Did you know that the Teatre del Mar stands on the foundation of a place with almost fifty years of history? It’s the heir to El Molinar’s theatrical tradition.
Let’s journey back to the late 1940s. The first theater here wasn’t really a theater. It was a parochial space of Catholic Action. Locals also called it Parochial Home. Bishop inaugurated it. This center became Molinar’s cultural hub. They celebrated patron saint festivities. There were dances and poetry recitals.
Linked to the Church it offered cultural activities. It was a multipurpose room. It was Molinar’s cultural and leisure center. Two theater groups thrived here. One group comprised of the youngest who performed works provided by the Salesians of Barcelona. The elders staged classics like El puño del godo. Every month a work premiered here.
Veterans from Molinar formed theater groups. They were known as Des Molinar Catholic Action and East Company. The only theater allowed in Catalan were regional plays. Actors were multidisciplinary. They did everything. They invested function earnings in scenery and costumes.
The community dreamt of a real theater. It should have good seating. Economic constraints loomed large. The neighborhood and Church joined forces to raise funds. They announced the works for the future new hall during Sunday Mass. Everyone contributed to building Sala Rex. They provided materials and labor. Carpenters crafted the stage windows and beams. Youngsters kneaded the ground. This created a basement under the stage. It became dressing rooms.
In July 1953 the Artistic Association des Molinar inaugurated Sala Rex. They chose the work El divino impaciente by José M. Pemán. The program boasted 37 actors on stage. In the fifties the activity was incredibly dramatic. Rehearsals happened daily. The premieres maintained an enthusiastic pace.
The adjacent patio was also used. Every summer the Fiesta in the Air was celebrated with various artists. Teatre del Mar used this space for CabaRex in the summers of 1993 and 1994. Comedies were popular. People sought escape from daily worries. Dramas required more work. However they ran for longer. People from outside Molinar attended.
Towards the sixties the parish rented Rex Room. It was rented to an entrepreneur. For ten years it became a cinema. Some theatrical performances continued. The theater group Orient led them. In the eighties the room closed. It sporadically hosted socio-cultural activities.
In 1991 Iguana Teatre rented the room. They presented the Sala Rex project. They wanted to rehabilitate it. The goal was to convert it into a multipurpose room. It was to be called Teatre del Mar.
The theatrical group created an entity. It agglutinated representatives of the cultural and theatrical world. In 1993 the Teatre del Mar Foundation was formed.
Iguana Teatre wanted to offer an art theater. It should be a public service theater. It should be in its own language. The theater should have a universal repertoire.
The Teatre del Mar stands as a testament to community spirit and artistic vision. It has evolved from humble beginnings to a cherished cultural landmark in Palma. It continues to offer versatile programs. They include theater and concerts of great artistic quality.