The Los Angeles Theatre Center (LATC) in association with the Latina/o TheatreCommons proudly presents Encuentro 2014, a month-long celebration of Latina/o theater now through November 10. This groundbreaking month-long event is the first theater festival in the U.S. to bring together more than 19 theater companies and 150 artists from the U.S. and Puerto Rico to present 19 works that represent the multi-faceted Latina/o experience on stage – from violence at the border and pressing immigration concerns to the complexities of romantic relationships and families.
“Ultimately the festival will create a dynamic creative environment that we hope becomes the legacy of a national Latina/o Theater movement,” said Jose Luis Valenzuela, LATC Artistic Director and Encuentro founding producer. “Encuentro represents nothing less than the coming of age of Latina/o theater in this country.”
Through its poignant and powerful performances, the historic festival’s goal is to expose audiences to the complex Latina/o experience with a range of productions that offer something for all. The festival features Pulitzer Prize-winning plays, English and Spanish-language productions, devised theater, experimental work, ensemble-based and solo shows.
This national theater event seeks to provide an opportunity for artists to explore aesthetics and art making. Artists will not only perform but will work together during the month-long residency to share their creative methodologies in artistic workshops that will culminate in public performances of co-created devised works. Public conversations about the works will include post-performance discussions, roundtable conversations, symposia, with distinguished speakers such as members of established theatrical groups Culture Clash, El Teatro Campesino, and the Latino Theater Company.
More than three years in the making, the LATC Encuentro 2014 is made possible through generous support of Southwest Airlines, The Doris Duke Charitable Foundation, The National Endowment for the Arts, The Ford Foundation, The James Irvine Foundation, The City of Los Angeles Department of Cultural Affairs, and The L.A. County Arts Commission. A partnership with the L.A. Unified School District will also ensure that 10,000 high school students will experience this festival through a student matinee program.
Through the generous support of sponsors, a limited number or tickets will be made available at $20. Tickets for all events will be $35. For show schedules, individual tickets, group sales, and festival passes, visit www.thelatc.org or call 866-811-4111. The majority of programming will occur at the Los Angeles Theatre Center, in the heart of the revived downtown historic core at 514 S. Spring Street, Los Angeles CA 90013, with two off-site productions participating.
Top image: Dancing in my Cockroach Killers, a performance at Encuentro 2014 by Pregones Theater, Puerto Rican Traveling Theater