Playa del Carmen International Theater Festival Opens With Tribute and Puppet Shows

Playa del Carmen, Quintana Roo — The second edition of the International Theater Festival (FIT) opened here with a tribute exhibition to the late maestro Luis Rivero and puppet performances that drew hundreds of local families.

The festival launched at the City Theater and the Art Gallery, where an exhibition honored Yucatecan composer Luis Rivero, featuring photographs and audio from his work. His sister Alicia attended the opening, recalling his musical contributions to theatrical productions like “Ana Karenina,” which starred actress Silvia Pinal.

On World Puppetry Day, the festival presented “Through the Peephole,” a puppet show by Mexico City’s “La Cumbancha” and local artists Alexia Yenedith Márquez Guzmán and Emmanuel Valdez Campos. The performance included segments like “Las Soldaderas” and the comedic interlude “Los Habladores.”

Another highlight was “The Dwarf King,” a legend set in Uxmal accompanied by wind and string instruments directed by maestro Pedro Carlos Herrera. The production by Mérida-based company “Titeradas,” led by Andrea Herrera, received a standing ovation from the audience.

Mayor Estefanía Mercado has positioned Playa del Carmen as a cultural hub in Quintana Roo through support for theater, the Book and Culture Fair, the Youth Symphony Orchestra, and other initiatives by the Municipal Institute of Culture and the Arts (IMCAP), headed by Ernesto Santiago Martínez Cuéllar.

The festival continues with a free performance of “Ramayana of Valkimi: Passages from the Shadows” by Erika Torres and the company “En Boca de Lobos” at the City Theater on Sunday evening, suitable for ages 10 and up.