El Teatro Campesino

El Teatro and it’s creative director Luis Valdez are phenomenal assets to the community. Every show is worth seeing again and again. Drive down from the Bay, over from Santa Cruz or just up from Hollister or Salinas to see a show and you WON’T be dissapointed! Love it!

This is a place that I truly love, and have attended many times over the years with my students as well as with family and friends. We’ve seen Christmas and Passion Plays, musicals including the corridos and also a great flamenco show that I attended with my brother years ago, just to name a few. In fact, this photo of me was taken with «El Pachuco» following one of their great productions of Zoot Suit. Getting to meet and talk to the great Luis Valdez, who seems to be there often, is the frosting on the cake and I am SO looking forward to their NEXT big production starting next month, which will be the first new play he’s written in over ten years. Can’t WAIT for that one.
I’m old enough to remember when they first got started, on the strike lines during La Huelga, and remember when they moved into their current location. Well, we lived in the area at the time, so it’s not so remarkable. Still, we do go all the way back, and if you have any interest whatsoever in the chicano experience and you aren’t familiar with Luis Valdez, do yourself a big favor and look him up, watch his movies and go see his new play, starting next month. VIVAN TEATRO CAMPESINO Y LUIS VALDEZ

Growing up near San Juan Bautista, I have been attending theater events here since I was a child. We have attended the Christmas show every year as a family traditon for the last 25 years and have never been disappointed. The talent that performs here is phenomenal. As a Mexican American, I am very proud to expose my children to the arts, specifically Chicano theater arts. Luis Valdes is a world renown playwright, author, activist, actor. The times I have encountered him at any show, he has always been eager to converse and shows great respect for all. It’s wonderful to know that we all have access to such high caliber theater right in our own back yard.

what better place to see teatro than at the seminal Chicano theater company, ETC? i had the pleasure of seeing their latest show «corridos» on 9÷18÷10 and I had fun time laughing and learning (yes, I said learning… whilst laughing). can’t wait to see another production. BIG LOVE TO ETC!