Tenerife Hosts 13th Annual Youth Greco-Latin Theater Festival
The 13th annual Youth Greco-Latin Theater Festival in La Laguna is celebrating classical literature with performances of Plautus's Pseudolus to promote the humanities in modern education.
The importance of classical literature in education is back in the spotlight this week in Tenerife. The Spanish Society of Classical Studies (SEEC) in the Canary Islands is hosting the 13th annual Youth Greco-Latin Theater Festival in La Laguna, an event that has become a staple of the region's academic calendar.
Since it began in 2010 at the Teatro Leal, the festival has welcomed over 25,000 students, staying true to its mission of keeping the humanities alive in schools. This year’s featured play is Pseudolus by the Roman playwright Plautus. The production highlights how the comedy of the 3rd century B.C. still influences the storytelling techniques we see on television today.
Due to overwhelming demand—with over 1,000 ticket requests—organizers have added an evening performance at 7:00 p.m. open to the general public, alongside the traditional morning shows for students. The play is performed by D’Hoy Teatro, a company that earned strong reviews for the same show in Gran Canaria earlier this year.
More than just a series of performances, the festival serves as a vital defense for classical studies in modern education. Supported by the La Laguna City Council, local Latin and Greek teachers, and the University of La Laguna, the event encourages students to reflect on the human experience and honors the cultural foundations of our society.