Teenagers' pandemic experiences captured in docu-performance by Ginkgo Teatro

Ginkgo Teatro, an Italian theater company, conducted an online workshop exploring how adolescents experienced the COVID-19 lockdown. The project, inspired by Frank Wedekind's play 'Spring Awakening', began in January 2021 with an open call to teenagers across Italy. Eleven participants aged 14 to 17 were virtually interviewed by company members Luisa Borini, Marina Occhionero, Giulia Quadrelli, Mario Scandale, Luca Tanganelli, and Giulia Trippetta. They shared anxieties about distance learning, frustration about the future, and moments of hope. The resulting docu-performance compiles their words, smiles, and tears into a vivid portrait of youth vulnerability. The initiative was funded by Marche Palcoscenico Aperto, a program supported by the Marche Region in collaboration with AMAT.