A. M. 
The Fundación Poma and cultural program will begin on march 12 with Act 1 of the 2026 season at the Teatro Luis Poma. This three-act program will feature a total of 14 performances, including repertory works, premieres, salvadoran plays, and international productions.
Under the motto “We Make Theater” the season seeks to highlight the collective nature of the performing arts, promoting collaboration among actors, directors, technicians, cultural managers, and institutions, as well as a close connection with the audience. The program champions theater as a living experience, where each performance represents a unique encounter between stage and spectators.
Comedy opens the show
Act 1 will be marked by humor with the staging of two comedies directed by Roberto Salomón, the theater’s artistic director. These are Black Comedy, by british playwright Peter Shaffer, presented this season under the title ¡Apagón!, y Toc Toc,, by French playwright Laurent Baffie.
During the launch conference, Salomón emphasized that comedy represents one of the greatest challenges in theater, as it demands precise timing, stage presence, and an effective connection with the audience. He pointed out that humor should not only entertain but also provoke thought and allow the viewer to identify with the situations presented.
¡Apagón!: Entanglements in the dark
The season will begin on march 12 and run through march 28 with ¡Apagón! a play centered on a young sculptor who organizes an evening to impress his fiancée, his future mother-in-law, and an influential art collector. To project a more secure financial position, the protagonist transforms his modest apartment using furniture borrowed from his neighbor, an antique dealer.
The situation becomes complicated when an unexpected power outage leaves the characters in darkness, while the audience can clearly see everything that happens on stage. This theatrical device generates a chain of misunderstandings, unforeseen visits, mistaken identities, and revelations that expose the characters’ insecurities and contradictions. The play combines physical humor and social commentary, building a fast-paced and dynamic narrative.
Toc Toc: Laughter with a human dimension
From april 30 to may 10, Toc Toc, a comedy, will be presented. It brings together six patients with different obsessive-compulsive disorders in the waiting room of a psychiatrist who never arrives for his appointment.
Starting from this premise, the play develops comedic situations arising from the characters’ quirks and tics. However, beyond laughter, the story also addresses empathy and understanding between people who, despite their differences, share vulnerabilities. The piece thus offers a balance between entertainment and sensitivity.
Artistic training and cultural spaces
The 2026 program includes, in addition to theatrical performances, a series of training workshops for artists and the public. The first, titled “Intellectual Property for Artists” will be held on february 25 and 26 at the theater, at a cost of $10. Subsequent workshops will cover improvisation, theatrical lighting, and acting direction, as part of the institution’s commitment to the professionalization of the cultural sector.
Initiatives such as “Tardes de Lectura en el Poma”, monthly family gatherings that foster imagination and intergenerational dialogue, and the “School for Spectators,” a space for conversation between artists and the public that seeks to strengthen the development of critical audiences, will also continue.
Exhibitions in the cultural lobby
During Act 1, the theater lobby will host two exhibitions. The first, titled “Evocations” by salvadoran artist Andrea Llach, will be open from march 4 to april 12 and proposes a reflection on collective memory through everyday objects.
The second exhibition, “Black Box”, by Konstantina Daskalaki from Greece and Johanna Raabe, explores character development at the intersection of visual arts and narrative, expanding the cultural experience beyond the main stage.
More than two decades of experience
With over 23 years of continuous work, the artistic and cultural program of the Fundación Poma has established itself as one of the leading institutions for the performing arts in El Salvador. Since its creation in 2003, the Teatro Luis Poma has presented more than 200 shows, welcomed approximately 400,000 spectators, and hosted more than 100 exhibitions in its cultural lobby.
Furthermore, it has promoted initiatives such as the Premio Ovación and Certamen Bienal de Dramaturgia, aimed at recognizing and strengthening national talent.
With the 2026 Season, the Fundación Poma reaffirms its commitment to the country’s cultural development, artistic training, and audience building, maintaining the Teatro Luis Poma as one of the most important venues in salvadoran cultural life.
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