Teatro e Storia is a journal of theatre studies established in 1986. It was founded by Fabrizio
Cruciani (1941-1992), Claudio Meldolesi (1942-2009), Ferdinando Taviani, Franco Ruffini, Nicola
Savarese, Eugenia Casini Ropa and Daniele Seragnoli. Mirella Schino has coordinated the editorial
activities since 2003. The journal is certainly not identical to how it was at the time of its
foundation, yet stability is one of the characteristics of our editorial team: it is a place for shared
study projects, exchanges and debate.
TeS was initially published by il Mulino, from Bologna. In 2000 il Mulino was substituted by
Bulzoni, from Rome. TeS is not supported by public institutions and does not receive regular
financing. One of the interests fostering the journal is that of acting as a training ground for future
as well as established scholars. This is one of the reasons why in 2009 we adopted the "peer
review" system. Since 2015 the editorial staff has been extended to include an "editorial
committee" composed of younger scholars.
It is often inappropriate to define the editorial "line" of a journal. A journal also lives on the
unexpected, on essays proposed from the outside, on submissions that have nothing to do with the
planning, on the fragile contributions by younger scholars. However, it is true that every journal has
its specific taste. Teatro e Storia has a propensity for papers that try, however partially and
imperfectly, to shed light on new problems rather than fill the containers of knowledge. With the
awareness of the existence of a theatre without a name - to be mostly identified with the actor's
work, even in the case of famous actors -, and that our primary task is to foster its respect and
future existence. With the conviction that theatre survives itself only when it takes roots and it is
therefore necessary to hunt for the different systems it takes roots in, in memories and in practice.
There are many ways to go about this hunt, drawing from anthropology, history, sociology as well
as specific theatre issues. The important thing is not to choose only one of these ways.
The journal does not focus on current events but it includes essays about the performances and
theatre life of our times as long as they can speak in the same way past wisemen have to speak: with
attention to relationships and with the desire to pose new problems in place of established truths.
Teatro e Storia does not represent a "school" although all the people who joined the editorial staff
at a later stage, with the exception of Eugenio Barba, regard themselves as pupils of the founders in
one way or another. It is a question of imprinting, not school. Some of the founders of Teatro e
Storia were also the founders of ISTA, Eugenio Barba's International School of Theatre
Anthropology. All the editorial members have collaborated with ISTA or participated in similar
situations. These offered the opportunity to meet and learn how to dialogue between theatre history
and related disciplines, and between scholars and theatre-makers, from all over the world, without
being unaware of the differences but indifferent to them. Our editorial staff bonded over situation
for fertile discussions that undermined accepted convictions and determined new directions of
research. The essay opening the first issue was "Theatre anthropology" by Franco Ruffini: it was
not an editorial but an indication. Theatre anthropology, more than a discipline or a way to study
and observe theatre, is a way to ask anomalous questions and it indicates a (mental) space of
belonging. The journal Teatro e Storia was born in this context.
After Biblioteca Teatrale, it is the longest standing Italian journal for theatre studies. Longevity is a
means to evaluate the tradition of a publication in its development. It causes us to ask questions
about the future.
Starting from issue no. 35, the editorial board of Teatro e Storia has been supported by a committee
composed of young and very young scholars. They are not burdened by the task of substituting the
late founders, who were also the founders of theatre studies in Italy, but that of helping, even
materially. The new committee has no claim for stability and can change every year.
In recent issues, beside the essays, there is increased space for "Dossiers": collections of diverse
material by different authors, with discussions and explorations of multifaceted issues. Being a
journal that strives to deal with history as a current topic (and with current events as a historical
topic), we have curated boundary topics by combining more standard essays with "letters", short
unscientific articles written by scholars and by theatre makers.