaurant by phone or email in good time. Groups of ten or more: contact the theatre.
- At events in the Evenementenhal you pay for drinks with coins.
House rules: phones, coats, children and late arrival
Switch your phone off before the show starts; recording sound or images is not allowed.
- Food and drinks may not be taken into the Eleq Theaterzaal or the Vestzaktheater.
- Smoking is not allowed anywhere in the building.
- The cloakroom is free; coats may not go into the hall unless you keep them on. A few regional shows and events have a paid cloakroom.
- Do not bring babies or very young children to shows meant for adults; children's shows say which age they suit.
- Every visitor in the hall needs a ticket, children on a lap included.
- Children can borrow a booster seat at the cloakroom or at the hall entrance.
Accessibility: wheelchair places and hearing loop
Wheelchair places and special places for visitors with low vision are booked by phone on 0521 514004.
In the Eleq Theaterzaal the wheelchair places are in rows 6 and 7. Anyone who needs another kind of special place can call the same number.
Visitors who are hard of hearing can use the induction loop in the theatre hall: tell the theatre by phone beforehand and it is laid ready at the theatre box office before the show. At standing concerts in the Evenementenhal, tell the theatre by email or phone as soon as possible if you use a wheelchair.
Getting to De Meenthe: by train, bus, car and taxi
De Meenthe is at Stationsplein 1, opposite the Steenwijk Intercity station.
Eight trains an hour run towards Zwolle and Leeuwarden. Intercity 600 runs Leeuwarden–Steenwijk–Meppel–Zwolle–Amersfoort–Utrecht and Intercity 800 runs Schiphol–Zwolle–Meppel–Steenwijk–Leeuwarden. From Amsterdam Centraal the trip takes about 1 hour 45 minutes with one change (Trainline average; 1 hour 35 at best). After 20:00 and at weekends there is a Sprinter once an hour between Leeuwarden and Zwolle, and after 21:00 the Sprinter runs once an hour on the whole route. Concerts in the Evenementenhal can end at 23:00 or 23:30, so check the last train in the NS planner before you book your journey home; the taxi rank opposite the theatre is the way home when the trains and buses have stopped. By car, take exit 6 Steenwijk of the A32 and follow Eesveenseweg and Tramlaan.
Parking at De Meenthe: the car park and the P+R
There is a large car park around the theatre, and on weekdays a blue zone applies from 07:00 to 12:00.
For an evening show the weekday blue zone has ended, so parking at the door is free. If the car park is full, use P+R De Vesting.
| Car park | Address | Walk | Rate and rules |
|---|---|---|---|
| Car park around the theatre | Stationsplein 1, Steenwijk | At the door | Free after 12:00; weekdays 07:00–12:00 parking disc, maximum 4 hours |
| P+R De Vesting (Q-Park), 236 spaces | Across the railway, behind the station | Within 2 minutes over the footbridge | Free, but sometimes full; rates can rise during events |
Which building? De Meenthe and the Grote Kerk
Most programme is in the main building at Stationsplein 1, but some concerts are in the Grote Kerk of Steenwijk.
| Building | Rooms |
|---|---|
| Rabo Theater De Meenthe, Stationsplein 1 | Eleq Theaterzaal, Dyka Vestzaktheater, Evenementenhal, grand café and foyers |
| Grote Kerk Steenwijk | Historic church connected to De Meenthe; the event page names it as the location |
Contact, box office and tickets
Phone 0521 514004 or email [email protected]; the box office is open Tuesday to Friday from 10:00 to 16:00.
- Address
- Stationsplein 1, 8331 GM Steenwijk
- Phone
- +31 521 514004
- [email protected]
- Box office
- Tue–Fri 10:00–16:00 and 45 minutes before a show
- Paying at the box office
- Cash or card
Photos
Photo credits
A crowd dancing under stage lights and mirror balls at an event in the Evenementenhal of De Meenthe in Steenwijk: De Meenthe · CC BY-SA 4.0
The Vestzaktheater of De Meenthe seen from the stage, with a grand piano and the raked rows of seats behind: De Meenthe · CC BY-SA 4.0
The raked rows of seats of the Vestzaktheater at De Meenthe, seen from the stage: De Meenthe · CC BY-SA 4.0 · Cropped
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Frequently asked questions about Rabo Theater De Meenthe
What time does a show at De Meenthe start and end?
Evening shows in the Eleq Theaterzaal usually start at 20:00. Concerts in the Evenementenhal open their doors one hour before the start, for example doors at 20:00, start at 21:00 and expected end at 23:00. The theatre cannot give an end time for theatre shows; the event page lists an expected end only for events.
How many seats does the Eleq Theaterzaal have?
605. The Vestzaktheater has 126 seats and the Evenementenhal holds up to 1,700 people.
Can I choose my own seat at De Meenthe?
In the Eleq Theaterzaal yes, when you book online. The Vestzaktheater and the Evenementenhal have free seating: you pick a place when you enter.
Where can I park at Rabo Theater De Meenthe?
In the large car park around the theatre. On weekdays between 07:00 and 12:00 you need a parking disc for a maximum of 4 hours; after 12:00 it is free. When it is full, use the P+R across the tracks, 2 minutes over the footbridge.
How far is De Meenthe from Steenwijk station?
About 50 metres; the theatre is opposite the station, and the bus station is next to it.
Where are the wheelchair places?
Rows 6 and 7 of the Eleq Theaterzaal. Reserve them by phone on 0521 514004.
Can I eat before the show?
Yes, in the theatre restaurant: a three-course choice menu costs €35. Sit down between 17:30 and 18:30 and reserve online until 15:00 on the day.
Is there a cloakroom?
Yes, a free one. Coats may not go into the hall unless you keep them on; a few regional shows and events have a paid cloakroom.
Is an interval drink included?
Usually yes: the ticket price includes one, except for regional shows and shows by third parties. Without an interval it waits for you after the show.
Can children come along?
Children are welcome at family shows. Babies and very young children are not welcome at adult shows, and every visitor in the hall needs a ticket. Children up to 12 get free tickets to a selection of children's shows, with at least one paid ticket and at most two free children per paid ticket.
Can I cancel or rebook tickets?
Up to one working day before the show, at the box office, by email or by phone. Tickets for events in the Evenementenhal cannot be returned.
What if a show is sold out?
You can join the waiting list; the theatre contacts you if tickets come back.
Sources: De Meenthe: vergaderen (October 21, 2026) · De Meenthe: plattegrond (October 21, 2026) · De Meenthe: kaarten reserveren (October 21, 2026) · De Meenthe: theaterrestaurant (October 21, 2026) · De Meenthe: huisregels (October 21, 2026) · De Meenthe: mindervaliden (October 21, 2026) · NS Steenwijk timetable 2026 (Wikipedia) and De Meenthe (October 21, 2026) · De Meenthe: route en parkeren (October 21, 2026)
