From Alicante, the Recolectores Teatro company emerged as the winner of the fifth edition of the José Estruch Theatrical Production Residency. Convened by the Teatro Principal de Alicante since 2017, this initiative honored a project conceived by a director and educator from Alicante. The chosen piece, titled The Game Discretion, earned the top praise alongside music and performance that resonate with life. It is described as a bold acid comedy that examines the insecurity and dignity experienced by those who work in the performing arts. The production is scheduled to premiere on September 30 at the Alicante Coliseum, where the company will gather the team and complete rehearsals in the weeks leading up to the show.
Selected from four proposals presented in this edition, the winning project stood out in a rigorous process conducted by a committee that included local playwrights and cultural authorities. The jury, with support from the Ministry of Culture and the sponsorship of key academic figures, selected the piece that will now be developed into a finished production. The final offer, named 33 Silence, came from the Maror company and previously won the Estruch Residency in its third edition, setting a benchmark for this season’s competition.
This production centers on a young playwright, Marcos Montagud, aged 23, under the direction of Iván Jiménez with a leading cast featuring Mila García, Dolores Faraco, and Diego John. The Teatro Principal will fund the scheduled performance, contributing 2,950 euros, with additional support to the production totaling 5,000 euros, an allocation increased by 500 euros compared with the prior year. The September 30 premiere will be staged to coincide with the Alicante on Stage festival, marking a vibrant moment within the city’s cultural calendar.
Members of Recolectores Teatro expressed their excitement and a touch of astonishment at receiving the Estruch Residence award during today’s presentation at the Teatro Principal. Their remarks framed the work as a bold, contemporary project with intergenerational appeal and a sense of immediacy that speaks directly to the lives of theater workers. The show promises humor that acknowledges insecurity while celebrating the dignity of those who bring performances to life, inviting audiences to laugh from the very first moment while reflecting on the realities of the stage world.
Created amid a precarious cultural moment, the project responds to a need for authentic storytelling about theater professionals—stories intensified by pandemic and post-pandemic challenges. Since 2020, the field has faced closures, restricted venues, and evolving ways of presenting work. The creators describe a collective impulse to push forward, to produce new material with limited resources, and to reimagine what a performance can be when artists adapt to a continually shifting landscape. The team includes three additional musical performers who had not toured for years due to the pandemic, joining the core actors to explore a range of musical and dramatic possibilities. The central challenge is honest expression rather than flashy spectacle, and the belief is that audiences will respond to sincerity on stage.
Rather than pursuing a conventional triumph, the project emphasizes resilience, shared vulnerability, and a grounded view of success. As the team explains, the story will avoid idealized depictions of stardom and instead focus on the real pressures, fears, and aspirations of people who build theater from the ground up. The creators intend to invite the audience to see themselves in the characters, recognizing common goals and disappointments that accompany any artistic journey. The text, still in progress during rehearsals, will incorporate the actors’ experiences and allow room for the author’s input, creating a collaborative atmosphere on stage. The youngest member of the team expresses enthusiasm about this creative process, looking forward to shaping the piece alongside the performers and the director.