Research question

My work aims to create an archive for the Teatro Club in Catania, founded in 1965 by Ferdinando Greco, known as Nando, and run by his daughter, Paola, until 2008, the year the historic venue in Piazza San Placido closed.

The basis is a private collection that has never been organised or made public. The ultimate aim is a physical archive, but above all a digital one, that tells the story of the Teatro Club and the historical, artistic and cultural context in which it developed.

Methodology for achieving the objectives

Having acquired the material preserved by the heirs, the inventory phase is currently underway, employing a chronological approach, to be followed by cataloguing and online publication. I will strictly adhere to the ICCD parameters, an unambiguous guiding tool that, in itself, defines the work’s very structure. In parallel with the cataloguing, I will consult the archives of the theatre companies that have been hosted at the Teatro Club and contact, for the purpose of interviewing them, various individuals who collaborated with Nando on the production of the seasons. The chosen content management system is Omeka, an open-source software platform for digital archiving and online publication. Regarding archiving and digitisation techniques, and to ensure the opportunities offered by AI are utilised correctly, I will use my time studying abroad to collaborate with theatre archives already working in this direction, focusing on the user experience of future users and on the use of metadata to enable connectivity with other platforms. All of the above form part of a mixed approach to the project’s development methodology and its future dissemination.

Case studies

My interviews with Nando’s children (Paola, Salvatore and Teresa) marked the start of my research. With their help, I compiled an initial timeline of the Teatro Club’s history, and, thanks to them, I gained access to the documents at the end of January 2026 (photographs, scripts, posters, etc.). Although the outcome remains uncertain, the study of this collection of documents may shed new light on the history of contemporary theatre even beyond the borders of Catania, given the numerous Italian and foreign companies involved. The decision to create a digital archive will enable wide-ranging sharing of the final result.

Data analysis and interpretation of results

The documents collected provide a record of every period in the Teatro Club’s history. Furthermore, I have encountered keen interest and willingness among the individuals I have contacted to date to conduct in-depth interviews on the historical and creative context of Nando Greco’s theatre. This aligns with the fundamental question of this research and broadens the scope of the outcome, providing a comprehensive view not only of the historical context but also of the artistic and professional network that has developed around the research subject, thereby bringing to light new elements, stories and pieces of the puzzle for future studies in this field.