45th National Theater Showcase: 87 Events in Cancún

Cancún, Mexico — The 45th National Theater Showcase (Muestra Nacional de Teatro, MNT) will be held in Cancún, Quintana Roo, from November 6 to 15, 2025, featuring 87 activities over 10 days. The program includes 47 performances of 29 different stage productions, with a programming focus largely directed at young audiences under the age of 20.

A Collaborative National Effort

Luis Mario Moncada, the National Coordinator of Theater, announced the program, noting that the showcase is a collaborative effort that has now reached 27 of Mexico's 32 states. "We only have 5 states left to cover the entire republic," Moncada stated.

He described the event as both a celebration and a space for introspection. "It is often announced as a 'fiesta,' but it is also a look inward, a space to celebrate, while also reflecting and identifying future challenges," Moncada said. "It offers the public a panoramic view of National Theater. For all of us dedicated to this artistic discipline, it is the possibility to look inside and exchange opinions, diagnose what we are missing, where we need to improve, and how we can create better circulation lines."

Pablo Edén Tejeda, the Deputy Director of Liaison with the States and Executive Director of the MNT, highlighted that more than 200 people make up the team from the National Theater Company and external areas, including operations, logistics, technical support, publicity, and administrative and legal staff.

A Historic Moment for Cancún

Ana Patricia Peralta de la Peña, the municipal president of Benito Juárez, Quintana Roo, expressed immense pride in hosting the event. "It is much more than an appointment on our country's cultural agenda; it is a historic event because Cancún, just 55 years after its founding and after 45 years since the start of this National Showcase, will finally be the host," she said.

She emphasized the city's cultural evolution, stating, "For many years, Cancún was spoken of solely as a tourist destination for sun and beaches, for entertainment, but we are much more." Peralta de la Peña noted the existence of three municipal companies dedicated to theater, choir, and dance, and invited the public to visit the MNT venues. She specifically highlighted the City Theater, which "just turned one year old, it is practically new, it is being inaugurated; it was under construction for over 30 years and was finally achieved."

Reflection on National Theater

Haydeé Boetto Bárcena, the Deputy Director General of Fine Arts, recalled that this event is a meeting between artists, managers, producers, researchers, and the general public, "to reflect on what is happening in National Theater."

Program Highlights and Honors

As is tradition, the showcase will begin with the presentation of the Xavier Villaurrutia Medal, which recognizes the careers of fundamental personalities in Mexican theater. "On this occasion, the Villaurrutia Medal will be presented at the opening ceremony to Luis Martín Garza Gutiérrez, from Nuevo León, known artistically as Luis Martín," informed Luis Mario Moncada.

He described the honoree as a director, actor, researcher, historian, and writer with a career spanning more than 65 years in Mexico and various parts of the world, "who has ventured into all currents of theater, but is a decisive promoter of Mexican theater."

Curatorial Vision for a Young City

The Artistic Direction for the 45th MNT is comprised of Ariadna Medina (director, producer, and actress from Mérida, Yucatán); Carlos López Jiménez (producer and cultural manager from Cancún, Quintana Roo); Mariana Hartasánchez (playwright, director, and actress from Querétaro); Verónica Maldonado (playwright and director from Mexico City); and Víctor Hernández (actor, director, and playwright from Monterrey, Nuevo León).

Verónica Maldonado, speaking on behalf of the committee, explained the curatorial focus. "The most important thing will always be the audiences, and Cancún, as a young city, also has a very young population. 60% of the population is under 20 years old, so the programming had to take that profile into account," she commented.

She further elaborated on the thematic axes, noting Quintana Roo's historical significance. "Quintana Roo historically is configured as our first frontier, since it was on that coast where 'the others' arrived for the first time, and later the concept of mestizaje would emerge. So, migration, mestizaje, youth… these are how the curatorial axes were configured. Cancún is also a place of arrival, a city of many cities, a small country of many nationalities, and that also had to be taken into account."

Inauguration and Additional Activities

The Showcase will begin with a parade by children from the School of Artistic Initiation associated with the National Institute of Fine Arts and Literature (INBAL). Titled "Sacbé, un camino iluminado" (Sacbé, An Illuminated Path), it will take place starting at 6:00 p.m., from the Glorieta de Kukulcán to the Teatro de la Ciudad.

In addition to the stage performances, the MNT includes the following activities: Reflection and Exchange Meeting (Encuentro de Reflexión e Intercambio, ERI); Theater Book Fair; Critical follow-up by the Rodolfo Usigli National Center for Theater Research, Documentation, and Information (CITRU); National and International Linkage Program; Critical Showcase; Youth to the Showcase (10th edition); and the Cancún Creation Laboratory.

Venues and Information

The announced venues are: Centro Cultural de las Artes; Centro Cultural Xbalamqué; Escuela Primaria V. Bonfil Pinto; Escuela de Iniciación Artística; Malecón Tajamar; Parque de La Paz; Parque de las Palapas; Puerto Juárez; Teatro 8 de octubre; Teatro Álamos; Teatro de Cancún; and Teatro de la Ciudad.

For more information, visit the website www.mnt.inba.gob.mx and the social media accounts of @muestranacionaldeteatro.