Mai'Scènes Festival

Mai'Scènes: The Celebration of School and Amateur Theater in Saint-Dizier

Since 1988, the Mai'Scènes festival has made the city of Saint-Dizier vibrate to the rhythm of theater. Organized by the association Alternative Culturelle, chaired by Annie Jeandot and co-directed by Carole Brossard, this festival was born from an initiative by teachers from the La Noue school, eager to introduce theatrical practice to students under professional stage conditions.

A Unique Festival in the Grand Est

Mai'Scènes holds a unique place in the cultural landscape of the Grand Est region. As a festival entirely dedicated to school and amateur theater, it allows students from elementary, middle, and high schools, as well as amateur troupes from all over Champagne-Ardenne — Ardennes, Meuse, Marne, and Haute-Marne — to perform on real stages each year, supported by the professional technicians of Les Trois Scènes in Saint-Dizier.

Participants perform both classic texts and contemporary creations, from adaptations of Marivaux or Shakespeare to original plays written by the troupes themselves. Some performances highlight inclusive companies, welcoming artists with disabilities, such as the troupes from Bois L'Abbesse or Amiph d'Ancerville.

Three Venues, One Passion

The festival takes place in three emblematic venues in the area:

• The Théâtre de Saint-Dizier — A magnificent 19th-century Italian-style theater, a listed historical monument, with 295 seats. It is the heart of the festival, hosting evening performances and the opening show.
• The Centre socioculturel de Saint-Dizier — Hosts daytime performances for elementary school classes, in a setting adapted for younger audiences.
• La Forgerie de Wassy — A renovated venue with modern equipment, it occasionally hosts performances, extending the festival's reach beyond Saint-Dizier.

A Professional Opening Show

Each edition opens with a professional show for all audiences, offered free of charge to festival-goers. This inaugural event sets the tone for the two-week theatrical event and allows the public to discover an invited professional company. In 2025, the FI Solo Company presented a show mixing clown and music. In 2024, the Eko Batucada group from Nancy energized the Place des Halles with a Brazilian percussion performance, followed by the play Hamlet in 30 minutes by the Bruitquicourt company.

Transmission at the Heart of the Project

The association Alternative Culturelle, approved by the National Education system, works throughout the year in schools in the department to raise students' awareness of theatrical practice. Volunteers from the association lead discovery workshops in classrooms, support teachers in developing artistic projects, and prepare young actors for the conditions of public performance. Rehearsals intensify over the months, culminating in the May performances, the true achievement of long-term work.

A Popular and Friendly Event

Mai'Scènes is, above all, a theater celebration where the public and artists come together in a warm and welcoming atmosphere. Performances are accessible without reservation, with shows at 6 PM and 8:30 PM depending on the day. With approximately 2,500 spectators per edition, the festival has built a loyal intergenerational audience, from families coming to applaud their children to amateur theater enthusiasts. Mai'Scènes asserts itself as a must-see festival in the Grand Est, a testament to the vitality of theatrical practice in schools and associations.