Latinx Theatre Commons Seattle Convening: Latinx Theatre in Unexpected Places

The Latinx Theatre Commons (LTC) convened in Seattle for three days in April 2016 to solidify Latinx theatre ties in the Pacific Northwest (PNW). Formed in 2012, the LTC established "a national meeting to connect the many vibrant conversations happening all over the nation and set the stage for what Latina/o artists want and need in the American Theater" (Zacarías). The national movement, in partnership with HowlRound, hopes to transform the American theatre narrative by raising the visibility of Latinx artistry through a four-pronged approach: advocacy, art-making, convening, and scholarship. Its growing sixty-plus-member Steering Committee is comprised of theatre practitioners, administrators, scholars, and allies who volunteer their time and labor in multiple capacities. In addition to regional convenings like the one held in Seattle, other LTC initiatives include the institution of Café Onda, an online journal furthering national conversations surrounding Latinx theatre, the Los Angeles Theatre Center's 2014 Encuentro: A National Latina/o Theatre Festival, and the 2015 LTC Carnaval of New Latina/o Works, hosted by the Theatre School of DePaul University in Chicago. These initiatives, paired with other smaller regional convenings, create a mobile, collaborative network that illuminates, challenges, and redefines American theatre through the presence of an active Latinx theatre collective.

For the April 2016 event, LTC's Steering Committee was joined by a host of PNW and British Columbian theatre artists and scholars enthusiastic to engage in the first regional dialogue of its kind. Held at the University of Washington's School of Drama, the convening was the culmination of a multiyear effort to bring Steering Committee to an area of the country where Latinx theatre achievements have often been invisible. The weekend featured our own dramaturgical presentation that contextualized the history of Latinx theatre in the PNW on the first night, interactive conversations among local, regional, and national artists on the second day, and the planning of regional collaborations on the last day. The convening's goal to cultivate a national community of Latinx theatre-makers by sharing knowledge in intimate, face-to-face conversations brought together dedicated individuals from across the nation and created new artistic connections among the region's diverse artists.

Friday Opening Ceremony: The Forgotten History of Latinx Theatre in the PNW

The Friday-night inaugural ceremony took place in the historic Glenn Hughes Penthouse Theatre on the University of Washington campus. The program was designed to provide the Steering Committee members (many of whom were unfamiliar with the Latinx theatre scene in the PNW) with a clear look at both the past and present of the vibrant artistic community. After drinks and live music, School of Drama executive director Todd London gave opening remarks, followed by a proclamation from the Seattle mayor's office announcing April 15th as "Latina/o Theatre Day" in the city. This was followed by our five-minute dramaturgical presentations of seminal moments from Latinx theatre companies in the PNW interspersed between scenes from four plays by María Irene [End Page E-21] Fornés, directed and performed by some of the top Latinx talent in the region. Both the overview of selected theatre companies and the inclusion of Fornés's legacy in Seattle in our dramaturgy were meant to highlight the breadth and scope of Latinx theatre in the region.

The Seattle convening was important to the artists of the PNW because it was a reminder of the oft-forgotten legacy of Latinx theatre in the region. Throughout the weekend, specifically on the first night of the convening, our goal was to contextualize for the participants the rich history of its teatros and artists dating back to the 1970s. Our opening night dramaturgical presentation featured the history of key theatre companies, as well as an installation of vintage posters and a slide show in the theatre's main lobby. A largely forgotten theatre company we touched on was one of the first guerrilla-style theatre groups in the PNW, Teatro del Piojo. Formed in 1970 by Tomás Ybarra-Frausto and Elda Cisneros Mendoza at the University of Washington...