Playa del Carmen Launches Second International Theater Festival

Playa del Carmen, Quintana Roo — The municipal government of Mayor Estefanía Mercado will host the second International Theater Festival (FIT) from March 20 to 29, aiming to solidify Playa del Carmen as Quintana Roo’s cultural capital.

The festival will feature 10 theatrical productions—three with post-show discussions—two training courses, and a guided exhibition across four venues: the City Theater, the Municipal School of Artistic Initiation, the Art Gallery, and the Cultural Center.

Ernesto Santiago Martínez Cuéllar, director general of the Municipal Institute of Culture and Arts of Playa del Carmen (IMCAP), highlighted the event’s significance, noting participation from artists from Japan, Indonesia, Brazil, Colombia, and various Mexican states. All activities are free.

“We invite the local artistic community, whose creators will participate with groups like Colegio Tepeyac and Creares, to join the courses and talks led by specialists in paper theater, acting, and music applied to the stage,” Martínez Cuéllar said.

The program also includes companies from Mexico City, Campeche, and Yucatán, resulting from cultural collaboration agreements. The festival will commemorate World Theater Day and World Puppetry Day with special performances.

Programming opens on Thursday, March 20, with the exhibition “Music for Theater and Dance,” dedicated to maestro Luis Rivero, who left a significant legacy in the Yucatan Peninsula and national theater scene.

Martínez Cuéllar added that a promotional campaign will target schools across the municipality to introduce children and youth to theater and cultivate new audiences.

Registration is now open for the festival’s free, limited-capacity courses:

• Scenography in Pop-up for the Stage (Paper Theater)
  Instructor: Ainé Martelli
  March 26–29, 10:00 a.m.–3:00 p.m.
  Register: https://acortar.link/C11gxA
• Music and Sound Design for the Stage
  Instructor: Joaquín López Chas
  March 23–26, 11:00 a.m.–4:00 p.m.
  Register: https://acortar.link/zLTKIF