Velletri Student Theater Palio
High schools from the Castelli Romani compete on the stage of the Teatro Artemisio-Volonté
About Student Theater Palio
Youth theater lights up Velletri
Established in 2023 by Fondarc (the Foundation for Art and Culture of the City of Velletri) in collaboration with ATCL (Theatrical Association of Lazio Municipalities), the Velletri Student Theater Palio has quickly become a staple of the Velletri spring season. For about a month, between April and May, the Teatro Artemisio-Volonté hosts theater troupes from high schools in Velletri and the Castelli Romani. They perform shows entirely produced by the students: from reinterpretations of Greek classics and 20th-century comedies to original works developed in school workshops.
How the Palio works
The Palio is a true competition-festival: each evening typically features two competing shows presented by the participating school drama workshops. At the end of the festival, a jury awards the Palio to the winning school, alongside special mentions for acting, direction, and set design. The roll of honor already tells a story of friendly rivalry: the "Ugo Foscolo" Classical High School of Albano Laziale won the inaugural 2023 edition, the "Vallauri" triumphed in 2024, and the "Landi" Scientific High School of Velletri claimed the 2025 Palio with their production "Pilato, noi".
The schools involved
The strength of the event lies in the variety of the competing groups, which come from all over the Castelli Romani area: among others, workshops from the "Ugo Foscolo" Classical High School of Albano Laziale, the "Vito Volterra" Scientific High School of Ciampino, the "Vailati" High School of Genzano, the "Ugo Tognazzi" IPSSAR of Velletri, and numerous institutes from Velletri, Frascati, and Grottaferrata. The stage sees a mix of Euripides and Sophocles, Oscar Wilde and Pirandello, musicals and contemporary texts: a surprisingly broad repertoire for companies formed by high school students.
The Teatro Artemisio-Volonté
All performances take place at the Teatro Artemisio "Gian Maria Volonté" at Via Eduardo de Filippo 99, the main stage in Velletri, managed by Fondarc and home to the city's prose season. Doors open at 8:15 PM, and tickets are priced symbolically to encourage attendance from families, classmates, and the wider community.
A community project in the heart of Lazio
Supported by the Municipality of Velletri and sponsored by the Lazio Region and the Metropolitan City of Rome Capital, the Palio is much more than a competition: it is an educational project that uses theater as a tool for growth, citizenship, and youth engagement. In the 2025 edition, the festival involved thousands of students both on stage and in the audience, confirming Velletri as a reference point for school theater in Lazio and the entire Castelli Romani area.
Student Theater Palio — edition 2026
The 4th edition: a month of student theater
From April 8 to May 8, 2026, the Teatro Artemisio-Volonté in Velletri hosted the fourth edition of the Student Theater Palio, organized by Fondarc and ATCL with the support of the Municipality of Velletri and the patronage of the Lazio Region and the Metropolitan City of Rome Capital, under the artistic direction of Giacomo Zito. The program featured thirteen competing shows spread over nine evenings, with doors opening at 8:15 PM and a flat ticket price of 5 euros.
The opening night featured the Beta Drama Group of the "Ugo Foscolo" Classical High School of Albano Laziale with "And where will I go?", an adaptation of Euripides' "The Trojan Women" directed by Marcella Petrucci, followed by "The Beautiful Nights" by Gianni Clementi performed by the Cànopo and Spica groups of the "Vito Volterra" Scientific High School of Ciampino, directed by Sara Persichetti. Throughout the month, the stage saw a mix of revisited classics - "Oedipus Rex", "The Oresteia", "Antigone900", "Odyssey: epic, but not too much" - and modern texts such as "What is not hell" and "The Importance of Being Earnest".
The final evening on May 8, with free admission, featured the musical "Nunsense" by the Bachmann Group from Tarvisio as a non-competing guest, followed by the awards ceremony for the winning school of the 2026 Palio.
Programme Student Theater Palio 2026
Performance Schedule - 4th Edition
- Wednesday, April 8 - Inauguration, followed by "And where will I go?" (Beta Drama Group, "U. Foscolo" Classical High School, Albano Laziale) and "The Beautiful Nights" (Cànopo group, "V. Volterra" High School, Ciampino)
- Friday, April 10 - "What is not hell" (Maestri Arti Sceniche, "Vailati" High School, Genzano) and "The Beautiful Nights" (Spica group, "V. Volterra" High School)
- Wednesday, April 15 - "Odyssey: epic, but not too much" (Cantieri Creativi, "U. Tognazzi" IPSSAR, Velletri) and "Oedipus Rex" (Alfa Drama Lab, "U. Foscolo" High School)
- Friday, April 17 - "The Scream of the Carburetor. 40 exercises" (Crypta) and "The Importance of Being Earnest" (Squalisfigati)
- Wednesday, April 22 - "Bad Weather" (Kune) and "The Oresteia" (Compagnia dell'Altrove)
- Friday, April 24 - "Tight Frock Coat" (Fermi Tutti) and "Antigone900" (Arcobalene)
- Wednesday, April 29 - "Journey between sky and earth" (Lab Teatro Civile) and "And yet we move" (Cappelli per pensare)
- Wednesday, May 6 - "True North" (Murialdo) and "Esmeralda, Esmeralde" (TeatroEnDi)
- Friday, May 8 - Final evening with free admission: "Nunsense" (Bachmann Group, Tarvisio, non-competing) and awards ceremony
Doors open at 8:15 PM, shows start at 8:30 PM.
Highlights Student Theater Palio 2026
- Thirteen competing shows entirely produced by students from Castelli Romani high schools
- Opening night with Euripides' "The Trojan Women" adapted by the Foscolo High School of Albano Laziale
- Great classics on stage: "Oedipus Rex", "The Oresteia", "Antigone900", and a comedic "Odyssey"
- Free final evening with the musical "Nunsense" by the Bachmann Group and the Palio awards ceremony
- Symbolic 5-euro ticket to welcome families and students to the theater
Prices Student Theater Palio 2026
Practical information — Student Theater Palio
How to get there
The Teatro Artemisio-Volonté is located at Via Eduardo de Filippo 99, in Velletri (RM). By train: take the regional line Rome Termini-Velletri (FL4), then it is a short walk or bus ride from the center. By car: take the Via Appia (SS7) or the Valmontone exit of the A1 motorway, following signs for Velletri.
Tickets
Standard ticket is 5 euros for competition nights; the final awards ceremony is free of charge. The theater box office opens at 7:30 PM on performance days, with doors opening at 8:15 PM. Presale tickets are also available at authorized local outlets.
Tips
The most anticipated evenings draw large crowds of students and families, so arriving early is recommended. The historic center of Velletri, with its squares and trattorias, is perfect for dinner before the show.
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Where does it take place — Student Theater Palio
Teatro Artemisio - Gian Maria Volonté
Via Eduardo de Filippo 99, 00049 Velletri