Geothermal Hills Festival
Contemporary theatre amidst the villages of the Tuscan geothermal region
About Geothermal Hills
A festival in the warm heart of Tuscany
The Geothermal Hills Festival is one of the most original contemporary theatre events in Tuscany. Created to give a voice to the geothermal villages, it travels each year through the municipalities of the Alta Val di Cecina and the Colline Metallifere: Castelnuovo di Val di Cecina (Province of Pisa), Pomarance, Monteverdi Marittimo, Monterotondo Marittimo, and Montieri. It is a form of theatre that steps out of traditional halls to inhabit town squares, multi-purpose rooms, historic villages, and even landscapes marked by steam and fumaroles, in a territory recognized as a UNESCO Global Geopark.
The beauty of the margins
The 15th edition, scheduled from May 14 to July 11, 2026, is themed "The beauty of the margins": an invitation to look at inland lands, peripheral places, and stories on the fringes as a heritage of meaning and poetry. The program features 44 events, with 6 world premieres and 4 national previews, under the artistic direction of Marco Pasquinucci and the organizational direction of Annastella Giannelli, for the Officine Papage association.
Events in Castelnuovo di Val di Cecina
Castelnuovo di Val di Cecina and its hamlet of Sasso Pisano host some of the most anticipated events of the festival:
- "Scavare e Togliere. Esistere è una necessità spaziale" by the Kauwa-Auwa company, with the Corale di Valle, at the La Pista Multi-purpose Hall;
- "Tik Tok TAC. Il risveglio del Principe d'Egitto" by Teatri d'Imbarco, a national premiere dedicated to younger audiences;
- "I diari dello stare" by the company Il Cinghiale e la Balena, a national preview in Piazza del Plebiscito;
- "Disastri. Ovvero quel che resta" by Pilar Ternera – Compagnia A.D.D.A., at the Teatro De Larderel;
- the festival closing in Sasso Pisano with "In capo al mondo. Viaggio con Walter Bonatti" by Teatro Invito and the one-on-one performance "L'imbarazzo dell'infinito" by Officine Papage.
Accessible and community-based theatre
The festival pays great attention to inclusion, with an "Open" section designed for people with disabilities, families, and senior audiences, as well as a constant focus on young artists under 35. In addition to the performances, the program includes theatrical walks, workshops, and meetings with the community, in dialogue with popular traditions and the geothermal landscape. A formula that makes this event much more than a theatre program: it is a way to rediscover the villages of inland Tuscany and their extraordinary relationship with nature.
Geothermal Hills — edition 2026
The 15th edition of the Geothermal Hills Festival takes place from May 14 to July 11, 2026, with the theme "The beauty of the margins". The program features 44 events, with 6 world premieres and 4 national previews, spread across the geothermal villages of the Alta Val di Cecina and the Colline Metallifere. The artistic direction is by Marco Pasquinucci for Officine Papage, with the support of partners such as the UNESCO Global Geopark and Terre di Pisa.
Programme Geothermal Hills 2026
Inauguration — May 14 (Pomarance)
- "Ho visto Van Gogh. Matteo si espone" — Teatro Magro, with Matteo Rosignoli
Events in Castelnuovo di Val di Cecina
- Friday, May 22, 9:30 PM — "Scavare e Togliere. Esistere è una necessità spaziale" (Kauwa-Auwa, with Corale di Valle) — La Pista Multi-purpose Hall, national premiere
- Wednesday, May 27, 10:00 AM — "Tik Tok TAC. Il risveglio del Principe d'Egitto" (Teatri d'Imbarco) — La Pista Multi-purpose Hall, national premiere
- Sunday, June 21, 7:00 PM — "I diari dello stare" (Il Cinghiale e la Balena) — Piazza del Plebiscito, national preview
- Thursday, June 25, 7:00 PM — "Disastri. Ovvero quel che resta" (Pilar Ternera – Compagnia A.D.D.A.) — Teatro De Larderel, national premiere
- Saturday, July 11, 5:00 PM — "L'imbarazzo dell'infinito" (Officine Papage), one-on-one performance — Sasso Pisano, historic village
- Saturday, July 11, 9:30 PM — "In capo al mondo. In viaggio con Walter Bonatti" (Teatro Invito) — Sasso Pisano, Via Cavour, closing performance
Other performances on the program (various locations)
- June 4 — "Metamorfoses" (Teatro Da Garagem, Lisbon)
- June 14 — "La ricerca della felicità" (Stefano Massini)
- June 20 — "Malamente" (Mauro Pescio)
- June 25 — "Luisa" (Valentina Dal Mas)
- June 26 — "I'm Looking For" (Oscar De Summa)
The festival also includes an "Open" section dedicated to accessibility and inclusion, theatrical walks, workshops, and meetings with the village communities.
Highlights Geothermal Hills 2026
Prices Geothermal Hills 2026
Practical information — Geothermal Hills
Where
Performances in Castelnuovo di Val di Cecina take place at the La Pista Multi-purpose Hall, in Piazza del Plebiscito, at the Teatro De Larderel, and in the village of Sasso Pisano. Other events are held in Pomarance, Monteverdi Marittimo, Monterotondo Marittimo, and Montieri.
How to get there
Castelnuovo di Val di Cecina can be reached by car via the SS68 and SR439 roads; the reference railway station is Cecina, from where you can continue by bus or car towards the geothermal hinterland.
Tickets and reservations
Full price ticket 10 euros, reduced 8 euros, available for purchase online at liveticket.it. Reservations can be made via WhatsApp or SMS at +39 334 269 8007 and +39 320 562 6356, or by writing to [email protected]. Information at www.officinepapage.it.
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Where does it take place — Geothermal Hills
Sala Polifunzionale La Pista, Piazza del Plebiscito, Teatro De Larderel
Piazza del Plebiscito, 56041 Castelnuovo di Val di Cecina