Castelnuovo Takes You to the Theatre
The winter theatre festival at Rocca Colonna in Castelnuovo di Porto
About Takes You to the Theatre
A theatre season in the heart of the village
Castelnuovo Takes You to the Theatre is the winter theatre festival that every year, from January to April, turns the Rocca Colonna of Castelnuovo di Porto into a vibrant stage. Performances are held in the scenic Sala dei Cento Passi, located inside the fortress that overlooks the village, one of the most characteristic in the countryside north of Rome, in the Lazio region. The event is promoted by the Municipality of Castelnuovo di Porto with the support of the Lazio Region and the artistic direction of the Compagnia Carmentalia (Alessia Sorbello, Giulio Forges Davanzati, and Andrea Trovato).
Two souls: adults and families
The programme is built on a dual track that has won over an increasingly loyal audience over the years. Saturday evenings are dedicated to performances for adults, including drama, musical theatre, and monologues; Sunday afternoons are reserved for families, with fairy tales, object theatre, magic, and storytelling designed for the little ones. It is precisely this attention to children and young people, combined with the quality of the offerings, that makes the festival a highly anticipated appointment in the local cultural calendar.
A theatre that dialogues with the Rocca
Some performances are born from the very place that hosts them: the Compagnia Carmentalia signs site-specific productions where the audience, equipped with headphones, is taken on an immersive journey through the spaces of the Rocca, its history, and the characters who inhabited it. Alongside these works, there is room for object theatre that reinterprets classical myths, comedy, musical theatre that brings the atmospheres of the West End and Broadway to the stage, and poetic storytelling for children.
Why it's worth it
- A unique setting: the Rocca Colonna and the Sala dei Cento Passi, in the historic centre of the village.
- A multidisciplinary programme that alternates drama, music, object theatre, and magic.
- Affordable tickets and promotions designed for the local public and families.
- Programming dedicated to children and teenagers, with Sunday events.
- Just a few kilometres from Rome, easily reachable along the Via Flaminia.
Throughout the season, the square in front of the Rocca and the village activities accompany the spectators in a festive atmosphere that makes Castelnuovo Takes You to the Theatre much more than just a festival: a way to experience the town and its Rocca through theatre.
Takes You to the Theatre — edition 2026
The 2026 edition
The 2026 season of Castelnuovo Takes You to the Theatre kicked off on Saturday, January 10, with an inauguration party at the Sala dei Cento Passi of the Rocca Colonna, hosted by journalist Laura Bonasera, and ran until April with a double programme: Saturday evening shows for adult audiences and Sunday afternoon events for families and children.
The programme included musical theatre like West End to Broadway, the tribute David, come quando eravamo felici, Declinazioni d'amore, Cronache di una zitella, the theatrical concert Club 27, and the site-specific headphone production Io e il Principe by the Compagnia Carmentalia. The section dedicated to the little ones featured fairy tales and object theatre such as Melina, una mela ballerina, Aladino e la lampada magica, Officina Prometeo, and Bella & Dr. Beast.
The popular ticket formula was confirmed, with discounted rates for young people and promotions for families, making the event a reference point for the cultural life of Castelnuovo di Porto and its surrounding territory in the Lazio region.
Programme Takes You to the Theatre 2026
Evening performances (adults) - 8:30 PM
- Saturday, January 31 - West End to Broadway (Mark Biocca, Emma Gordon)
- Saturday, February 7 - David, come quando eravamo felici (Andrea Trovato, Marco Di Stefano)
- Saturday, February 21 - Declinazioni d'amore (Alessandro Pazzaglia, Alessia Filiberti and others)
- Saturday, March 7 - Cronache di una zitella (Maria Elisa Barontini)
- Saturday, March 21 - Club 27 (Elisa Di Eusanio, with live music)
- Sunday, April 12 (5:00 PM and 7:00 PM) - Io e il Principe, site-specific headphone show (Compagnia Carmentalia)
Performances for families (children) - 4:30 PM
- Sunday, February 1 - La danse du pied, apriti alla gioia (Monsieur David, Feet Theatre Co.)
- Sunday, February 8 - Il racconto della principessa guerriera (Matteo Prosperi, Paola Giglio)
- Sunday, February 22 - Melina, una mela ballerina (Giovanna Cappuccio, Daniela Distefano)
- Sunday, March 1 - Aladino e la lampada magica (Maria Elisa Barontini, Valerio De Angelis)
- Sunday, March 8 - Alice e Giovannino (Natalia Cavalleri, Simona Vitale)
- Sunday, March 15 - Officina Prometeo, object theatre
- Sunday, March 22 - Bella & Dr. Beast (Jason Goodman, Simona Epifani)
- Sunday, March 29 - Mago Manfy tra fantasia e magia (Daniele Manfucci)
Inauguration: Saturday, January 10, 5:00 PM, free admission party hosted by Laura Bonasera.
Highlights Takes You to the Theatre 2026
- Io e il Principe: an immersive headphone journey through the spaces of Rocca Colonna, exploring its history and characters.
- Club 27: a theatrical concert with live music dedicated to music legends who passed away at 27.
- Officina Prometeo: object theatre that reinterprets the myth of Prometheus and the birth of humanity with a poetic and ironic twist.
- A full Sunday schedule designed for children and families.
Prices Takes You to the Theatre 2026
Practical information — Takes You to the Theatre
Location
Rocca Colonna, Sala dei Cento Passi, historic centre of Castelnuovo di Porto (RM), Lazio.
How to get there
By car from Rome: Via Flaminia (SS3) or A1 motorway, exit Roma Nord/Castelnuovo di Porto, about 30 km from the capital's centre. By train: regional line FL3 (Castelnuovo di Porto station along the line to Viterbo). The village is also served by Cotral bus lines from Rome.
Tickets
Evening performances for adults €14 (€10 under 18); performances for families and children €7. Promotions: 3 adult tickets for €34, 4 children's tickets for €21. Inauguration with free admission.
Contacts
Tel. and WhatsApp +39 351 532 7740 - [email protected]. Booking is recommended due to the limited seating in the Sala dei Cento Passi.
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Where does it take place — Takes You to the Theatre
Rocca Colonna - Sala dei Cento Passi
Via Cavour, 00060 Castelnuovo di Porto