Teatro del Mar, Teatro de la Lagartija and other stage adventures
A report from that time stated that a theatre company in Mallorca was not viable.
PalmWhen Iguana Teatre was just starting out, an economist's report assured them that a theater company in Mallorca was unviable. This led them to believe, explains Carles Molinet, that "not only should a company be created, but an entire sector": a profession, with all the corresponding infrastructure. Thus, Iguana and Molinet, along with many others from the Mallorcan theater scene, created a theater—the Teatre del Mar—and professional associations—Illescena, for theater companies, and the Association of Professional Actors and Actresses of the Balearic Islands (AAAPIB), for performers—and a circuit throughout the Catalan-speaking territories. Molinet also drafted the proposal for the creation of the Higher School of Dramatic Art of the Balearic Islands and participated in the establishment of even broader organizations, such as Gescénic for studies and training, the State Federation of Associations of Theater and Dance Companies (Faeteda), and the Insulares federation, common to all the associations.
It was around 1990 when the then-young company discovered a space with limitless possibilities: the Rex theater, formerly a parish hall, in the Molinar neighborhood of Palma. Two years later, with the support of a hundred prominent figures—including the writer Josep Maria Llompart—the Fundació Teatre del Mar was established, chaired by Joan Mas Vives and with institutional backing. This foundation made possible the renovation of the space and the regular season that has continued to this day. Iguana inaugurated the theater with RondayasStarting with the texts of Antoni Maria Alcover, but soon incorporating prominent names from the stage, such as Toni Albà and Sergi López, Albena, Vol Ras, Yllana, Leo Bassi, and Flyhard Produccions, among others. Teatre del Mar also created a collection of texts, a spectators' association—with a newsletter and the Jaume Damians Award for the best show of each season—the Teatre i Literatura project, and its own production company, Produccions del Mar.
Since 1996, Iguana Teatre has had a younger sibling—or perhaps not so younger, as it will soon be thirty years old—Teatro de la Lagartija (Lizard Theatre). Another reptile, this one more local, if you will, which serves as the label for producing shows aimed at younger audiences. It was Bárbara Quetglas, then an actress with Iguana, who conceived the idea of a Frankenstein with puppets. Thus, it was born The story of Frank Stein, which was followed by other memorable titles such as The Verne Experience, Stories from the Haunted Shop and The fable!, a hilarious stage adaptation of the medieval classic by Guillem de Torroella.
