The play 'Que 20 años no es nada', by the group Stres de Quatre from Albalat dels Sorells, took home the main award of the 35th Dénia City Theatre Showcase, decided by the attending audience. At the same ceremony, local actor Santi Inocencio received the award for Best Actor for his performance in 'Deseo', by the company EseOesE Teatro from Orba. Another major winner of the night was 'La libertad se toma', by Colectivo Soberanas, which secured the awards for Best Direction for Ana Olcina and Best Actress for María del Plata.
The award for Best Use of Valencian was given to Lolailo Troupe from Ondara for their play 'I vosté, on va?', an original creation by María José Pedro. During the ceremony, hosted by Mario Osmar Pássero at the Centre Social, several humorous sketches were performed with the participation of about fifteen actors linked to the ETC.
The musical comedy 'Que 20 años no es nada', a product of collective creation, commemorates the two decades of existence of the group Stres de Quatre, revisiting significant passages from their past works. The audience particularly appreciated its ingenious script, filled with wordplay, rhymes, acid humor, and references to current politics, as well as the blend of dialogue with songs, dance, and mime, showing clear influences from the renowned Les Luthiers. The performances by Jordi Tamarit, Juan Manuel Castillo, and Raul Barrachina were also highly praised. The award was accepted by Pedro Valero, a former student of Tamarit, from the then-mayor, Vicent Grimalt.
In the Best Actor category, the jury opted for Santi Inocencio, from Dénia, for his performance in the play 'Deseo', directed by Sonia González and Natalia Serrano. Inocencio dedicated the award to his friend Tono Fornes with an emotional message: 'Today you cannot see us, but this is for you.' The play 'Deseo' had attracted the largest audience the previous week, with nearly 90 percent of the venue's capacity filled.
The Valencian company Colectivo Soberanas was recognized with 'La libertad se toma', earning Ana Olcina the award for Best Direction and María del Plata for Best Actress. The play addresses a strong feminist message, advocating for women's freedoms, particularly the freedom to travel alone. Ana Olcina encouraged female authors to further foster artistic creativity. The sculpture was presented by Marina Sanmartín on behalf of Baleària.
The award for Best Use of Valencian for Lolailo Troupe, directed by Rosa Catalán, was an anticipated award with no competition. María José Pedro, author and performer of the play, emphasized the importance of the native language: 'He who loses their origins loses their identity. Valencian is the language of our ancestors, the one we grew up with, the one in which we feel, cry, and laugh,' she stated upon receiving the award from the now acting mayor, Rafa Carrió.
The closing ceremony combined humorous and Mediterranean moments with others of high emotional impact. Mario Osmar Pássero expressed with a choked voice his gratitude to Antonia Díaz, an ETC professor and jury member, and to Jaume Pastor, the poster designer, for their support during the most difficult times.
