Teatro Italia Theatrical Season
Authorial drama at the Cinema Teatro Italia in Francavilla Fontana
About Teatro Italia Season
The return of great drama to Francavilla Fontana
The Cinema Teatro Italia Theatrical Season is the drama festival of Francavilla Fontana, a city in the Alto Salento area of the province of Brindisi, in Puglia. Organized by the Municipality of Francavilla Fontana in collaboration with Puglia Culture (the regional theater circuit), the season runs through the winter months, from December to April, and has marked the rebirth of the historic Via Santa Cesarea theater, which has returned to being a cultural landmark for the entire district.
A program of national caliber
The program alternates between great classics reinterpreted with a contemporary twist, social drama, intelligent comedy, and new forms of live performance such as stand-up and monologues. The stage of the Teatro Italia hosts actors and actresses well-known to television and film audiences, alongside prominent directors and companies of the Italian theater scene. Each evening features a different title, with the goal of creating a varied yet coherent journey that speaks to both long-time subscribers and younger audiences.
A public success
In recent years, the festival has grown steadily, placing Francavilla Fontana among the most attended theaters in Puglia, both in absolute terms and in relation to the population. The 2025/26 edition sold 438 subscriptions out of the 499 available seats, with numerous sold-out performances and an audience base that extends well beyond the municipal borders, involving neighboring towns in the Alto Salento and Brindisi areas.
The Cinema Teatro Italia
The heart of the festival is the Cinema Teatro Italia, located at Via Santa Cesarea 16, in the historic center of Francavilla Fontana. The facility, returned to the city as a space dedicated to drama, combines the intimate atmosphere of a traditional hall with the quality of professional programming, offering spectators evenings curated in every detail, from the welcome to the stage design.
Francavilla Fontana and its audience
Known as the city of the Imperiali and for its precious Baroque center, Francavilla Fontana pairs its historical heritage with a vibrant cultural life. The Theatrical Season is now one of its most anticipated events: an opportunity to experience high-quality theater without traveling to major cities, while supporting the growth of a cultural space rooted in the Salento territory.
Teatro Italia Season — edition 2026
The 2025/26 edition, ideally titled "Eight stories to start dreaming again," took place from December 2025 to April 2026 at the Cinema Teatro Italia in Francavilla Fontana, organized by the Municipality with Puglia Culture. The program alternated between comedy, social theater, Neapolitan classics, and new scripts, featuring prominent performers from Italian theater and television. The season received a great public response, with 438 subscriptions out of 499 seats and multiple sold-out performances, placing Francavilla Fontana among the most attended theaters in the region.
Programme Teatro Italia Season 2026
- December 4, 2025 – Scandalo by Ivan Cotroneo, with Anna Valle and Gianmarco Saurino
- January 15, 2026 – Accidental Death of an Anarchist by Dario Fo and Franca Rame, with Lodo Guenzi (directed by Giorgio Gallione)
- January 27, 2026 – Accabadora by Michela Murgia, with Anna Della Rosa (directed by Veronica Cruciani)
- February 11, 2026 – Stand Up Classic by and with Paolo Rossi
- February 19, 2026 – Le stravaganti dis-avventure di Kim Sparrow, with Paola Minaccioni
- March 13, 2026 – La grande magia by Eduardo De Filippo, with Natalino Balasso and Michele Di Mauro (directed by Gabriele Russo)
- March 27, 2026 – Caravaggio – Di chiaro e di oscuro by Francesco Niccolini, with Luigi D'Elia (directed by Enzo Vetrano and Stefano Randisi)
- April 10, 2026 – Sfìdati di me by Paolo Kessisoglu and Giorgio Terruzzi (directed by Gioele Dix)
Highlights Teatro Italia Season 2026
- Anna Valle and Gianmarco Saurino in the opening show Scandalo
- The Stand Up Classic by Paolo Rossi
- La grande magia by Eduardo De Filippo with Natalino Balasso and Michele Di Mauro
- The season finale with Paolo Kessisoglu in Sfìdati di me
Prices Teatro Italia Season 2026
Practical information — Teatro Italia Season
Location
Cinema Teatro Italia, Via Santa Cesarea 16, 72021 Francavilla Fontana (BR), Puglia.
How to get there
By car: from the SS7 ter or SS16, take the Francavilla Fontana exit; the theater is located in the city center. By train: Francavilla Fontana station on the Taranto–Brindisi line, a few minutes' walk from the theater. Nearest airport: Brindisi–Casale, approximately 40 km away.
Tickets and subscriptions
Single tickets from 8 to 20 euros depending on the section; subscription for the eight shows from 48 to 112 euros. Discounts available for under 25s, over 65s, teachers, military personnel, and organized groups. Tickets are available online, at Vivaticket points, and at the theater box office.
Information
Tel. +39 0831 812373 – +39 351 4084173, e-mail [email protected], website www.pugliaculture.it.
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Where does it take place — Teatro Italia Season
Cinema Teatro Italia
Via Santa Cesarea 16, 72021 Francavilla Fontana