Cancún’s Record-Breaking Theater Event Draws 16,200

Cancún — The unprecedented success of the 45th National Theater Showcase in Cancún was confirmed by a historic attendance figure of 16,200 people, a milestone celebrated by Municipal President Ana Paty Peralta after the city hosted this event, which also welcomed hundreds of artists from across Mexico.

“For 10 days, Cancún became the meeting point for national theater. For the first time in history, the National Theater Showcase arrived in our municipality, marking an unprecedented event in our state,” the Mayor stated.

This achievement was made possible through the combined efforts of all three levels of government and the firm commitment of the country's cultural institutions, with the support of the Secretary of Culture of the Government of Mexico, the National Institute of Fine Arts and Literature (INBAL), the National Theater Coordination, and the Cancún Institute of Culture and Arts.

This edition solidified itself as one of the most memorable in recent years, both for its artistic reach and the extraordinary public response. With more than 16,000 attendees, Benito Juárez surpassed the edition held in León, Guanajuato, in 2017, which gathered 11,800 people. That year set a precedent because it was the first time a municipality, and not a state capital, served as the host. Today, Cancún becomes the second municipality to achieve this, establishing a new national benchmark and demonstrating that citizen participation and institutional support can transform the country's cultural landscape.

From the moment it was announced that Cancún would host this 45th edition, the local public showed an enthusiasm that became evident at every performance.

Thanks to the work of the Artistic Direction, comprised of Ariadna Medina, Mariana Hartasánchez, Verónica Maldonado, Víctor Hernández, and the host Carlos López Jiménez, 29 stage productions were selected from 480 proposals, configuring a program that celebrated the diversity of voices, territories, and perspectives of contemporary Mexican theater.

Inter-institutional collaboration allowed for the activation of a wide network of cultural venues that for the first time integrated various locations in the municipality as official venues for the National Showcase: the City Theater, the Black Box of the City Theater, the 8 de Octubre Theater, the Xbalamqué Cultural Center, the Cancún Theater, the Álamos Theater, in addition to community and emblematic spaces like Tajamar Malecón, Puerto Juárez, and the School of Artistic Initiation Associated with INBAL.

Thanks to this coordination, Cancún experienced an extended, plural, and accessible theatrical celebration for all audiences.

The 45th National Theater Showcase leaves a profound mark on Cancún: a celebration of national talent, a boost for the local theater community, and a confirmation of the power of the public to make an unprecedented cultural event possible.