Theater De Willem in Papendrecht
Theater De Willem is Papendrecht's 530-seat theatre on Van der Palmstraat, with around 100 professional shows a year, free parking at the door and a 6-minute walk from the bus stop.
Photo credits
The auditorium of Theater De Willem, with rows of seats facing the stage during an open day.: Kjell Betlem / Theater De Willem
Quick answers
- Capacity
- 530 seats in one hall
- Address
- van der Palmstraat 43351 HA Papendrecht
- Nearest bus stop
- Jan Steenlaan, bus 4 or 14, 6 min walk
- From Dordrecht station
- Bus 4 or 14, then 6 min walk
- Parking
- Free around the theatre, also at the door
- Box office
- 078-615 82 26; shop in Sportcentrum
- Evening shows
- Usually 20:15 to around 22:45
- Drinks
- One drink included at most shows
- Contact
- +31 78 615 82 26
Theater De Willem agenda: upcoming events
Tonight, this week and the months ahead at this venue in Papendrecht.
Last night at Theater De Willem: Matthijn Buwalda - De rest mag je hebben
November 2026
December 2026
Plan your visit to Theater De Willem
How many people fit in Theater De Willem?
- Theater De Willem
- 530 seats
- Schouwburg Kunstmin
- 755 seats
- Nieuwe Luxor
- 1,527 seats
Theater De Willem has one auditorium with 530 seats. The venue gives the same figure for theatre performances and for hires, and Wikipedia describes 530 loose chairs rather than fixed rows. There is no second hall, so 530 is the number for every show.
That makes it a middle-sized Dutch theatre. Schouwburg Kunstmin in Dordrecht, the larger city theatre nearby, has 755 seats; Nieuwe Luxor in Rotterdam has 1,527. De Willem is smaller than both, but 530 is enough for a full house on a cabaret or musical night and small enough that the back row still feels part of the same room.
| Venue | Type | Seats | Source |
|---|---|---|---|
| Theater De Willem, Papendrecht | Theatre | 530 | Official site |
| Schouwburg Kunstmin, Dordrecht | Theatre | 755 | Wikipedia |
| Nieuwe Luxor, Rotterdam | Theatre | 1,527 | Wikipedia |
Seating plan: rows 1 to 13 and which seats to choose
One hall, rows 1 to 13, 530 loose chairs. The stage is at one end, the foyer at the other, and the rake starts at row 10.
- Row 1
- At the stage
- Flat section
- Rows 1 to 9
- Rake starts
- Row 10
- Step-free row
- Row 13, foyer level
- Wheelchair spaces
- 4, all on row 13
Row 1 is at the stage. Rows 1 to 9 are on the flat floor, so the view is straight on but low. From row 10 the hall steps up, and row 13 is at foyer level, which makes it the step-free row and the one with the wheelchair spaces.
Which seats to choose: row 1 if you want to be close to the performers; the middle rows of the flat section for a straight-on view without craning; rows 10 to 12 if you prefer to look down on the stage; row 13 if you need step-free access or want to be near the exit. The trade-off is distance versus height, not a different room.
The venue warns that the layout can change for some performances, for example when a show needs a different stage or when not all seats are sold. If your seat is moved, the theatre gives you another place. Wheelchair spaces must be booked by phone in advance.
Food and drink at Theater De Willem
The theatre runs its own foyer bar. Most performances include one drink in the ticket; at family shows and hires it usually is not included.
The bar has been in the theatre's own hands since August 2023. If the show has an interval, your included drink is ready in the break; if not, it is served after the performance. The bar takes card payments only, so bring a bank card rather than cash.
You cannot take your own food or drink into the hall or foyer, and eating or drinking in the auditorium is not allowed. That applies at family shows too. The foyer also has a 'Willems Borrelarrangement': a reserved table after the show with a drink and a snack.
- Included drink
- One at most performances
- Family shows
- Drink not included
- Payment
- Card only
- Own food
- Not allowed in hall or foyer
Accessibility: wheelchairs, hearing system and step-free access
The auditorium is on one level at the back: row 13 is at foyer level and holds the four wheelchair spaces. Companions sit on row 12, directly in front.
Book a wheelchair space by phone through the Ticketshop before the show. If you arrive without one, the theatre can refuse entry or, if you can leave the wheelchair, look for another solution. The four spaces are the only wheelchair places in the hall.
The hearing system is free. Ask at the box office before the performance; the theatre takes your details and explains how to use it. Buggies, prams and rollators can stay in the foyer during the show.
The flat section runs to row 9; from row 10 the hall steps up. If you cannot manage steps, row 13 is the one to book, but it is also the back row, so you trade closeness for step-free access.
- Wheelchair spaces
- 4, on row 13
- Companions
- Row 12
- Booking
- By phone, in advance
- Hearing system
- Free, ask at the box office
House rules: phones, photos, latecomers and children
The rules are the usual Dutch theatre ones, plus a few local details: phones off, no recording, no smoking, and no food or drink in the auditorium.
Switch your phone off before the performance. A phone can interfere with the sound equipment even when you are not using it. If you need to be reachable, arrange a call via the interval board at the box office before the show. Photography, sound recording and video are forbidden during performances, whatever the camera.
Latecomers can be refused entry and tickets are not refunded. Smoking is not allowed anywhere in the building. You cannot bring your own food or drink into the hall or foyer, and you cannot eat or drink in the auditorium.
Most family shows have an age limit, and the theatre can refuse entry to children below it. Every visitor needs a ticket, including a baby on your lap. Earplugs cost €2 a set at the box office. Buggies and rollators stay in the foyer.
- Phones
- Off before the show
- Recording
- Not allowed during performances
- Latecomers
- Can be refused entry
- Smoking
- Banned throughout
- Baby ticket
- Required, even on a lap
- Earplugs
- €2 a set
Tickets, box office and contact
Tickets come from the theatre's own Ticketshop, not a national ticket agency. The shop is in the entrance hall of Sportcentrum Papendrecht at Burgemeester Keijzerweg 110; the box office in the theatre at Van der Palmstraat 4 opens one hour before each performance.
The ticket shop is open Monday to Thursday 07:00-14:00 and 19:00-21:30, and Friday 07:00-14:00. Book online or phone 078-615 82 26. Phone reservations are held for two weeks; if your show is within two weeks, collect your tickets at least 15 minutes before the start.
Booking costs €0.50 per ticket, plus €1 per order for e-tickets or €5 per order for cardboard tickets. Paid tickets are not refunded. Up to 48 hours before the show you can exchange them for a digital credit and pay €1 per ticket. If the theatre moves the show to a date you cannot make, you get your money back.
The general office is 078-641 14 21, email [email protected]. Address: Van der Palmstraat 4, 3351 HA Papendrecht. Post: Postbus 192, 3350 AD Papendrecht.
- Ticket shop
- Sportcentrum Papendrecht, Burgemeester Keijzerweg 110
- Booking fee
- €0.50 per ticket
- E-tickets
- €1 per order
- Cardboard tickets
- €5 per order
- Exchange
- Up to 48 hours, €1 per ticket
- Phone
- 078-615 82 26
Getting to Theater De Willem by bus, train or car
The theatre is on Van der Palmstraat in Papendrecht, 4,150 m from Dordrecht station. Papendrecht has no railway station of its own, so the train leg ends in Dordrecht and a bus covers the last part.
From Dordrecht station, bus 4 or 14 goes to Jan Steenlaan, 400 m and about 6 minutes' walk from the theatre. Bus 416 goes to Busstation, 880 m and about 12 minutes' walk. Bus 702 also stops at Paulus Potterstraat, 380 m away.
The closest stops are Paulus Potterstraat (702) and Jan Steenlaan (4, 14), both about 6 minutes. P.C. Hooftlaan and Constantijn Huygenslaan are served by 4, 14 and 702 and are 10 to 11 minutes away. Busstation has the widest choice of lines: 388, 416, 491 and 702, 12 minutes from the door.
By car, put Van der Palmstraat 4, 3351 HA Papendrecht in the satnav. The car park is in front of the theatre and parking is free; see the parking section for the overflow areas.
Parking at Theater De Willem: free spaces at the door
Parking around Theater De Willem is free. The venue points first to the car park in front of the theatre, then to the Bethlehemkerk side and the area between the Willem de Zwijger College and De Beatrixschool. On a very busy night you may have to use the surrounding streets, so allow a few extra minutes.
The theatre's own car park is at the door and free. Two more options are a short walk away: the Weteringsingel surface car park (770 m, 11 minutes, open 24/7; the municipality publishes no rate, so check the signs) and Winkelcentrum Westpolder (790 m, 11 minutes, 150 free spaces, open 24/7).
If the free spaces are full, Parkeergarage de Meent (368 spaces, 930 m, about 13 minutes) and Overtoom (200 spaces, 1,130 m, about 16 minutes) are the paid alternatives. Both are free for the first two hours, then cost €0.41 per 15 minutes, with a maximum day rate of €8.20.
| Car park | Address | Walk | Rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| Theatre car park | Van der Palmstraat 4 | At the door | Free |
| Weteringsingel | Weteringsingel, Papendrecht | 770 m, 11 min | Rate not published; open 24/7 |
| Winkelcentrum Westpolder | Westpolder, Papendrecht | 790 m, 11 min | Free |
| Parkeergarage de Meent | De Meent, 3351 Papendrecht | 930 m, 13 min | First 2 hours free, then €0.41 per 15 min; max €8.20 a day |
| Parkeergarage Overtoom | De Overtoom, 3353 Papendrecht | 1,130 m, 16 min | First 2 hours free, then €0.41 per 15 min; max €8.20 a day |
- Theatre car park
- Free, in front of the theatre
- Weteringsingel
- Municipal surface car park, 770 m, 11 min, open 24/7; rate not published
- Westpolder
- 150 spaces, free, 790 m, 11 min
- De Meent
- 368 spaces, first 2 h free, then €0.41/15 min, 930 m, 13 min
- Overtoom
- 200 spaces, first 2 h free, then €0.41/15 min, 1,130 m, 16 min
About Theater De Willem
Theater De Willem is the main theatre of Papendrecht, on Van der Palmstraat 4. It opened on 5 October 1978 in the converted school hall of the Willem de Zwijger school and moved into a completely new building in 2010. Since 1 January 2018 it has been a private organisation, run alongside Sportcentrum Papendrecht.
The house has one auditorium with 530 loose chairs. That flexibility is the point: the theatre uses the room for its own programme and hires it out for conferences, staff parties, information markets and meetings, with the foyer as a second space. Around 100 professional performances a year run alongside a large number of youth and school shows.
The programme is broad rather than niche: family shows, cabaret, music theatre, musical, show and drama. The tone is deliberately unstuffy; the theatre calls itself a 'gezellige, kleine schouwburg zonder koude drukte' - a friendly small theatre without cold bustle.
For visitors, the practical facts matter more than the history: the hall is a short bus ride from Dordrecht station, parking at the door is free, and the main ticket shop is in Sportcentrum Papendrecht, while the theatre box office opens an hour before shows.
- Opened
- 5 October 1978
- New building
- 2010
- Privatised
- 1 January 2018
- Seats
- 530 loose chairs
- Professional shows
- About 100 a year
Photos
Photo credits
The auditorium of Theater De Willem, with rows of seats facing the stage during an open day.: Kjell Betlem / Theater De Willem
Aerial view of Theater De Willem and the streets around Van der Palmstraat in Papendrecht.: Theater De Willem
The foyer bar at Theater De Willem, set up for guests during an evening event.: Theater De Willem
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Frequently asked questions
What time do shows at Theater De Willem start and end?
Most evening shows start at 20:15 and finish around 22:45. Family matinees usually run from 14:30 to 17:00. Check the start time on your ticket, because a few shows use a different schedule.
How many seats does Theater De Willem have?
530 seats, all loose chairs in one auditorium. The same number applies to theatre performances and to hires of the hall; there is no second auditorium.
Where is Theater De Willem?
Van der Palmstraat 4, 3351 HA Papendrecht. The theatre is 4,150 m from Dordrecht station; the nearest bus stops are Jan Steenlaan (bus 4 and 14) and Paulus Potterstraat (bus 702).
Is there parking at Theater De Willem?
Yes, parking around the theatre is free. There is a car park in front of the theatre and more spaces on the Bethlehemkerk side and between the Willem de Zwijger College and De Beatrixschool. On very busy nights you may have to walk from nearby streets.
Which bus goes to Theater De Willem from Dordrecht station?
Take bus 4 or 14 to Jan Steenlaan, then walk about 6 minutes (400 m). Bus 416 also runs to Busstation, about 12 minutes' walk from the theatre.
Can I choose a seat at Theater De Willem?
Yes, the hall has 530 numbered loose chairs. Row 1 is at the stage, rows 1 to 9 are flat, rows 10 to 12 step up and row 13 is at foyer level. The venue can change the layout for some shows.
Are there wheelchair spaces at Theater De Willem?
There are four, all on row 13 at foyer level, with companions on row 12. Book by phone through the Ticketshop in advance; without a reservation entry can be refused.
Can I bring my own food or drink to Theater De Willem?
No. You cannot bring your own food or drink into the hall or foyer, and you cannot eat or drink in the auditorium. Most shows include one drink, served in the interval or after the show.
How much are the booking fees at Theater De Willem?
€0.50 per ticket, plus €1 per order for e-tickets or €5 per order for cardboard tickets. Exchanges cost €1 per ticket and must be made at least 48 hours before the show.
Can I get a refund or exchange my Theater De Willem tickets?
Paid tickets are not refunded. Up to 48 hours before the performance you can exchange them for a digital credit and pay a €1 per ticket fee. If the theatre moves the show, you get your money back.
Does Theater De Willem have a hearing system?
Yes, a free hearing system for hard-of-hearing visitors. Ask at the box office before the performance; the theatre will take your details and explain how to use it.
What are the opening hours of the Theater De Willem box office?
The ticket shop at Sportcentrum Papendrecht, Burgemeester Keijzerweg 110, is open Monday to Thursday 07:00-14:00 and 19:00-21:30, and Friday 07:00-14:00. The theatre box office opens one hour before each performance.
Can I bring a buggy or rollator to Theater De Willem?
Buggies, prams and rollators can stay in the foyer during the performance. The hall itself has four wheelchair spaces on row 13; book these by phone in advance.
Sources: Wikipedia: Theater De Willem (October 30, 2026) · Theater De Willem: theatre hire (530 seats) and Wikipedia (comparison venues) (October 30, 2026) · Theater De Willem: seating plan (October 30, 2026) · OpenStreetMap: stops, station and walking times around the theatre (October 30, 2026) · Theater De Willem parking advice, OpenStreetMap car parks and the municipality's garage rates (October 30, 2026) · Theater De Willem: food and drink (October 30, 2026) · Theater De Willem: service and house rules (October 30, 2026) · Theater De Willem: ticket information (October 30, 2026) · Theater De Willem: frequently asked questions (October 30, 2026)
