Dominican Republic to Host Major International Theater Festival in October

SANTO DOMINGO, Dominican Republic – The Dominican Republic's Ministry of Culture is set to host the XII International Theater Festival RD 2025 (FITE RD 2025), a highly anticipated cultural event scheduled from Oct. 19-30. Operating under the theme, “Theater is All of Us” (El teatro somos todos), the festival aims to transform the country into a hub for performing arts.

The twelve-day festival will feature a diverse program with performances in Santo Domingo, Santiago, Puerto Plata, San Cristóbal, Azua, San Juan, Elías Piña, and La Romana. Companies from Argentina, Chile, Colombia, Cuba, Ecuador, Spain, France, Mexico, and Puerto Rico are slated to participate, alongside groups from the Dominican Republic and a special representation from the Dominican diaspora in the United States.

To democratize access to theater, tickets are priced at an affordable RD$200. This initiative underscores the Ministry's commitment to cultural inclusion and broader public engagement with the performing arts.

Tickets are available for purchase at the box office of the Eduardo Brito National Theater in Santo Domingo, as well as at the various venues hosting performances outside the capital.

This year's festival is dedicated to Freddy Ginebra, a prominent cultural figure and founder of Casa de Teatro, and to Spain's historic Teatro Corsario company, which boasts over four decades on stage.

The XII FITE RD 2025 will present 75 performances, including those by 15 international companies, 17 national groups, and four state-sponsored ensembles. Students from the National School of Dramatic Art (ENAD) and a special street performance will also contribute to the program, catering to school audiences, families, and adults.

The opening ceremony is scheduled for Sunday, Oct. 19, at 5:30 p.m. in the Máximo Avilés Blonda Hall of the Palace of Fine Arts. The inaugural performance will feature Calderón de la Barca's renowned play, “El alcalde de Zalamea,” in a version directed by Jesús Peña and performed by Teatro Corsario. The production, which blends comedy and drama while exploring themes of justice, power, and dignity, promises a vibrant start to the festival.

International Productions

The festival will showcase a high-caliber international repertoire. From Spain, “Protocolo del Quebranto,” directed by Mario Vega, tells the story of a gunpowder trafficker drawn into a personal war after sheltering a wounded stranger.

Other international highlights include “Crime Brûlé,” which combines dark humor and suspense as four agents navigate a crime, and “La conquista de lo inútil,” a poetic reflection on the passage of time. “El brote” will utilize physical theater to explore the boundaries between reality and fiction, demonstrating the diverse aesthetic and thematic range of this year's programming.

Dominican Spotlight

The festival will also prominently feature national dramaturgy, highlighting the vitality of the local scene. Dominican productions such as “El Gallo,” “El sueño de la vida,” “La última boda,” and “A la garata, Romeo y Julieta” will reflect the creativity and pluralism of local artists, fostering a continuous dialogue between tradition and innovation.

With a program spanning from Spanish Golden Age classics to contemporary theatrical languages, the XII International Theater Festival RD 2025 is poised to be a grand celebration of scenic art. Under its unifying theme, the event invites audiences to celebrate diversity, reflect on society, and reaffirm theater's enduring role as a living and transformative cultural expression.