Some people think that the stage is the ideal place to understand who we are, where do we come from and, above all, where do we go. When a student in the classroom asks the teacher: “Who was the greatest writer of all times?”, the usual answer is: William Shakespeare. “And what about the greatest Italian writer?”. Many people will answer: Dante Alighieri, but many others will answer: Luigi Pirandello. This is just an example to show you that, as the compass is a guide for sailors, there is another tool which helps human beings to study their own feelings, their passions, and even social and political changes of the world. This tool is the Theatre. Universo Teatro (UT) has a main aim: becoming a workshop for ideas and thoughts. The previous two editions lead us to think that we are on the right track. With reference to its participants, the 2009 edition has enlarged its geographical borders and has decided to award the UT 2009 prize to the “Piccolo Teatro di Milano”, which is the most important Italian theatrical institution. In this occasion, the Piccolo Teatro will stage the show that has been representing our Art all over the world for more than half a century: “Harlequin, Servant of Two Masters”.
We really hope that no one will ever forget the enthusiasm, the passion, the dedication, the sense of effort, and the talent of the hundreds of young people coming from all over Europe and beyond. All these feelings and efforts will be conveyed through the many shows and workshops which will be performed during their ten-day stay in the town of Benevento. These people will be able to witness around the world how beautiful and welcoming Benevento is; they might be the ideal ambassadors of our town, rich in history and ancient monuments. A small but, at the same time, a big town called Benevento.

The III edition of Universo Teatro is based on a four-element structure, just like the quadrifrons Arch of Janus at the Palatine or like the four-head herma at the Tiber Island.
The first head faces towards the Mediterranean Sea, due to the presence of the Haifa University (Technion University) with “An enemy of the people”, the Cairo University (MSA University – October City) with “The Phantom of Opera” and of the Jordan University (Yarmouk University) with “Cross Words”. Then, there will be other three European Universities: the Sannio, Salerno and Toulouse Universities; an Atlantic and Spanish-speaking University (the Escuela de Arte Dramatica of Tenerife) and the Libera Accademia di Belle Arti (L.A.B.A.) of Brescia. The first head confirms the main aim of this Festival: involving Universities at national and international level.