Straw Theatre - Educating in the Municipality

The Straw Theatre in Verolengo

In the heart of Piedmont, in Verolengo, near Turin, Piazza Unità d'Italia transforms for a day into an open-air stage. The Straw Theatre is the event that concludes the Educating in the Municipality project, an educational and cultural journey promoted by the Verolengo Department of Culture. The construction of a theatre made entirely of straw serves as both a symbolic and tangible backdrop for the work carried out over the previous months with schools and a network of local educational, artistic, and community organizations.

A project that puts the community at the centre

The Educating in the Municipality project was created to share the results of training workshops held in schools with the wider public. At the heart of the experience are the values of diversity, a sense of community belonging, and the ability of young people to express—through theatre and creativity—a vision of coexistence based on listening and participation. The square becomes a place of collective sharing, where the work of children and teenagers is returned to the citizens who made it possible.

A day in the square

The day begins in the afternoon with open workshops focused on building kites and helicopters, designed to involve children, families, and residents in shared manual activities. In the late afternoon, the final show takes the stage, presenting the results of the journey undertaken by Verolengo's students: a choral performance that weaves together theatre, music, and imagination.

A local network

The value of the Straw Theatre also lies in the network that makes it possible. Numerous local entities have taken part in the project, including:

• the Verolengo Comprehensive Institute;
• the Verolengo Band;
• local educational cooperatives and associations;
• theatrical and artistic groups working with young people.

This collaboration between schools, the municipal administration, and the voluntary sector is the hallmark of an initiative that uses culture as a tool for collective growth.

Why attend

The Straw Theatre is a free event open to everyone: an opportunity to experience Verolengo's main square in a new way, participating in workshops, watching the show, and sharing a festive moment with the community. It is an event that demonstrates how, even in a small town in Piedmont, culture and education can take centre stage in civic life.