81,513 spectators: an absolute record-breaking Saturday for Catalan theatre

BarcelonaChallenge met. For the third year in a row, the performing arts sector in Catalonia has celebrated Theatre Day, which this Saturday managed to fill 81,513 seats out of the more than 92,000 available in the 261 theatres participating in the campaign. Empty Seat Capewhich offered 305 shows and 347 performances. The final audience figure, announced at nightfall at an event held at the Old Damm Factory, represents a 14.09% increase compared to the previous edition, which drew 71,441 spectators to 217 theaters across the country, and a 48.05% increase compared to the first edition, which featured 145 theaters. "It has been a wonderful day, unlike anything else in the world: an entire country dedicated to breaking a record by attending the theater," celebrated Isabel Vidal, president of the Association of Theater Companies of Catalonia (Adetca), which promotes the campaign.

In this edition of Empty Seat Cape Theaters from Catalonia, the Valencian Community, and the Balearic Islands joined the initiative, as well as those from Andorra, Northern Catalonia, Alghero, and Buenos Aires. One of the campaign's objectives was precisely to decentralize audience attendance, which is usually much more concentrated in Barcelona. "This year, 241 theaters initially signed up, but we kept registration open until the last minute, and thanks to coordinated work with the Ministry of Culture, we're now at 261," explains Vidal, who, despite the increase in venues, highly values ​​this year's average occupancy rate of 88.66%. Empty Seat CapeThis is practically the same as the 89% occupancy rate of the 2025 edition. The distribution of spectators by province is as follows: 57,699 spectators in the 165 participating theaters in the Barcelona region, 6,216 in the 22 participating theaters in Tarragona, and 5,265 in the 22 theaters in Lleida. Performances outside of Catalonia participating in the campaign attracted a total of 7,817 spectators.

A Bread of Theater with a historical and literary aftertaste

The day began with one of this year's new features: the presentation of the "Pan de Teatro" (Theater Bread), a T-shaped loaf specially made by the bakers of the Turris chain. It's made with long-fermented sourdough, pumpkin seeds, dehydrated onion, and olive oil. It's clearly an attempt to replicate the traditional Sant Jordi bread. In fact, those in charge at Adetca don't hide the fact that the Diada del Teatre (Theater Day) wants to emulate Sant Jordi's Day and envies its ability to energize the literary sector. "We want the Diada del Teatre to be popular, and we think there's nothing more popular than bread," explains Isabel Vila. "We'd like everyone to go to the theater every day, but especially to the Diada del Teatre, which is a very special initiative that only happens in Catalonia."

To celebrate the new culinary offering, actors Joel Joan and Octavi Pujades and presenter Mari Pau Huguet took to the counter at the Turris bakery on Valencia Street this Saturday and personally served the "Pan de Teatro" (Theater Bread) to customers. The first customer was historian Emi Turull Pibernat, whom Joan, Pujades, and Huguet applauded before wrapping the bread. She paid the 2.5 euros and put it in her bag, which, incidentally, proudly displayed the ARA (a local award): Ignasi Aragay dedicates this Saturday to her. her column in the supplement Leemos, in which he talks about Turrull Pibernat's latest work: the essay Slaves in the female monasteries of Barcelona in the Late Middle Ages (1326-1495).

The second customer was another neighbor from the neighborhood with an intellectual profile: none other than the writer Miguel de PalolJoel Joan immediately recognized him and hailed him as "an institution of Catalan literature." De Palol, who has just published the novel Even sooner than ever (Navona)He hadn't come specifically looking for the Bread of Theater, but he took the opportunity to buy it and left happy. Joel Joan was also in good spirits, despite his recent foray into drama – Vania—whose last performances at the Romea this weekend—, always has a joke ready: "We made it with our own hands, the Bread of Theater. Yesterday we left the show and came to the bakery and spent all night kneading the bread. Miquel de Palol also wanted to come, but we told him it wasn't necessary, it wasn't necessary."