Lucca Teatro Festival – Castelnuovo di Garfagnana stop

The Lucca Teatro Festival arrives in Castelnuovo di Garfagnana

The Lucca Teatro Festival is a summer theatre series for children, young people, and families that travels through the province of Lucca every year, from the Piana and Mediavalle areas to the Garfagnana. Among the participating towns is Castelnuovo di Garfagnana, in the province of Lucca, Tuscany, where performances are held in Piazza Luigi Carli, the spacious pedestrian area just a short walk from the Rocca Ariostesca in the historic town centre.

A festival spread across the province of Lucca

Organised by the La Cattiva Compagnia Teatro company, the festival offers about thirty free events each summer across various towns, including Lucca, Capannori, Porcari, Bagni di Lucca, and Castelnuovo di Garfagnana. The programme alternates between acting, puppetry, marionettes, contemporary circus, clowning, and street theatre, with a special focus on young audiences and evenings to be enjoyed together as a family.

Shows in Castelnuovo di Garfagnana

In Castelnuovo di Garfagnana, the evenings take place in Piazza Luigi Carli, usually starting at 9:30 PM. The Garfagnana stop features family-friendly shows and contemporary circus acts. Announced titles include Principessa triste, a play featuring actors and puppets, and Basilico nel bosco nero, alongside other contemporary circus and puppetry performances throughout the summer.

• Where: Piazza Luigi Carli, Castelnuovo di Garfagnana (LU)
• When: Summer evenings from late June to August, usually at 9:30 PM
• Admission: Free, with booking recommended as places are limited
• For whom: Families, teenagers, and children, as well as adult theatre enthusiasts

A summer of theatre at the foot of the Rocca

The setting of Castelnuovo di Garfagnana, the historic capital of the Serchio Valley, gives the festival a unique atmosphere. The evenings in the square, with the Rocca Ariostesca as a backdrop, transform the town centre into an open-air theatre. The festival is part of a busy calendar of summer events that bring the Garfagnana region to life—one of the most evocative areas in the province of Lucca, filled with mountains, villages, and traditions.

Thanks to its free and travelling format, the Lucca Teatro Festival has become a benchmark for theatre aimed at new generations throughout the province, and the Castelnuovo di Garfagnana stop is one of its most beloved venues.