International Theater Festival takes to island stages starting Sept. 30

The Institute of Puerto Rican Culture has announced the program for the 56th International Theater Festival, an edition dedicated to actor, mime, director and educator Rafael Fuentes, at left.

By THE STAR STAFF

The Institute of Puerto Rican Culture (ICP) has unveiled the program for the 56th International Theater Festival, an edition dedicated to actor, mime, director and educator Rafael Fuentes. ICP Executive Director Melissa Santana said the festival reaffirms the importance of theater within Puerto Rico’s cultural landscape and brings together local and international talent while honoring artists who have shaped the island’s performing arts tradition. Ismanuel Rodríguez, director of the ICP’s Performing Arts Program, noted that reaching the festival’s 56th edition underscores its legacy as a cultural bridge between Puerto Rico and global theater, and emphasized the institution’s commitment to strengthening an offering that blends the richness of Puerto Rican theatrical heritage with new languages, proposals and experiences.

The Official Selection opens with the Spanish production “Bernarda y Poncia (silencio, nadie diga nada),” written by María Pilar Ávila Mora and presented by Teatro Aragua from Oct. 22 to Oct. 25 at Teatro Victoria Espinosa. The play revisits the world of La casa de Bernarda Alba eight years after the original events, exploring themes of silence, guilt, class differences and emotional confinement.

Also included in the Official Selection is Harold Pinter’s “El montaplatos” (“The Dumb Waiter”) presented by Somos Cangrejos Inc. from Nov. 20 to Nov. 22, a production that places two men in a tense waiting game inside a basement, blending Pinter’s absurdist tone with elements of silent cinema and a staging that transforms the space into a film studio.

The festival’s invited program expands the lineup with international and local works. The Alianza Francesa will present “Flamboyants” on Sept. 30 and Oct. 1 at Teatro Francisco Arriví, a piece that combines musical theater and documentary storytelling to recount the impact of a cyclone on the island of La Réunion.

A staged reading of Gustavo Ott’s “Tres manzanas podridas” (“Three Rotten Apples”) will take place on Oct. 5 at Teatro Victoria Espinosa. From Oct. 9 to Oct. 11, the same venue will host “Los mayores cuentan que cuentan” (“The Elders Tell Stories That Matter”), directed by Rafael Fuentes and performed by an ensemble of older adults, followed by conversations on theater and aging.

Fundación Corazón Elástico will present “Clown Cosmos” from Oct. 14 to Oct. 18. Teatro La Plaza of Peru will offer a contemporary adaptation of “Hamlet,” performed by eight actors with Down syndrome, on Oct. 17 and Oct. 18 at Teatro Francisco Arriví.

The renowned Peruvian company Yuyachkani will present “Des-conocido” from Nov. 13 to Nov. 15 at Teatro Victoria Espinosa, a work that explores mental health, memory and confinement. “Títeres en el Caribe hispano,” featuring puppetry traditions from Cuba, the Dominican Republic and Puerto Rico, will be staged on Nov. 19 and Nov. 20 at Teatro Francisco Arriví, with an additional Dec. 19 performance in Vega Baja. Dominican cultural figure Freddy Ginebra will present “Él canta y yo cuento” (“He Sings and I Tell Stories”) on Nov. 21 and Nov. 22 at Casa Taller Agua, Sol y Sereno.

The festival will also host the Puerto Rico pre‑premiere of “Los músicos ambulantes” (“The Traveling Musicians”) on Dec. 16 at Café Teatro Abracadabra, directed by Miguel Rubio and Rosa Luisa Márquez.

Complementary activities include the screening of the documentary “Mala yerba” (“Bad Weed”) on Oct. 22 at Teatro Francisco Arriví and a financial planning workshop for artists focused on retirement strategies, led by Jessica Delgado, on Nov. 18.

This year’s dedication honors Fuentes, a prominent figure in Puerto Rican theater and a retired associate professor at the University of Puerto Rico. Fuentes trained at the Jacques Lecoq International School of Theatre in Paris and built a career as an actor, mime, director and educator in Puerto Rico and New York. His performance credits include “El jardín de los cerezos,” “La tempestad,” “Juana de Arco,” “El principito” and “La Piaf,” among many others, and his directing work spans productions such as “Repica ese güiro y canta,” “Haciendo punto en otro son” and “Sylvia Rexach en Jazz.”

The ICP emphasized that the International Theater Festival continues to promote cultural exchange and broaden public access to diverse theatrical expressions from Puerto Rico and abroad.