Tindari Youth Theatre – Rosario Parasiliti

A festival born for school theatre

Tindari Youth Theatre – Rosario Parasiliti is one of the longest-running and most acclaimed national school theatre festivals in Southern Italy. It takes place in Patti, in the province of Messina, and was born from an idea by the Liceo Vittorio Emanuele III, which continues to organize it today with the support of the City of Patti, the Tindari Archaeological Park, and the Sicilian Regional Departments of Cultural Heritage and Tourism. The event is dedicated to the memory of Professor Rosario Parasiliti, a tireless promoter of the theatrical experience in schools.

Two weeks, two sections

The festival is structured into two distinct parts. The Junior section is reserved for middle schools, while the Senior section brings together high schools from all over Italy. Performances can be in Italian, foreign languages, or dialects, ranging from classical plays to musicals, dance, and contemporary reinterpretations of great myths.

From the Joppolo to the Greek Theatre

The daily heart of the festival beats at the Cineteatro Beniamino Joppolo, in the centre of Patti, where the competition performances and award ceremonies take place. The final evening moves to the evocative Tindari Greek Theatre, the Greco-Roman amphitheatre overlooking the gulf and the Marinello lakes: an ancient stage that transforms a school play into a deeply moving cultural experience.

A prestigious jury

The performances are evaluated by a qualified jury that awards prizes for best direction, best male and female performance, set design, costumes, and thematic content. Participation is open to schools across the country, with companies arriving in Patti every year from Sicily, Puglia, Sardinia, and other regions, making the festival a true crossroads of Italian youth theatre.

Why it is worth attending

• Performances with free admission, ranging from Greek comedies to modern rewrites of tragedies.
• The unrepeatable setting of the Tindari Greek Theatre, one of the most scenic archaeological sites in Sicily.
• The energy and freshness of young school companies competing in the junior and senior sections.

Tindari Youth Theatre is much more than a competition: it is a growth laboratory that, in the heart of the Tyrrhenian Sicily, puts students and the educational power of theatre at the centre.