Stagione Teatrale del Teatro Comunale Flora

An Italian-style theatre reborn

The Stagione Teatrale del Teatro Comunale Flora is the live performance festival that enlivens the cultural life of Penna San Giovanni, an inland village in the province of Macerata, in the heart of the Marche region. The festival has found new life after the reopening of the Teatro Comunale, also known as Teatro Flora, an authentic jewel of 18th-century theatre architecture that shines again in 2025.

The theatre was built around 1780 within the Palazzo dei Priori, according to the 'theatre condominium' system that gave rise to many small theatres in the Marche between the late 17th and early 19th centuries. Already documented in 1786 by Abbot Giuseppe Colucci in his famous Antichità Picene, it preserves many original elements intact: the double tier of boxes supported by painted faux marble columns, the wooden wall cladding, and the wooden ceiling that dominates the stalls.

'La tua prima, la nostra storia'

The first true season of the renovated theatre carries a title that summarizes its spirit: 'La tua prima, la nostra storia' (Your first time, our story). An invitation addressed both to long-time enthusiasts and to those approaching live performance for the first time. The carefully curated programme alternates prose and music to offer a varied journey of quality, emotion, and entertainment.

The programme

The season unfolds during the winter and spring months with evening performances, all starting at 9:15 PM. Among the titles offered are great classics of civil and authorial theatre, alongside musical events designed to attract a wide audience:

• Mistero Buffo by Dario Fo, with Ugo Dighero (Teatro Nazionale Genova)
• Una giornata qualunque by Dario Fo and Franca Rame, with Gaia De Laurentiis and Stefano Artissunch
• Innamorarsi ancora, a musical evening with Cinzia Paoletti, Carlo Piergallini, and Cristiana Tappatà
• Parole da ammaestrare, a music and words recital with Alessandro Pellegrini
• L'ultima corsa di Fred, with Massimo De Matteo
• Mare di ruggine – La favola dell'Ilva, produced by Teatro Insania

An intimate experience

The intimate size of the hall, with its historic boxes and wooden stalls, offers spectators a rare closeness to the performers, restoring the authentic atmosphere of the Italian-style theatre. For Penna San Giovanni, the season represents much more than a programme: it is the tangible sign of a community rediscovering its main place of cultural gathering, returned to the territory after years of restoration.

Attending the Stagione Teatrale del Teatro Flora also means discovering an authentic corner of the Marche hinterland, made up of medieval villages, hilly landscapes, and a cultural tradition rooted in centuries past.