After October and the opera, Gozo turns the page, and another stage comes alive in Victoria with the yearly tradition of the November musical at the Don Bosco Theatre. This much-loved tradition draws audiences from Gozo, Malta and beyond. Remarkably, Gozo, with its relatively small island community, is able to mount large-scale productions of an impressive standard. Yet what audiences see on stage is far more than a performance. Behind every production is a remarkable effort involving singers, dancers, musicians, technicians, costume makers, backstage crews and scores of dedicated volunteers.

The high standard achieved is not a matter of chance. It is rooted in a long-standing tradition of theatre and in the Don Bosco Oratory’s enduring mission as a cradle for generations of Gozitan performers.

This year’s production, The Prince of Egypt, running from Friday 13 November to Saturday 21 November, has an additional distinction: it is the first time the musical has been licensed for production in Malta.

Few people are better placed to reflect on the theatrical and musical journey of the Don Bosco Oratory and its theatre than Fr. Effie Masini. With 50 years of involvement in theatre and 22 years at the helm, his name has become synonymous with its theatrical tradition.
As this year’s production takes shape, VisitGozo sat down with Fr. Effie to explore the theatre’s remarkable legacy, the people and community behind its productions, the importance of giving young people a stage, and why the tradition of musical theatre continues to thrive in Gozo.

1. Victoria is known as the heart of Gozo. What role does the Don Bosco Theatre play in a city that already has two other theatres?

The Don Bosco Oratory Theatre is the oldest still-functioning theatre in Gozo. Since its inauguration back in 1949, it has served as a community theatre and provided performing arts practitioners in Gozo with a highly patronised platform. Throughout the years, it has been the cradle for actors, singers, musicians, dancers, scenographers and other theatre performers in Gozo. But it has not only served as a theatre start-up spot in Gozo. Through the participation and mentoring of adult theatre performers, both amateur and professional, our theatre has provided practical training to local performing arts practitioners and offered them a place to showcase their talents. In fact, most Gozitan singers, dancers, actors, and musicians who are now professional performers practising both in Malta and abroad know they began their theatre journey here. This is still the mission of our theatre today. To fulfil this mission, we strive to provide the best possible stage and theatre facilities, which are essential for high-standard productions. In fact, our theatre is the only one in Gozo that is fully air-conditioned, and the only one with a revolving stage, among other stage amenities.

The tradition of drama has been part of the Don Bosco Oratory’s story for generations. How did this tradition develop, and what has kept it alive over the years?

In the Salesian ethos and tradition, drama is one of the three main pillars of holistic youth formation. Since the beginning of the Don Bosco Oratory in Gozo in 1934 (even before the building that houses our theatre was inaugurated), drama has been given its due importance. Furthermore, the Don Bosco Oratory is a family-oriented place, where grown-ups volunteer and mentor youths and children, and when these in turn grow up, they pass on their skills to the next generation. This means that the tradition keeps going on from generation to generation. Of course, in the meantime, stagecraft and theatre facilities have to be updated according to today’s standards. But in this regard, we have also been blessed throughout the years by having expats who previously were theatre performers abroad, as well as having past members of our Theatre company who, after following a professional career abroad, come back to Gozo for a few months or for good, and offer again their services to our local performers. One cannot ignore that the tradition of musical theatre in Gozo, which in recent years has reached remarkably high standards comparable to the best theatres in Europe, knows its beginnings in our theatre.

Theatre brings together performers, musicians, costume makers, technicians, volunteers and audiences. What does this collective effort say about the spirit of the Gozitan community?

Big theatre productions, like the West End musicals we produce under license every November, are the result of remarkable collective effort by locals. For a small community like ours, this is a big challenge. But thinking of such big productions as our recent “Hunchback of Notre Dame”, “Beauty and the Beast” and this year’s “The Prince of Egypt”, every participant, and we can say also every Gozitan, feels proud thinking that a local theatre can achieve such high-level standard productions. We must reserve special mention to all our volunteers. Without their collective, selfless effort, such productions would be impossible.

How important is the Don Bosco Oratory in giving young people an opportunity to discover their talents and become part of this cultural tradition?

In the ethos of the Don Bosco Oratory, we have to be in the service of the young and for the young. Through our work, particularly with children and young people, we are always looking to discover and nurture new talent, while creating a place where everyone can contribute, including those on the margins of society and those with special needs. We aim to include everyone who wants to participate. But we identify not only persons, but also their abilities, and we strive to help them bring forward their talents. In this way, we not only create a healthy, inclusive community, but also offer each person new meaning in life, where everyone is appreciated according to their abilities.

Over the years, the Don Bosco Oratory has brought many different musicals and dramas to the stage. Are there particular productions that remain especially memorable?

Every production throughout the years remains close to our heart. It’s like having different children over the years who stay close to your heart! However, perhaps one of the most memorable productions we remain proud of was the first original musical in Maltese (in fact, it was a rock opera) called “Ġwanninu”. Premiered in November 1985, it had a record run of 42 shows between 1985 and 1988, and was the first musical filmed on location by our national television back in 1988. “Ġwanninu” was again successfully produced in our theatre in 2015. Another memorable show was an original musical production written by our youths: “Dun Ġorġ the musical” back in 2013. This musical was performed also in Malta. Then, translated into Italian and produced in collaboration with some Italian friends, “Dun Ġorġ” was successfully staged in Sicily, where we shared a cast between our Gozitan group and an Italian group.
Over the past ten years, we have turned our attention to West End musicals, starting with “Fiddler on the Roof”. Each musical has its challenges but also its opportunities, both for those taking part and for our patrons, who regularly come to Gozo for such performances. Year after year, we have regular patrons not only from Gozo and Malta, but also from abroad.

This year’s The Prince of Egypt continues that tradition. What is the magic behind this year’s production, and what can audiences expect when the curtain rises?

This is the first time The Prince of Egypt has been licensed for production in Malta. We feel not only proud to be allowed to produce such a musical, but also responsible for offering our patrons a high-quality production. The magic of this year’s performance lies in the huge choirs, lovely popular songs, and the choreography and scenographic effects of the production. This year, we also have two special guest artists coming specifically from London’s West End. These professional musical theatre performers will surely elevate our already high-standard productions and give our patrons a taste of truly professional musical theatre.

You have been at the helm of the Don Bosco Oratory for many years and have witnessed its theatrical tradition evolve. Looking ahead, what do you hope to see for the future of the Oratory and its role in the cultural life of Victoria and Gozo?

I have been at the helm of the Don Bosco Oratory for the past 22 years, but actually I have been involved in our theatre productions for the past 50 years. Local theatre has evolved greatly throughout the years. Our contacts with foreign theatre companies, and the fact that we now have many locals specialising in acting, singing, dancing and music, are helping us look forward to a brighter future for theatre in Gozo.
After all these years, I am now looking forward to leaving the helm of our theatre to the younger generation, while convinced that we have a bright future in the field of culture in Victoria and across Gozo. I am sure that the choice of Victoria as the European Capital of Culture in 2031 would surely inspire our local community to aim higher and higher in this field. I am also sure that, thanks to our volunteers, their expertise, and their enthusiasm, the Don Bosco Oratory will retain its leading role in the performing arts in Gozo for years to come.
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Prince of Egypt will be staged at the Don Bosco Oratory on these dates:

• Friday, 13 November 2026 at 19:30
• Saturday, 14 November 2026 at 19:30
• Sunday, 15 November 2026 at 16:00
• Friday, 20 November 2026 at 19:30
• Saturday, 21 November 2026 at 19:30

VisitGozo would like to thank Fr. Effie Masini for this interview and for providing the photos.