Pomigliano Theater Festival

A theater festival in the heart of Pomigliano d'Arco

The Pomigliano Theater Festival (PTF) is a young theater event that, every summer, transforms the inner courtyard of the Town Hall in Pomigliano d'Arco, in the metropolitan city of Naples, into an open-air stage. The concept comes from director and author Felice Panico, who serves as artistic director: to finally give the city a true theater festival capable of fostering dialogue between well-known national names and emerging artists, in a civic space that belongs to everyone.

The project was born and has grown under the patronage of the Municipality of Pomigliano d'Arco and the Campania Region, with the support of local associations, from the Pro Loco to UniTre. It is not a program imposed from above, but a festival rooted in the city's fabric that, edition after edition, strives to build a new audience.

From the 2025 debut to the "Possible Worlds" of 2026

The first edition, in the summer of 2025, took place from August 6 to September 17 with five evenings of performances, a special event dedicated to maestro Maurizio Scaparro, and two free theater workshops. Its success led to a winter extension, Winter Tales, which ran from December 16 to 20, 2025.

The second summer edition, scheduled from August 5 to September 13, 2026, has chosen the theme Possible Worlds as its guiding thread: for the artistic direction, the stage is, in fact, the construction of possible worlds, an imagination that demands to be realized in front of an audience.

The 2026 program: five shows and many special events

The 2026 lineup alternates social theater, comedy, portraiture, and Neapolitan memory:

• August 5 - S-Enz with Giovanni Ludeno, a tribute to Enzo Moscato, with live music by Paolo Polcari.
• August 7 - RAINBOW. Memories of a True Story by and with Francesco Rivieccio, winner of the 2025 Rome Fringe Festival.
• August 26 - Tony Pagoda with Iaia Forte, based on characters from the narrative universe of Paolo Sorrentino.
• August 28 - The Perfect Wife, written, directed, and performed by Giulia Trippetta.
• September 4 - Cartavelina with Gaetano Coccia, an intimate and poetic show about the footballer Mathias Sindelar.

Alongside the performances, the festival features the screening of the documentary Hold Me Tight, Young Theater (September 1, Council Chamber, 8:30 PM) and the reading Letters to the South (September 2, 7:00 PM, Giorgio La Pira Cultural Center).

InterActions, the showcase for short theater pieces

The main novelty of the summer of 2026 is InterActions, the call for entries and subsequent festival dedicated to short theater pieces, taking place on September 5 and 6 starting at 6:00 PM in the Palazzo Orologio Courtyard. It is a space reserved for emerging companies and research, a choice consistent with the PTF's vocation to act as a bridge between training and professional practice.

Workshops, masterclasses, and PTF for Schools

The festival is not just about watching: it has always dedicated part of its program to theatrical practice. In 2026, the masterclass The Vehicular Body, on the actor's work between acting and movement (September 7, 10:00 AM to 6:00 PM, Sala delle Capriate, led by Valeria Impagliazzo), and the workshop for children aged 3 to 10, The Museum of Invisible Creatures (September 13, Sala delle Capriate, with Barbara Veloce), are scheduled. This is complemented by the PTF for Schools project, designed to introduce students to the language of the stage.

The festival venues

The heart of the festival is the Town Hall courtyard in Piazza Municipio; other spaces used include the Palazzo Orologio Courtyard, the Sala delle Capriate on Via Roma, the Council Chamber, and the Giorgio La Pira Cultural Center. In case of bad weather, outdoor performances are moved indoors.

Why it's worth visiting

Pomigliano d'Arco is known primarily for its industrial history and the Pomigliano Jazz festival, but in recent years the city has built a surprisingly dense cultural summer. The Pomigliano Theater Festival is its most recent bet: a few carefully chosen events, with free admission, in a monumental courtyard a stone's throw from the center. For those visiting the province of Naples in August, it is a different, very local way to experience an evening in Campania.