Every summer, the Rassegna del Maggio presents a selection of plays which are put on by the various Maggi Companies of the Garfagnana and Emilia. "Maggio" is a form of popular theatre diffused in the Tuscan and Emilian apennine zone and has a very ancient, complex and stratified history. The performance, that usually has the form of an encounter between two opposing sides (often Turks V's Christians), begins with a procession of the "Maggianti" (the name given to the actors). On the sound of the orchestra they mark out the space where the dramatic action is to take place. The performers acting is usually stylized and their gestures have symbolic value. For example, an actor who walks very slowly makes us understand that he's on a journey. The "maggianti" sing their parts in closely defined metric rhyme which generally derives from the type used in traditional Italian poetry (octaves, fifths, quatrines, octaves and hendecasyllables). The plots are often based on classic Italian epic literature such as Orlando Furioso or Gerusalemme Liberata. The Centre for Popular Traditions of the Province of Lucca take care of the event in collaboration with the companies of "maggianti", who have the merit of keeping this tradition alive. The Provinces of Lucca and Reggio Emilia along with the Mountain Communities of the Garfagnana and the Appennino Reggiano, and the Council of Villa Minozzo contribute to the carrying out of the event.