Por Pablo Arranz 
The Department of Culture of the City Council of Benidorm presented on Wednesday the third edition of the Theater Showcase, which will take place next May at the Cultural Center and will feature five performances by a professional theater company and four amateur groups formed by residents of Benidorm and other towns in the Marina Baixa. The councilor of the area, Jaime Jesús Pérez, was accompanied in this presentation of this new edition by representatives of the latter: the Municipal Theater Workshop, Alpí Teatre, Tossal Teatre, and Teatro 360, who offered some insights into the texts they will stage and thanked the municipal «boost» to this event, which represents «a great opportunity» for fans of performing arts.
Jaime Jesús Pérez announced that the III Theater Showcase will take place between May 23 and 30 and that all performances will be held at the Auditorium of the Cultural Center starting at 8:00 p.m. He also pointed out that tickets to attend as an audience are already on sale at www.entradasatualcance.com, with a symbolic price of 4 euros for amateur performances; 15 euros for the one starring the Yllana and Primitial Brothers company; and the possibility of purchasing a subscription for all five sessions for 25 euros.
He emphasized that this is a «great opportunity to enjoy theater in Benidorm», in a municipal initiative aimed at «bringing professional and amateur theatrical performances closer to all residents and tourists of our city.» Therefore, he invited the public to «get their tickets and participate, because we are sure they will have a great time in each of the formats.»
The III Theater Showcase of Benidorm will kick off on Friday, May 23, with ‘Madness. A capella musical delirium’. The Councilor of Culture revealed that «this is the latest production by the Yllana company, a musical comedy about life on the fringes of the system,» in which Yllana and Prímital Brothers «join forces again to tell us that technology is the new mythology, that everyday life is crazy, that laughter is sacred, and a capella singing is the anchor to humanity.»
The next performance will be by the Municipal Theater Workshop, directed by Manuel Troncoso, on Saturday, May 24. It will be an adaptation of the classic Greek theater ‘Medea’, a play that, according to Charo Ortuño, «has an argument that is still completely relevant today and has not lost its relevance over time.»
The third appointment will be with a contemporary play titled ‘En la luna’, written by Alfredo Sanzol and winner of several Max Awards in 2013. It will take place on Wednesday, May 28, by the Alpí Teatre company, whose director, Ricardo Molina, stated that it is «a tribute to our parents, to that generation that was young in the 70s and experienced the Transition, through small scenes unfolding on dreams of that moment in the history of Spain.»
On May 29, the Tossal Teatre group will perform ‘Melocotón en almíbar’ by Miguel Mihura, a very fun plot, with no other intentions, consequences, or morals than pure audience enjoyment,» affirmed Manuel Palazón, who is convinced that those who go to see it «will have a great time.»
Finally, the Teatro 360 company will debut this year in Benidorm, closing the Theater Showcase on May 30, with a play written and directed by Arlene Iribarren, entitled ‘El laberinto del tiempo’. The author pointed out that it is «a comedy with a fantastic touch, where a group of people are invited to a dinner at a luxury restaurant and whose characters become involved in a time loop where many secrets will be revealed.»
The Councilor of Culture encouraged theater lovers «to enjoy the different proposals that make up this Showcase, where we have sought to offer the audience different styles and genres to reach all audiences.»