Ibero-American Theater Festival of Costa Rica
Costa Rica will become a hub for the performing arts this April with the celebration of the first Ibero-American Theater Festival of Costa Rica (FITCR). The event will take place from April 10 to 19 and will bring together theater companies from Latin America and Europe, consolidating the country as a key space for cultural and creative exchange in the region.
Organized by the Ministry of Culture and Youth, FITCR was created with the aim of revitalizing theater as an essential form of artistic expression and social reflection. Through a diverse and contemporary program, the festival seeks to highlight the cultural ties shared within the Ibero-American sphere, as well as to address current issues from multiple theatrical perspectives.
FITCR will bring together Ibero-American companies in Costa Rica
This first edition will feature groups from Colombia, Argentina, Chile, Honduras, El Salvador, Peru, Mexico, Uruguay, and Spain, as well as leading Costa Rican companies. This variety of offerings will allow audiences to enjoy high-quality productions that reflect common social, political, and human realities, strengthening cultural dialogue between countries.
This festival is dedicated to Lucho Barahona, a renowned Costa Rican playwright, actor, and educator whose career left a profound mark on national theater. His work, focused on freedom, critical thinking, and human depth, influenced generations of artists and audiences. The Minister of Culture and Youth, Nayuribe Guadamuz, emphasized that Barahona conceived of theater as a space for honest dialogue, even when it was uncomfortable or challenging.
Cultural exchange with the Ibero-American Theater Festival
The Ibero-American Theater Festival was created as a space for encounter, dialogue, and celebration of the performing arts, where Costa Rica opens itself to creative exchange with Ibero-America and reaffirms its commitment to theater as a cultural right, a driver of reflection, and a territory of collective construction. This first edition brings together diverse perspectives, contemporary languages, and high-quality artistic proposals that engage with our times, our questions, and our realities.
Beyond the performances, FITCR will offer workshops, discussions, and masterclasses focused on professional development for artists and creating networks for collaboration and co-production. These activities aim to promote long-term cultural sustainability and foster growth in the theater sector. The festival is also committed to cultural decentralization, bringing shows to different parts of the country to expand public access.
International groups
- La Congregación Theater (Colombia)
- Criolla Company (Argentina)
- Tian Gombau, Theater Company (Spain)
- Bambú Theater Group (Honduras)
- La Mayu – Theater for Girls and Boys (Peru)
- La Mandrágora Theater (Mexico)
- Santiago Sanguinetti – Abuela Katiusha Company (Uruguay)
- The Master Key (Spain / Chile)
- Yellow Factory and Combo Theater (Colombia)
- Mauricio Kartun (Argentina)
- Las Ansiadas Producciones (Spain)
- Moby Dick Teatro (El Salvador)
National groups
- El Jardín del Cuento Theater.
- Aguja Theater.
- La Casa sin Bernarda Project.
- Garúa Theater.
- Raquel Hernández.
- José Pablo Umaña.
- Los Malafachas – Circus Clown Theater.
- La Bicicleta Company.
- Double Theater.
- National Theater of Costa Rica.
- National Theater Company of Costa Rica.
Voices, bodies, and territories
The performances will take place in iconic venues such as the Melico Salazar Popular Theater, the National Theater, the 1887 Theater, the Dance Theater, the Alberto Cañas Customs Theater, and the La Villa Theater in Desamparados, reinforcing the connection between heritage, culture, and tourism.
The FITCR is part of a series of seven national festivals that will tour the country between September and April, covering disciplines such as gastronomy, music, and dance. These initiatives seek to integrate communities and extend cultural activity beyond urban centers.
Sensorial Sunsets
