Vernacular Theatre Festival
Andrian dialect theatre bringing the city's language to the stage
About Vernacular Festival
The Andrian dialect takes the stage
The Vernacular Theatre Festival is the appointment where Andria, a city in the province of Barletta-Andria-Trani (known as the BAT) in Puglia, puts its own language at the centre of the stage. Established permanently by the Municipality of Andria with City Council Resolution no. 45 of 23 March 2023, the festival is now one of the most significant events for the promotion of the Andrian dialect, considered by scholars to be a true language rather than just a way of speaking.
Brilliant comedies performed in dialect
The heart of the event lies in the vernacular comedies performed by local amateur companies: parish groups, youth centres, and cultural associations that have been passing down Andrian dialect theatre for years. On stage, stories of daily life, family misunderstandings, arranged marriages, and village events alternate, told with the sharp irony and unmistakable rhythm of the local vernacular. It is popular theatre in the most authentic sense of the term, capable of eliciting hearty laughter while simultaneously safeguarding a heritage of words, idioms, and sounds that might otherwise be lost.
A tribute to local stage legends
Each edition is dedicated to a figure who has marked the history of Andrian theatre and dialect culture. The festival thus becomes a gesture of collective memory: through the voices of today's actors, the community pays tribute to those who cultivated and defended the vernacular, returning an important piece of their identity to new generations.
A widespread and free event
Performances take place in various locations around the city, identified each time in collaboration with the Culture Office: the Mons. Di Donna Auditorium is the main venue, supplemented by parish and neighbourhood spaces such as the S. Andrea Parish and the Don Pino Puglisi Auditorium. Admission is free subject to availability, with tickets to be collected at the «G. Ceci» Municipal Library. This choice makes the festival a true community event, open to all Andrian families.
Vernacular Festival — edition 2026
The 2026 Vernacular Theatre Festival, promoted by the Department of Beauty of the Municipality of Andria in collaboration with the Culture Office, was held from 3 to 22 May 2026. A programme of seven comedies performed entirely in the Andrian dialect was hosted between the Mons. Di Donna Auditorium, the S. Andrea Parish, the former Market on Via Flavio Giugno, and the Don Pino Puglisi Auditorium.
The edition was dedicated to Peppino Cappabianca, a historic figure of the city's dialect theatre, distinguished as a set designer, director, author, and performer of vernacular comedies. As highlighted by the organisers, the festival aims to enhance and disseminate local linguistic and cultural heritage and represents one of the most cherished events for the promotion of the Andrian dialect as an authentic expression of the city's identity.
Programme Vernacular Festival 2026
Mons. Di Donna Auditorium
- 3 May - L'AltroTeatro in «Zazinna Sinell»
- 8 May - San Paolo Apostolo Company in «Dall iousc i dall cré»
- 14 May - I Sognatori in «La brascioul»
- 22 May - Amartè Company in «A lanzkrdiun… tott sta frtiun!»
S. Andrea Parish
- 7 May - Sant'Andrea Apostolo Company in «Kuss Matrimonie… S'avva feie???»
Former Market on Via Flavio Giugno
- 16 May - Attori per Caso / ANT in «U' Ciambo'tt» (performance later moved to the Don Pino Puglisi Auditorium due to bad weather)
Don Pino Puglisi Auditorium
- 20 May - Madonna di Pompei Company in «Ci bella famigghie»
Highlights Vernacular Festival 2026
Prices Vernacular Festival 2026
Practical information — Vernacular Festival
Where
Performances are held in various venues in Andria (BT): the main venue is the Mons. Di Donna Auditorium, with events also at the S. Andrea Parish, the former Market on Via Flavio Giugno, and the Don Pino Puglisi Auditorium in the Fornaci district.
Tickets
Free admission subject to availability. Tickets can be collected at the «G. Ceci» Municipal Library, Piazza S. Agostino no. 5, from Monday to Friday (hours indicated annually).
Information
Municipality of Andria - Culture Office, tel. +39 0883 290291 - +39 0883 290672. Website: comune.andria.bt.it
How to reach us
Andria is accessible by car via the SS16 and the A14 motorway (Andria-Barletta exit), and by train via the Bari-Barletta Ferrotramviaria line.
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Where does it take place — Vernacular Festival
Auditorium Mons. Di Donna
Via Bologna, 76123 Andria