Pomigliano Theater Festival

The theater is the place where imagination becomes reality, where a word transforms into the body, a space into a landscape, and a story into a shared experience. It is from this idea that “I Mondi Possibili” (Possible Worlds) was born — the theme of the second edition of the Pomigliano Teatro Festival, scheduled for August 5–September 13, 2026, with an even more comprehensive program designed to expand its reach, consolidate its cultural identity, and strengthen its ties to the local community.Admission to performances and special events is free while seats last.

Conceived and directed by Felice Panico, with the support of the Departments of Culture, Budget, Heritage, and Sports of the City of Pomigliano d’Arco and under the moral patronage of the Campania Region and the Metropolitan City of Naples, the theme chosen for the second edition represents both a poetic and programmatic statement.

The theater, in fact, becomes the place where imagination is transformed into a shared experience, where every performance builds a new universe and invites the audience to explore it.

While the first edition laid the foundation, the 2026 edition aims to broaden the horizon. The festival’s venues are expanding: alongside the Courtyard of City Hall and the Sala delle Capriate, the Council Chamber, the Courtyard of Palazzo Orologio, and the Garden of the Giorgio La Pira Center are now permanent fixtures in the program, transforming the entire city into a sprawling stage.

The schedule has also been revamped with a more dynamic and compact format, featuring at least two weekly events and a packed weekend in early September, offering the public a continuous program spanning drama, music, staged readings, documentaries, educational sessions, and performances dedicated to sports and civic engagement.

The second edition will kick off on August 5, in the courtyard of Palazzo Municipio, with one of the most compelling performers on the national scene, Giovanni Ludeno, starring in*S-Enz*, a theatrical tribute to Enzo Moscato, a pivotal figure in contemporary theater. The performance, accompanied by live music performed by Paolo Polcari and visual designs by Roberto-C, represents a poetic journey into the universe of one of Italy’s greatest playwrights, weaving together words, sound, and images into a stage production of powerful emotional impact.

On August 7, the festival reaffirms its commitment to the new generation of theater artists by hosting Francesco Rivieccio with*Rainbow – Memorie da una storia vera*(*Rainbow – Memoriesfrom aTrue Story*), one of the most award-winning productions in recent Italian theater. Through an autobiographical narrative that alternates between irony, intensity, and lightheartedness, the actor tackles themes such as identity, discrimination, and memory, transforming a personal story into a universal tale about rights and inclusion.

After the summer break, the festival will resume on August 26 with one of the most influential actresses on the national scene, Iaia Forte, who will bring to life the world imagined by Paolo Sorrentino, portraying the iconic Tony Pagoda, a much-loved character from the works of the Oscar-winning writer and director. The show is a sophisticated blend of theater, music, and literature, in which comedy and melancholy coexist in perfect balance, capturing the full complexity of Sorrentino’s universe.

On August 28, it will be Giulia Trippetta’s turn—author, director, and star of *La moglie perfetta* (The Perfect Wife), a show that uses the language of comedy to dismantle the cultural models that have fueled gender stereotypes and discrimination for decades. Through brilliant and intelligent storytelling, the audience will be taken on a journey that, starting with the education of women in the past, ultimately questions the present.

The festival isn’t limited to spoken-word theater. On September 1, in the City Council Chamber, the documentary film *Stringimi forte - Il Teatro Giovane*(Hold Me Tight - The Youth Theater), directed by Felice Panico and Alessandro Pezza and produced in collaboration with the City of Pomigliano d’Arco and the Teatro Pubblico Campano, will be screened. The documentary chronicles the experience of the theater workshop held in Pomigliano in 2024 and, through the testimonies of the young participants, offers a reflection on the educational value of theater and the challenges faced by those who choose today to turn their passion into a profession.

On September 2, in the picturesque setting of the Garden of the Giorgio La Pira Center, the festival will pay tribute to Pomigliano d’Arco’s bid for “Italian Book Capital 2027” with *Lettere a Sud*, a staged reading performed by Angela Rosa D’Auria, dedicated to the most significant voices in the region’s literature. This event highlights the relationship between the written word and the spoken word of theater, between cultural memory and collective identity.

On September 4, theater will intersect with sports and history in *Cartavelina*, a play written and performed by Gaetano Coccia, dedicated to Matthias Sindelar, the legendary center forward of the Austrian Wunderteam who chose to oppose Nazism, paying for his freedom with his life. A socially conscious narrative that uses soccer as a metaphor for courage and human dignity.

Among the main new features of the second edition is “InterAzioni,” the festival’s new section scheduled for September 5 and 6 in the courtyard of Palazzo Orologio. For two days, the stage will be handed over to local theater companies, acting schools, and workshops from Pomigliano’s high schools, which have been invited to explore the theme “On the Road” through short theatrical performances with zero environmental impact.

This choice reaffirms the festival’s commitment to being not only a venue for hosting events but also a space for production, dialogue, and the promotion of local artistic communities.

Alongside the performances, the section dedicated to training continues to grow. On September 7, in the Sala delle Capriate, Valeria Impagliazzo will lead the workshop *Il corpo veicolare*, aimed at young actors between the ages of 18 and 40.

This workshop explores the relationship between movement, emotion, and stage presence, in which the body becomes the primary tool for character development.

The festival’s closing event, on September 13, will be led by Barbara Veloce, who will guide children ages 3 to 10 in the workshop *Il museo delle creature invisibili*(The Museum of Invisible Creatures)—a creative experience dedicated to imagination, play, and the discovery of theater through the language of childhood.

One of the defining features of the Pomigliano Teatro Festival remains that all events and workshops are completely free of charge—a decision that reaffirms the commitment to making theater a truly accessible and shared cultural resource. This is made possible through collaboration between institutions, local associations, and, starting this year, private sponsors who have chosen to support the project.

Furthermore, the festival’s journey began well before summer. On March 31, as part of “The Pomigliano Theater Festival Meets Schools,” over 140 high school students from the city’s schools took part in a day of training and discussion dedicated to theater, demonstrating the festival’s commitment to building an ongoing dialogue with the younger generations.

The second edition of the Pomigliano Teatro Festival reaffirms its mission: to be not merely a series of performances, but a permanent cultural laboratory capable of bringing together artists, citizens, and institutions, transforming the theater into a space for participation, reflection, and collective growth.

Full program and schedule at www.pomiglianoteatrofestival.it

Workshop information and reservations: pomiglianoteatrofestival@gmail.com

Admission to performances and special events is free while seats last.