International theater festival makes all of Cuenca a stage; performances scheduled today in Parque de la Madre

Costumed dancers, men on stilts and a colorful supporting cast snaked through Cuenca’s historic district Wednesday night, marking the opening of Cuenca’s Festival Internacional de Artes Escénicas Escenarios del Mundo.

The parade ended at the historic Pumapungo temple grounds, one of the venues for the 15-day festival.

The festival includes 46 performances by international and local groups in various locations in the city. Performers will also visit local schools, training students in theater arts. According to event director, Juan Andrade Polo, one of the missions of the festival is to develop an appreciation among young people of the theater. “This is about having fun but it is also meant to be educational,” he said.

In addition to Ecuadorian performers, groups from Chile, Mexico, Brazil, Spain, Colombia, Venezuela, Belgium and Estonia are in town for the festival.

Today, Parque de la Madre will be filled with dragons, princes and princesses, courtesy of the theatrical group Cornice 20 from San Miguel de Allende, Mexico. Other events will be announced in local newspapers.

Andrade Polo expects to entertain 25,000 during the festival.

Photo caption: A performer in Wednesday night parade in El Centro.