Teaching of Langages and Cultures Conference

Our golden past, our golden future was the theme at the 2011 Minnesota Council on the Teaching of Languages and Cultures (MCTLC) conference this October. MCTLC’s mission is to advance the teaching of world languages and cultures in Minnesota by bringing educators together for a sharing of knowledge and ideas.

At this year’s conference Teatro performed The Adventures of Juan, a puppet show about a young Chicano boy discovering his heritage and culture through visits from mythical Minnesotan and Mexican historical figures. After the performance the actors and artistic director, Al Justiniano, engaged participants in a short interactive workshop about the themes brought up in the show, including cultural alienation, and the dehumanization that can occur against immigrant communities in Minnesota.

A main purpose of Teatro’s participation in the conference was to spread the word about the upcoming performance of The House on Mango Street, a play adapted from the beloved coming-of-age novel about a young girl growing up in a Latino neighborhood in Chicago. Along with spring performance Teatro is offering in-school residencies to explore the themes represented in the book and upcoming show to students studying the House on Mango Street in their classrooms.

Teatro will continue to be involved in showcasing their programs at the next MCTLC conference next year. Thanks to the organizers for providing Teatro with the excellent opportunity. Until next year!

House on Mango Street

In collaboration with Pangea World Theater, Teatro is bringing The House on Mango Street to the Twin Cities. Adapted from the beloved coming-of-age novel written by Sandra Cisneros. The House on Mango Street is the story of a young girl growing up in Chicago who struggles with wanting to leave her Latino neighborhood and hold onto her identity as a Mexican-American woman.

The Play beautifully captures the moving story of the book while transforming it for the stage in a series of vignettes. The play follows the protagonist, Esperanza, as she grows up while under the watchful eye of Esperanza's adult self who narrates the story.

The play will premiere this spring at the Southern Theater in Minneapolis. Exact show dates will be released soon.

Moxie Awards

Commitment to promote and protect the Latino community’s creative culture is the message Teatro del Pueblo artistic director, Al Justiniano, drove home at the Moxie Awards September 17, 2011.

Teatro del Pueblo, a grant recipient from Philanthropic Foundation (P-Fund), an organization dedicated to developing and supporting the LBGT community by providing grants and scholarships, was invited to speak at the Moxie Awards, an event dedicated to honoring 2010-2011 P-Fund grant recipients.

With the support of P-Fund, Teatro produced Gaytino!, a critically -acclaimed one man show by Dan Guerrero about a father/son relationship and a treasured boyhood friendship chronicling through decades of Chicano history and the gay experience.

Teatro continues to be dedicated to celebrating the vibrant LGBT community in the Twin Cities metro through our artistic programming. It is the support of organizations like P-Fund that make our work possible.