Experience and enthusiasm
In 2008, a theater workshop was launched, coordinated by Dani, a young program coordinator at the Center, and Silvia Comes, a workshop leader and singer. A lively group was formed that rehearsed and performed regularly. The workshop remained active until 2012.
That year, Vicenç Sousa appeared on the TV3 program Casal Rock and subsequently formed a variety troupe with several people from the Center, including his wife Pepita, Dora, Merçè, and Carmen Benavent, among others.
In 2015, the Historical Memory Workshops began, featuring, among other activities, theatrical performances that recalled old stories and everyday experiences from the neighborhood.
The group was renamed the Grup de teatre del Casal de Persones Grans Mediterrània; composed mostly of the same members from the variety show era, it performed dramatic, comedic, and even musical pieces.
Merging all these creative processes into a single project has been a great way to highlight the role that older adults play as transmitters of knowledge and experiences, and it has given us a different perspective on how to recover their historical memory.
The scripts are based on interviews with residents of Barceloneta and are written by us.
Once the script is complete, the artistic director, Silvia Comes, adapts the scripts to the characters, makes the necessary adjustments, and directs the rehearsals and staging of the play.
They have performed various plays and are currently preparing a new production about the people of Barceloneta who lived in SOMORROSTRO, the now-vanished shantytown on Barceloneta Beach.
(Sources: Rosa Sabanés, Carmen Benavent)
High School Program in Music and Performing Arts
Future artists study in the neighborhood
Since the 2016-2017 academic year , La Salle Barceloneta has been offering High school diploma in Music and Arts Scenic works .
Some of the students are already performing professionally. For example, Gerard Navarro appeared in the TV3 series *Como si fuera ayer* as Joel, one of the most prominent characters from last season. Or Emma Cucchietti, who was selected from thousands of applicants to be part of this year’s (2026) *Euforia* program and is a composer. Her research project was the composition of an EP titled *Caos*, which can be found on Spotify. On the international stage, student Bb Trickz has risen rapidly in the music world, having collaborated with world-renowned artists such as Charli XCX and Ice Spice. She has also been a guest on shows like La Resistencia and has performed at major festivals such as Primavera Sound, Sónar, and Rolling Loud Portugal, among others.
It should be noted that it is not only our students who have achieved success in the arts, but also our faculty. For one thing, our music instructor, Carles Ratera, is a bassist with a degree in Jazz and Modern Music from the Liceu Conservatory of Music and is currently on tour with the band Buhos; he has also played with bands such as Dr. Calypso and Strombers, among others. In addition, our professor in charge of the performing arts program, Ramón Giró, has been involved in several award-winning projects, including the 2024 Best Film Award for *Salve María* at the Feroz Awards and the Best Screenplay Award for *Mi amiga Eva* at the 2025 Gaudí Awards.
We’re quite the showbiz crowd here
Barceloneta has an outgoing, chatty, and slightly roguish character. Los Coros is perhaps the best example of this festive, even showbiz-like spirit. And I can’t quite put my finger on why, but this charm and self-confidence in this neighborhood is especially evident in the women.
The result is that some of them—born here or from local families—are now actors.
Ana Castillo, whom we interviewed in this magazine, comes from a family in the neighborhood. And what can we say about our very own Loles León, who simply can’t escape giving us an interview (Juanita, tell your sister to do it). Laia Manzanares, from Merlí and El Cor de la Ciutat, among other performances. Aida Oset, also from Merlí and El Cor de la Ciutat, among other performances. Teresa Riott, the Blonde from El Inmortal or Nerea in Valeria… And surely there are other actresses we’ve left out who will forgive us for not naming them.
But if we rewind in time, we’ll find many examples of neighbors who took to the stage, even if only as amateurs.
Among many others, we’ll mention the Cánovas brothers, Víctor and Alfonso, who came very close to pursuing theater professionally. José Antonio López, Carmen Peralto, Arturo San Agustín, Carmen Benavent, Didac Vilanova, Victoria Morales, Pancracio Farell, Nati Martí, and Nuria Balsells.
