Volksbühne Prettau Theater Performances

Theater in the blood of Predoi

In Predoi/Prettau, the northernmost municipality in South Tyrol located at the end of the Ahrntal (Valle Aurina), folk theater is a tradition rooted in centuries of history. The performances by the Volksbühne Prettau are the most anticipated cultural event of the winter in this small mining village, once famous for its copper mine. Every year, during the pre-Christmas period between November and December, the amateur company stages a show at the local Vereinshaus, transforming the community hall into a true theater.

A tradition spanning over six centuries

The passion for the stage in Predoi did not begin with the modern company. The tradition of folk theater in the valley dates back to the 15th century and developed within the context of miners and farmers: during the long winter nights, actors—exclusively men at the time—would go from house to house reciting their rhymes in the stube. The famous Johann-Doktor-Faustus-Spiel (the Faust of Predoi), along with other folk dramas, fueled a peasant theatrical culture for generations, practiced until the 1960s. The Volksbühne Prettau was established as a formal association in 1971 to preserve and continue this legacy.

Dialect and amateur theater

The preservation of the South Tyrolean dialect and the training of its actors are founding principles of the association, which has established its stage as one of the most well-known in the entire region. The repertoire ranges from brilliant comedies to popular plays: recent years have seen titles such as Noises Off (Der nackte Wahnsinn) and, in the 2025 season, A Schöibo Geld (Funny Money) by Ray Cooney, directed by Ivo Enzi.

A community gathering

The performances, spread over several weekends in the heart of Advent, attract not only the residents of Predoi but also amateur theater enthusiasts from the entire Ahrntal valley and the Tures and Aurina district. Attending a Volksbühne show means immersing yourself in the authentic folk culture of the province of Bolzano and South Tyrol, in a language and atmosphere that reflect the identity of this mountain corner just a stone's throw from the Austrian border.