From “Call Me Franz” by Benedetta Carrara to “Cafè Western” by Il Milione, Valtellina theatre stands out on the national and international scene, winning awards and nominations across the Fringe circuit.

Valtellina theatre really shines within the independent theatre circuit, with awards and nominations for Chiamatemi Franz by Benedetta Carrara and Cafè Western by the company Il Milione. Two different shows in terms of language and content, testifying to the artistic vitality of the area and to the ability of its companies to reach audiences and contexts across borders—even through participation in fringe festivals: independent theatre showcases that welcome innovative and experimental productions, often outside the traditional theatre circuit. Born to give space to new voices, original forms of expression, and independent productions, these festivals offer important opportunities for discussion, visibility, and meeting with professionals and spectators from different cultural backgrounds.

Chiamatemi Franz: recognition at the Fallout Fringe in Las Vegas

The show Chiamatemi Franz by Benedetta Carrara has won the Fallout Fringe International Artist Award, awarded by Fallout Fringe in Las Vegas. An international recognition that highlights work produced by a team entirely from Valtellina, made up of Benedetta Carrara, Massimiliano Greco, Alice Sciarmella, Michele Mazzoleni and Antonio Muraca.

The production tells the true story of Francesca Scanagatta, who in 1794 takes her brother’s place to enter the Austrian military academy, adopting the identity of Franz and becoming an officer in the army. Through theatrical storytelling, disguises and historical research, the show tackles—through a contemporary lens—the themes of identity, individual freedom, and gender roles.

The show also received the patronage of the Municipality of Talamona, Francesca Scanagatta’s husband’s home town, with which the area maintains a strong historical link.

The award is an important recognition for a piece that brings to light an extraordinary historical figure, capable of challenging the conventions of her own time.

Cafè Western: three first prizes, four nominations, and new international stops for Il Milione

Cafè Western, a production by Il Milione, written and performed by Pietro De Nova and Maurizio Zucchi, is a fun western fable—comic and almost wordless—that transports the audience to a surreal Far West full of surprises. The story centres on an unlikely outlaw, with a bounty of just one dollar hanging over his head, and a delivery boy who, due to a curious mix-up, finds himself dressed as the sheriff. From this encounter, a string of paradoxical situations, gags and misunderstandings unfolds, flipping—with irony—the big western genre clichés, and questioning the traditional law of the strongest.

With their comic timing and the originality of the theatrical concept, the two protagonists have also managed to win over national and international operators, securing major recognition as part of the Fringe Italia Off 2026 circuit. The show, in fact, took home the first prize at Denver Fringe and the first prize at Mumbai Fringe at the Catania Off Fringe Festival 2026, as well as the first prize awarded by the Staff of Fringe Italia Off 2026.

The production’s success is further confirmed by four prestigious nominations: Il Respiro del Pubblico Festival and Dundee Fringe at the Milano Off Fringe Festival 2026, Hollywood Fringe at Fringe Italia Off 2026, and Praga Fringe at the Catania Off Fringe Festival 2026.

A journey full of achievements that shows how the show can connect with different audiences, overcoming language barriers too, thanks to the expressive power of physical theatre, humour, and comedy with an international outlook.

Fringe Festival

The Fringe Festival movement began in 1947 in Edinburgh, Scotland, sparked by an initiative that was as spontaneous as it was groundbreaking. For the first edition of the Edinburgh International Festival, eight theatre companies—despite not having been invited to take part in the official event—decided to stage their own shows anyway, performing in alternative venues. It was precisely from this experience that the first Fringe took shape: an English term that literally means “margin”, used to describe theatre that emerged outside institutional circuits and traditional programming.

What initially looked like a form of artistic rebellion gradually became an international cultural movement, capable of changing the way performing arts festivals are conceived and organised. At the heart of Fringe philosophy are freedom of expression, experimentation, artistic independence, and the desire to offer opportunities even to emerging companies—fostering direct encounters between artists, audiences and cultural professionals.

Over the decades, the model created in Edinburgh spread around the world, giving rise to a network that today includes over 300 Fringe festivals, according to estimates circulated by the international circuit World Fringe. From Europe to America, from Asia to Australia, these events are major opportunities for cultural exchange and debate, drawing artists, theatre companies, producers and artistic directors from different countries every year.

A shared success, driven by collaboration

Both debuting at the Auditorium of Castionetto in Chiuro, Chiamatemi Franz and Cafè Western are now on an international path that takes them onto the stages of Fringe festivals worldwide, gathering recognition and new opportunities for Valtellina theatre.

Alongside the artistic results, the journey of both companies has also been marked by mutual collaboration—sharing experiences, promoting the shows, and supporting one another with organisational needs. A relationship that demonstrates the vitality of an independent theatre community that knows how to work together and face the challenges of the international circuit as a team.

From the first performances in Valtellina to international audiences, the stories of Chiamatemi Franz and Cafè Western therefore tell not only of the success of two productions, but also of the ability of a local area to develop artistic projects that go beyond regional boundaries and find their place on the world theatre stage.