Mythikòn Classical Theatre Festival

Greek myth entrusted to the twenty-somethings

The Mythikòn Classical Theatre Festival is the national school theatre event that transforms Sala Consilina—a town in the province of Salerno, Campania, in the heart of the Vallo di Diano—into Italy's capital of under-20 classical theatre every May. Greek tragedies and comedies are brought back to the stage by classical high schools and youth theatre groups from all over the peninsula. These are not mere school plays, but bold, authentic reinterpretations where Sophocles, Euripides, Aristophanes, and Homer are examined through the eyes of those under twenty.

The festival's name stems from the acronym MTC, a tribute to the Marco Tullio Cicerone Institute, while also evoking the Greek word for myth. It is a play on words that perfectly encapsulates the festival's mission: to make classical theatre a tool for growth and reflection for new generations.

The Mario Scarpetta Theatre, home of the festival

All performances take place at the Mario Scarpetta Municipal Theatre in Sala Consilina, which becomes a permanent workshop for three days: rehearsals, lighting setups, crowded dressing rooms, and groups arriving by bus from Puglia, Lazio, and across Campania. The audience is primarily made up of students, which gives Mythikòn an atmosphere quite different from a traditional theatre festival: there is plenty of applause, lively discussion, and engagement that continues well beyond the auditorium.

A jury of students

The festival's most original feature is its student jury. The winners are decided by students from the Marco Tullio Cicerone Classical High School in Sala Consilina, who follow the entire event. The students from the host school do more than just judge; they manage hospitality, front-of-house services, communications, and logistics, becoming protagonists both behind the scenes and on stage. The host school also participates with its own non-competitive performance, which traditionally opens or closes the event.

The 2026 Edition

From May 21 to 23, 2026, the second edition took place, featuring six competitive performances: Oedipus, the Path of Tragedy by the Parmenide High School of Vallo della Lucania, Antigone by the Oltres Teatro group of Frattamaggiore, Odyssey – A Study for a Female Odyssey by the Indaco group of Rome, Women in Parliament 2.0 by the Telesi@ High School of Telese, Medea, a Betrayal of Consciences by the T.L. Caro High School of Sarno, and The Bacchae by the G. Salvemini High School of Bari. Outside the competition, students from the Cicerone Institute performed Aristophanes' Lysistrata. The top prize went to Antigone by Oltres Teatro.

Organizers

Mythikòn is born from the collaboration between the Municipality of Sala Consilina, the cultural cooperative La Cantina delle Arti, and the IIS Marco Tullio Cicerone. The artistic direction is entrusted to maestro Enzo D'Arco, a historic figure in Vallo di Diano theatre, supported by teacher Paola D'Angelo and school principal Antonella Vairo.

Why it's worth the trip

• A national festival hosted in an inland town in the Salerno region, featuring groups from multiple Italian regions.
• A repertoire that is entirely classical, yet reinterpreted through a contemporary and civic lens.
• A jury and organizational structure managed entirely by students.
• The perfect opportunity to discover the Vallo di Diano, just a few kilometres from the UNESCO-listed Certosa di Padula.

Anyone attending an evening at Mythikòn leaves with the feeling that Greek tragedy, 2,500 years later, still has a great deal to say—especially when spoken by such young voices.