Teatro e Territorio Award

Abruzzo amateur theatre on stage in Pratola Peligna

The Teatro e Territorio Award is one of the most popular amateur theatre festivals in central Abruzzo. It takes place at the Teatro Comunale D'Andrea in Pratola Peligna, a town in the Peligna Valley in the province of L'Aquila, and was born from an idea by the Sciablaquerie Cultural Association, chaired by Emilio Presutti, with the patronage of the Municipality of Pratola Peligna.

Every year, the festival brings together some of the best amateur companies from the provinces of L'Aquila, Pescara, Teramo, and Chieti, often joined by a guest company from outside the region. The common thread is brilliant dialect comedy: popular theatre rooted in irony, tradition, and local language, telling the stories of village life and its small, great moments.

A competition between companies

The distinctive feature of Teatro e Territorio is its competitive nature: at the end of the season, a jury evaluates the performances and awards the City of Pratola Peligna Prize for best direction, a recognition that highlights the talent of local directors every year. The competitive format gives the festival a unique rhythm, with the audience following the performances with the curiosity of discovering who will take home the award.

A community event

Performances are usually held on Sunday afternoons in an atmosphere of great participation: the subscription formula often sells out, a sign of the deep bond between the event and the local community. More than just a simple theatre season, the Teatro e Territorio Award has become a cultural landmark over the years, promoting the dialect, popular traditions, and the vitality of theatre associations in inland Abruzzo.

Where and when

The festival is held at the Teatro Comunale D'Andrea in Pratola Peligna, in the heart of the Peligna Valley, a few kilometres from Sulmona. The schedule runs throughout winter and spring, approximately between February and April, concluding with the awards ceremony.