You could be the next Romeo or Juliet

A famous love story, with a part you could play

Juliet needs intelligence, impetuousness and a mind of her own. Romeo needs sensitivity, courtesy and the temperament of someone hopelessly in love. These are the qualities Montecchio Maggiore, in the province of Vicenza, looks for when choosing the young people who will represent its celebrated lovers. Recognising something of yourself in either character is a rather good beginning. 

Why the story brings you to Vicenza

The literary connection begins with a young man, Luigi da Porto, a soldier born in Vicenza, retired from military service after a serious wound and wrote his Romeo and Juliet novella at nearby Montorso Vicentino around 1524. His story already contained the secret marriage, the feuding families, the sleeping potion and the disastrous failure of a message to arrive. Through subsequent Italian, French and English versions, it reached Shakespeare.  

Local tradition links da Porto’s inspiration to the two castles visible from Montorso. Today, the Castello della Villa is known as Romeo’s castle and the Castello della Bellaguardia as Juliet’s, facing one another across the vineyard hills of Montecchio Maggiore. Visiting them gives a literary journey through Vicenza a landscape you can actually walk through, with one fortress in view from the other.  

How you become Romeo or Juliet?

The leading roles are awarded through a selection process. In 2026, individual applications were open to Italian citizens aged 15 to 25, with parental authorisation for applicants under 18. The chosen pair represented Montecchio Maggiore until the following edition. Participation in the wider company follows a separate recruitment process, so ask the organisers about rehearsals, language requirements and the commitment involved.  

The next opportunity

The organisers have announced that applications will reopen from 14 February to 14 March 2027, beginning on Saint Valentine’s Day. The detailed regulations currently linked from their website still concern the 2026 selection, so check the new rules before applying. The 2026 festival has concluded; consult the official programme for the next edition’s performance dates and visiting arrangements.

Spend the evening among the feuding families

Montecchio Medievale offers the pleasure of seeing an entire town participate in that romance. Its other name, La Faida, means “the feud”, and the drama extends from the streets below the castles to the hilltops above them.  

The 2026 edition began in the evening with two costumed processions approaching from different neighbourhoods, one representing the Capulets, the other the Montagues. They converged in Piazza Marconi for an outdoor performance of the tragedy. Among the spectators, you could watch the rival families arrive through the streets before their conflict unfolded in the square, with the town itself providing the setting.  The following day, the celebration moved uphill. Around the two castles, craftspeople worked, falconers gave demonstrations and musicians, knights and flag throwers entertained the crowds.The festival continued towards sunset, with food available around the castle grounds.  

Organiser
Associazione Storico Culturale Giulietta e Romeo APS. Contact the festival association about playing Romeo or Juliet, joining the historical cast or planning your visit to Montecchio Medievale. Applications, rehearsals and public performances follow separate arrangements.

Other festival locations
Castello della Bellaguardia, Juliet’s castle, and Montecchio Maggiore town centre. Check the programme for the location of each performance.  

Email
info@faida.it

Telephone
+39 371 4371215

Romeo and Juliet applications
candidati@faida.it

Join the historical cast
figuranti@faida.it