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Latinx Theatre

Content in this section is created by or highlights the work of Latinx theatremakers from around the world. Start with the Journal series Taking the Temperature about issues facing Latinx theatre artists in the United States, or with the video series Latinx Superfriends Playwriting Hour. Looking for more? Check out the Latinx Theatre Commons, a national movement to transform the narrative of the American theatre and a flagship program of HowlRound.

The Latest

The Latinx Theatre Commons’s Next Cycle of Programming
Essay
The Latinx Theatre Commons’s Next Cycle of Programming
by Latinx Theatre Commons
18 March 2024
Latinx Theatre Commons Tenth Anniversary Convening
Video
Latinx Theatre Commons Tenth Anniversary Convening
Thursday 14 March to Saturday 16 March 2024
Boston, Massachusetts, United States
Curating Openings in the Theatre of María Irene Fornés
Essay
Curating Openings in the Theatre of María Irene Fornés
by Juliana Frey-Méndez, Anna D. Novak
26 February 2024
Collage of theatre artists gathering and speaking at the From Scarcity to Abundance convening.
Towards a National Latina/o Festival, Planning an Encuentro in Los Angeles
Essay

Towards a National Latina/o Festival, Planning an Encuentro in Los Angeles

31 October 2013

The multi-layered commitment is in hopes of finding out what is unique to the needs of U.S Latina/o theatre and how it reflects the changing landscape of American theatre.

Portrait of Georgina Escobar.
Ni de aquí, ni de allá / From neither here nor there
Essay

Ni de aquí, ni de allá / From neither here nor there

30 October 2013

Lo que cae mal, es la obsesión con la identidad. Presiento que debemos hablar honestamente sobre la paradoja de este tema. Por ejemplo, soy mujer gay Mexicana, si--pero significa esto entonces que solo eso define mi trabajo artístico? / What hits the wrong chord is the obsession with identity. I think we should engage in conversations regarding the paradox around this theme. For example, I am a gay Mexican woman, yes—but does that mean that it has to be what defines my writing?

Logo for the Latinx Theatre Commons.
The Moment
Essay

The Moment

30 October 2013

This series on the Latinx Theatre Commons explores the origins, journey, challenges and the future of Latina/o theater in America. This edition: Tlaloc Rivas remembers the moment he realized he was Chicano.

Company of Teatro Luna.
Performance of Teatro Luna's Luna Unlaced, a choose-your-own-adventure play at Emerson College
Video

Performance of Teatro Luna's Luna Unlaced, a choose-your-own-adventure play at Emerson College

Monday 28 October 2013
Boston, MA, United States

The Ladies of Teatro Luna—Chicago's All-Latina Theatre Company—invited you to participate in Luna Unlaced, a choose your own adventure play, performed at Emerson College in Boston and livestreamed on the global, commons-based peer-produced HowlRound TV network at howlround.tv on Monday 28 October 2013 at 5 p.m. PDT (San Francisco) / 7 p.m. CDT (Chicago) / 8 p.m. EDT (Boston).

Baltan logo.
Bay Area Latino Theatre Artists Network
Essay

Bay Area Latino Theatre Artists Network

Forging Sustainable Connections Both Locally and Nationally

29 October 2013

What’s the next step when we’ve done this before and nothing has changed? The Bay Area Latino theatre artists reflect on historical patterns to find the answer of what’s next.

Logo for One Minute Play Festival.
The 2nd Annual One-Minute Play Festival of Latina/o Voices at INTAR
Video

The 2nd Annual One-Minute Play Festival of Latina/o Voices at INTAR

Sunday 27 October 2013

The One-Minute Play Festival & INTAR Theatre presented The 2nd Annual One-Minute Play Festival of Latina/o Voices livestreamed on the global, commons based, peer produced HowlRound TV network at howlround.tv on Sunday 27 October at 5 p.m. PDT (San Francisco) / 7 p.m. CDT (Chicago) / 8 p.m. EDT (New York) from INTAR in New York City. Use Twitter hashtags #1MPF and #howlround.

Logo for the Latinx Theatre Commons.
Latina/o Theater and Performance
Essay

Latina/o Theater and Performance

Looking Back, Going Forward Together

28 October 2013

The 2013 convening is a time to think of defining who, what, and where Latina/o theatre is currenting in reflection of where it has come from and where it can go!

Collage of theatre artists gathering and speaking at the From Scarcity to Abundance convening.
Videos
Essay

Videos

Ramping up for the Latino Theatre Commons National Convening — #cafeonda

28 October 2013

The following videos were recorded in March 2013 when the steering committee of the Latino Theater Commons National Convening gathered at HowlRound, Emerson College for the first time. Learn more about this week's upcoming first large-scale formal gathering of the Latina/o theatre community since 1986.

Collage of theatre artists gathering and speaking at the From Scarcity to Abundance convening.
Latinx Theater Commons
Essay

Latinx Theater Commons

Advancing the Field

27 October 2013

As the Latinx Theatre Commons approach their first national convening this month, Anne Garcia-Romero offers the following overview of their efforts to date.

No Holds Barrio: Latina/o Theatre into the Future Panel at Oregon Shakespeare Festival
Video

No Holds Barrio: Latina/o Theatre into the Future Panel at Oregon Shakespeare Festival

Saturday 26 October 2013
Ashland, OR, United States

The Oregon Shakespeare Festival presented a panel discussion No Holds Barrio: Latina/o Theatre into the Future livestreamed on the global, commons-based peer-produced HowlRound TV network at howlround.tv on Saturday 26 October 2013 at 4:30 p.m. PDT (San Francisco) / 6:30 p.m. CDT (Chicago) / 7:30 p.m. EDT (New York) as part of the Latina/o Play Project. The event will be a frank talk about making art and creating inclusion for Latinos in the professional field.

Collage of theatre artists gathering and speaking at the From Scarcity to Abundance convening.
Taking the Temperature
Essay

Taking the Temperature

Understanding Latinidad

19 October 2013

"The field is not yielding the actors I need yet, and I'm wondering why this is so. So they're either not being trained properly or the pool is not diverse enough. For example, if I need a light skinned bilingual actor who can do a believable Northern Mexican accent—the casting pool is limited."

Collage of theatre artists gathering and speaking at the From Scarcity to Abundance convening.
Taking the Temperature
Essay

Taking the Temperature

Student Access to Latina/o Plays

11 October 2013

The second of three blogs detailing some of the participants of the Latinx Theatre Commons National Convening. Here are the results to inquiry about how to better support students’ access to Latina/o plays.

Collage of theatre artists gathering and speaking at the From Scarcity to Abundance convening.
Taking the Temperature
Essay

Taking the Temperature

The Political Climate & Latina/o Theater

4 October 2013

In preparation for the upcoming Latinx Theatre Commons National Convening, the Steering Committee asked how the political climate has changed participant's ability to do their work

a portrait of elaine avila
Learning to be Lusitanian Latina
Essay

Learning to be Lusitanian Latina

26 September 2013

Elaine Ávila explains why she does not define herself as Latina, but takes accepts that designation with the highest honors.

Cafe Onda logo.
Welcome to Café Onda!
Essay

Welcome to Café Onda!

20 September 2013

Bienvenidos! We would like to welcome you to Café Onda, an online gathering space in partnership with HowlRound that will feature regular content of the Latinx Theatre Commons.

Logo for the Latino Theatre Alliance Los Angeles.
The Latino Theater Alliance/Encuentro 2013 in Los Angeles
Video

The Latino Theater Alliance/Encuentro 2013 in Los Angeles

Saturday 13 July 2013
Los Angeles, CA, United States

The Latino Theater Alliance/Los Angeles presented a conversation from the 2013 Encuentro livestreamed on the global, commons-based peer-produced HowlRound TV network at howlround.tv on Saturday 13 July at 10 a.m.-1 p.m. PDT (Los Angeles) / 12 p.m.-3 p.m. CDT (Chicago) / 1 p.m.-4 p.m. EDT (New York).

A Conversation With Luis Valdez at the Dallas Latino Cultural Center
Video

A Conversation With Luis Valdez at the Dallas Latino Cultural Center

Friday 7 June 2013
Dallas, TX, United States

The Dallas Latino Cultural Center presents a Conversation With Luis Valdez, Founding Artistic Director Of El Teatro Campesino, as a part of their Lecture Series symposium on the state of Latino theatre in the United States livestreamed on the global, commons-based peer-produced HowlRound TV network at howlround.tv on Friday 7 June 2013 at 5 p.m. PDT (San Francisco) / 7 p.m. CDT (Chicago) / 8 p.m. EDT (New York).

Establishing Latino Theater Alliances within Texas and Across the Nation by Dallas Latino Cultural Center
Video

Establishing Latino Theater Alliances within Texas and Across the Nation by Dallas Latino Cultural Center

Friday 7 June 2013
Dallas, TX, United States

Dallas Latino Cultural Center presented the Teatro Alianza of North Texas Organizations meeting livestreamed on the global, commons-based peer-produced HowlRound TV network at howlround.tv on Friday 7 June at 2 p.m.-4:30 p.m. PDT (San Francisco) / 4 p.m.-6:30 p.m. CDT (Chicago) / 5pm-7:30 pm EDT (New York). To participate in online conversation, search and use Twitter hashtag #howlround in your tweets.

Still from The Happiest Song Plays Last.
The Happiest Song Plays Last at The Goodman Theatre, Chicago
Essay

The Happiest Song Plays Last at The Goodman Theatre, Chicago

21 May 2013

Dani Snyder-Young discusses The Happiest Song Plays Last by Quiara Alegría Hudes, and asks: how do we invite diverse audiences into this exploration?

Logo for the Latinx Theatre Commons.
Live on #NEWPLAY TV
Essay

Live on #NEWPLAY TV

Latinx Theater Commons Steering Committee Convening

21 March 2013

Livestreaming of the Latinx Theater Commons Steering Committee on updating the American narrative of Latina/os in the theatre.

Torres-Tama, in costume, holding a mask and a wooden cylinder.
Speaking the Unspoken
Essay

Speaking the Unspoken

Invisible Latino Immigrants of the Reconstruction & St. Claude A Gentrification Tool)

18 January 2013

Aliens, Immigrants & Other Evildoers explores the persecution of immigrants, and segregation of art in New Orleans.

Logo for One Minute Play Festival.
Performance of the New York One-Minute Play Festival of Latino Voices at INTAR Theatre
Video

Performance of the New York One-Minute Play Festival of Latino Voices at INTAR Theatre

Sunday 18 November 2012
New York, NY, United States

The One-Minute Play Festival & INTAR Theatre presented The New York One-Minute Play Festival of Latino Voices livestreamed on the global, commons-based peer-produced HowlRound TV network at howlround.tv on Sunday 18 November 2012.

A black and white photo of a mariachi band.
Southwest Detroit
Essay

Southwest Detroit

13 August 2012

Lisa Luevanos discusses art and Latino culture in the Southwest Detroit community.

Collage of theatre artists gathering and speaking at the From Scarcity to Abundance convening.
Latinx Theatre Commons
Essay

Latinx Theatre Commons

Updating the US Narrative

9 August 2012

Anne Garcia-Romero on the genesis of the Latinx Theatre Commons.

Three actors of "culture clash" stare into the camera.
A Manifesto
Essay

A Manifesto

22 June 2011

Richard Montoya, of the theater group Culture Clash, delivers his theatrical manifesto; one of outside the lines, in every way.