International Youth Classical Theatre Festival

Classical theatre through the eyes of the youth

Every year, between May and June, the small town of Palazzolo Acreide, in the province of Syracuse, transforms into the European capital of youth theatre. The International Youth Classical Theatre Festival gathers thousands of students from Italian and European schools who, under the guidance of their teachers, stage and interpret the great works of Greek and Roman dramaturgy: tragedies by Aeschylus, Sophocles, and Euripides, comedies by Aristophanes and Plautus, as well as adaptations and reinterpretations of Homeric epics like the Iliad and the Odyssey.

The Greek Theatre of Akrai

The event takes place in the evocative Greek Theatre of the ancient city of Akrai, located within the archaeological site overlooking Palazzolo Acreide. Built in the Hellenistic era, this small stone theatre offers young actors the same stage where ancient tragedy resonated over two thousand years ago, providing a unique experience of continuity between past and present. The town in the Iblei mountains, recognized as a UNESCO World Heritage site for its Baroque architecture, thus becomes one of the most visited archaeological hubs in Sicily during the festival weeks.

A project by the INDA Foundation

The festival is organized by the INDA Foundation - National Institute of Ancient Drama in Syracuse, the same institution that produces the famous classical performances at the Greek Theatre of Syracuse. Founded in 1991 by the will of Giusto Monaco, the event has grown to involve over one hundred schools and thousands of students, ranging from primary school to university, coming from Italy and various European countries such as Greece, Belgium, France, and Luxembourg. In 2024, the festival received the European Heritage Award from the European Commission.

An educational and intercultural laboratory

More than just a showcase, the Youth Festival is a grand educational laboratory: it brings students closer to the heritage of classical culture through direct stage practice, fosters intercultural exchange between young people from different nations, and keeps alive, in the heart of south-eastern Sicily, a theatrical tradition rooted in antiquity. Each edition features dozens of performances that follow one another for over a month on the natural stage of the Akrai theatre.