The Municipal Theater School of Baena and Albendín has opened enrollment for the 2026-2027 academic year. Classes are aimed at students from six years old with no age limit, featuring children's, youth, adult, and senior groups. It also includes a specific group for Albendín and an inclusive group, with the aim of extending theatrical activity throughout the municipality and making it accessible to everyone.
The Councilor for Culture, Ana Cruz, highlights the value of theater beyond cultural and leisure spheres, understanding it not just as entertainment but as a key tool for personal development, fostering empathy, and social cohesion. She emphasizes the municipal commitment to cultural decentralization through the maintenance of the Albendín group and to inclusion, as theater must be an 'open space for all people'.
Cristóbal Pérez, director of the Municipal Theater School, recalls that the school has been active in Baena for approximately two decades, establishing itself as a year-round educational and cultural offering. Last year saw a significant increase in student numbers, reaching nearly 80 students between Baena and Albendín, with eight different workshops plus a pedagogical theater workshop conducted in schools.
The educational program aims to cover various theatrical disciplines and genres. Students will work on 'acting, comedy, drama, and mime, along with vocal technique and body expression, plus specialized workshops in characterization and stage combat.' Pérez anticipates that the variety of proposals will expand depending on the number of groups, potentially including musical theater.
Enrollment will remain open throughout September until groups are full. Interested individuals can register at the Casa de la Cultura or the Theater School itself, with operating hours from 10:00 AM to 1:00 PM and 5:00 PM to 9:30 PM. The annual enrollment fee is around 65 euros, with discounts for large families, individuals with disabilities, and families with multiple members enrolled.
Cristóbal Pérez finally encouraged residents of Baena and Albendín to engage with this artistic discipline, to 'approach theater, to learn, to enjoy this passion as theater is, to live another life'.
