Theatrical performances in Cuba in the 16th century were evident in the religious and secular festivities and celebrations that took place. Thus, we find the origins of Cuban theater in these festivities.

Some of them were inherited from Spanish culture, and others were religious festivals of the Black councils of African origin.

Following the conquest and colonization carried out by the Hispanics, the Catholic religion, Spanish music, language, customs, and other aspects were introduced to Cuba. Catholic traditions were not left behind. These were imposed through festive activities by the ruling class, with the fundamental purpose of exercising absolute control.

From the early years, the conquistadors and the Catholic Church organized various religious festivals or celebrations, through which they represented theatrical forms of the Middle Ages, such as dances, games, and inventions.

Among these festivities are Corpus Christi and the Autos Sacramentales (Sacramental Games). Three Kings’ Day was another celebration, but not part of the Catholic religion, but rather of a secular nature.

Corpus Christi produced a procession of local residents. These processions, as in Spain, incorporated secular elements in the form of masks of fabulous characters.

This festival, inherited from Spanish culture, was a collective celebration in 16th and 17th-century Cuba, held to moderate the community’s need for entertainment.

The sacramental play is considered the supreme expression of Baroque religious theater. Their fundamental themes are drawn from the mystery of the Eucharist and the sacraments of the Catholic Church. Sacramental plays exhibit a more complex structure than the dramatic genres that preceded them.

The day of the Epiphany of Our Lord, or Three Kings’ Day, is a Catholic liturgical feast. It gave the Town Councils the opportunity to take to the streets and lead a procession, culminating at the Palace of the Captains General.

The performers of this celebration were from the most exploited social sectors. On Three Kings’ Day, African ethnic groups revived the festivities of their native lands. It constitutes the pinnacle of Afro-Cuban cultural representation.