Alcudia Classical Theater Festival marks a return from the pandemic and celebrates a strong showing in 2019. The event drew 2,500 attendees across eight performances, highlighting the 2019 edition as a standout year in the festival’s trajectory. This annual program, produced by the University of Alicante, continues to build a bridge between classical drama and the historic Alcudia landscape in Elche.
The University of Alicante launched the Alcudia Classical Theater Festival in July 2013, pairing timeless theatre with the ancient setting of the Alcudia region. Across its decade-long run, the festival has mobilized about 14,500 spectators through both in-person editions and the 2020 online edition. The tenth edition featured eight plays, including four framed within a teaching context and four in the professional theatre block, underscoring the festival’s dual mission of education and professional performance. [Source: UA]
Vice Rector for Culture, Sports and University Broadcasting Catherine Iliescu reflected on the festival’s growth. She noted that the venture began in July 2013 with two performances and 240 spectators, and by 2019 it had expanded to eight shows with 2,500 attendees in its seventh edition, signaling a rising audience and expanding program. [Source: UA]
The pandemic years affected attendance, as they did many cultural events. In 2020, the festival pivoted to an online format, and when activities resumed in 2021, only half of the seats could be activated. Despite those constraints, the festival delivered six performances and attracted 1,345 spectators in the ninth edition. This year, the festival regained pre-pandemic levels, recording 2,500 attendees across eight performances. [Source: UA]
Ten years of classical theater in Alcudia de Elche
Trojan Horses, produced by the UA Permanent University Theater Class; Romeo + Juliet from the UA Theater Class; and The Flashes of Don Quixote de la Mancha, performed by the Miguel Hernández University Theater Company, together with Trojan Horses, represent the four Teaching proposals presented at the festival. The winning version of the V Greco-Roman Theater School Competition 2022 was created by La Nave Argo. In the Professional Theater block, Venetian merchant presented by Dau Al Sec Company; Verbo Producciones and its installation Entre bobos and game; a piece titled Begging by La Libelula Teatro; and Y undress eros, produced by Coribante Productions, completed the program. [Source: festival programming notes]
The Alcudia-UA Classical Theater Festival enjoys the backing of regional and local institutions, including the Generalitat Valenciana, the Ministry of Education, Culture and Sport, the Valencian Cultural Institute, the Alicante Provincial Council, and the Elche City Council. [Source: festival sponsors]
Public support data by year
I Festival (2013). 2 performances: 240 spectators
II Festival (2014). 4 performances: 1,050 spectators
Third Festival (2015). 4 performances: 1,150 spectators
4th Festival (2016). 8 performances: 1,403 spectators
5th Festival (2017). 7 performances: 1,271 spectators
6th Festival (2018). 8 performances: 2,400 spectators
7th Festival (2019). 8 performances: 2,500 spectators
8th Festival (2020). Web VIII Festival – Online format
9th Festival (2021) 6 performances: 1,345 spectators. Only 50% of active seats
10th Festival (2022). 8 performances: 2,500 spectators