Cortile Teatro Festival

Open-air theatre on the Strait of Messina

The Cortile Teatro Festival is one of the most distinctive summer theatre events in Messina, Sicily. Born from the experience of the cultural association Il Castello di Sancio Panza, the festival has made its choice of venues its signature: instead of traditional indoor theatres, performances come to life in courtyards, groves, and on headlands, often with the sea and the landscape of the Strait serving as a natural backdrop.

The festival venues

The heart of the festival is the Tenuta Rasocolmo, located on the Tyrrhenian coast of the Municipality of Messina, along the Strada Statale 113. Here, spectators are welcomed into various spaces, each with its own unique atmosphere: the Boschetto (Grove), shaded and secluded; the Cortile (Courtyard), which gives the event its name; and the Promontorio (Headland), which opens up to a panoramic view. Some events are also held at the Messina section of the Lega Navale Italiana, highlighting the deep bond between the festival and the sea.

Quality programming

Under the artistic direction of Roberto Zorn Bonaventura, the Cortile Teatro Festival prioritizes storytelling theatre, original monologues, performances, and dance, alternating between voices from the Sicilian scene and names from national theatrical research. The program, always curated and compact, favors quality over quantity: a few events, spread throughout the month of August, capable of creating a dialogue between text, actor, and the natural space.

Connection to the territory

The event is held with the support of the Municipality of Messina and represents a highly anticipated date in the city's cultural summer, in a capital city of north-eastern Sicily overlooking the Strait. The festival often draws on themes and inspirations related to the sea, the memory of fishermen, and the culture of the Strait, in a constant dialogue between theatre and local identity.

Why attend

• Evening open-air performances in evocative seaside locations
• Storytelling theatre, monologues, performances, and auteur dance
• Intimate atmosphere, far from the large stages
• A high-quality cultural offering in the heart of the Messina summer

The dates for the 2026 edition have not yet been announced: we recommend following the festival's official channels for updates on the new program.