The Peñasco Theatre
Inspiring Connections Through Creative Discoveries
15046 St Rd 75
Peñasco NM, 87553
(575) 587-2726
alessandrajo [at] yahoo.com
About the Penasco Theatre
The Penasco Theatre is a project of nonprofit organizations Wise Fool New Mexico and Art for the Heart. Peñasco, New Mexico is a beautiful small rural mountain town, population 700. The vast majority of its residents are Native and Hispano peoples whose families have lived and farmed here for generations. The theatre was built as a community gathering place in 1940. We are carrying on the tradition. Peñasco Theatre Collective was created in response to the lack of artistic and creative opportunities for local residents. Our program is committed to creating accessible, challenging, and supportive artistic collaborations rooted in mutual respect, self-determination and community building. PTC operates no or low cost after-school and summer performance and visual art programs for area youth.
Utilizing the arts of circus and puppetry our professional artist/teachers collaborate with young people to create unique opportunities for self-discovery, physical development, personal and collective empowerment, youth visibility and inter-generational connection. Peñasco Theatre Collective was created as a program of Wise Fool New Mexico in 2000. To donate to the Penasco Theatre, either click "Make A Donation" at the top of the page and indicate the monies are for Penasco Theatre, or send a check to PO Box 313, Penasco NM 87553.
circus and arts camp!
July 19th thru 30th. Monday-Friday 10am- 4pm. Final performance is July 30th at 6pm
Wise Fool is proud to present two two-week, summer workshop extravaganzas for youth ages 6-14 who want to learn to fly on the trapeze, walk tall on stilts, find their inner clown, and tumble their way into a fun summer! Participants will learn skills in stilts, trapeze, juggling, clown, music, acrobatics, and puppetry! Click here to download registration form. Return with deposit to Penasco Theatre Summer Camp, PO Box 313, Penasco, NM 87553.
upcoming performances
Summer Cabaret Series:
June 12th, July 24th, and August 21th.
Saturday nights at 7pm. AND as part of the High Road Art Tour on Sept 18th & 25th.
Call or email Alessandra at (575) 770-7597 or alessandrajo [at] yahoo.com for more information.
Performers needed!
SPONSOR A YOUNG ARTIST
Creative expression is vital for mental and physical well-being. The Penasco Theatre Youth Afterschool Circus Arts Program needs your support! This low-cost program currently serves over 35 local youth in our weekly afterschool aerial and circus arts classes. You can give the gift of flight by sponsoring a youth participant for the 2010 Winter/Spring Semester. A semester membership costs $100. A hundred bucks is a child's ticket to challenging, inspiring and fun circus arts classes (60 possible classes) and recitals. Plus, all the movies and all the performances/events happening at the theatre during the semester. All sponsorships are tax-deductible.
artist residencies available
The Penasco Theatre features live/Work Space available for creative retreats. Develop projects, performance pieces, aerial training, and create in the peace and beauty of Northern New Mexico. Rental includes use of the theatre, personal and communal indoor and outdoor spaces. Let us customize your residency. Instruction available in visual and circus arts. Call 575 587 2726 for more information. We are currently accepting proposals.
INSPIRING CONNECTIONS THROUGH CREATIVE DISCOVERIES
HISTORY:
The Penasco Theatre is a historic venue with roots in cultural performances, entertainment and community engagement. The theatre has been a project of Wise Fool since the fall of 2000, and hosts a variety of events including live perfromances, circus cabarets, ongoing classes for youth and adults and weekly movies. Local artists teach an annual free two-week arts and permaculture summer camp for Penasco youth. The theatre is availiable for individual or group activites and residencies.
Click here to read an interview about the Penasco Theatre in New Mexico Magazine.
2009 Year in Review:
Things are jumping, or should I say tumbling and flying and stilting up here at the Peñasco Theatre. Currently 37 talented and enthusiastic youth from Peñasco and the surrounding communities participate in our after school program. Weekly adult evening aerial classes provide strength and skill building opportunities for the young at heart. This past summer Peñasco Theatre artist/teachers hosted a 2-week circus workshop for youth at a beautiful donated private residence in Taos. We had over 20 participants who collaborated on final public performance entitled “Circus of Awes”.
Additionally this was the 8th year of the Peñasco Theatre Youth Summer Circus Arts Workshop, supported in part by a generous grant from the Sheila Fortune Foundation. The theme of camp was food, recipes and the things in our lives that nurture us. Participants painted a mural, wrote a zine, cooked a pot of soup during the final performance and hosted a community potluck. With many new and returning participants ages 6–13 it was the best circus camp yet. Friday is still movie night with a small but dedicated following who busted their best bhangra moves in a summer Bollywood series. The Peñasco Theatre hosted several community events this past year; The SPOT for Community Wellness, several all-night dance parties with Taos DJ Chrystalline and Co., The Taos Mountain Film Festival (sponsored by Sipapu Ski Area), the traveling cabaret of Circo Cheapo from Chicago and the High Road Circus Show. Various artist residencies occurred over the coarse of the year resulting in well-attended public performances. One such performance was the incredibly moving one-woman show “Sangria Cipher”, written, directed and performed by Amaryllis de Jesus Moleski. November is a big month as our students and teachers prepare eye-popping physical feats and show-stopping visuals for the upcoming Circus Luminous.
Our commitment to youth arts education, puppet making/mask making and circus took us to several schools across Northern New Mexico this past year, including; Dixon Elementary, Los Niños Kindergarten Center in Española, Peñasco Elementary, Mosaic Academy in Aztec, the Farmington Museum and San Juan Elementary.
Many thanks to the wonderful artist/educators who dedicate hours of time often unpaid or underpaid to make our teaching, circus and summer programs inspiring, empowering and cutting edge. Props to Amanda Bissell. Nicole Kowalski, Rebekah Tarín, Alessandra Ogren, Anna Jacobs, Kaycee Hinkley, Jean Nichols, Taro Peixhino, and Donne Garcia.
We proudly announce the development of a new Peñasco Theatre Advisory Board. Members include Juliette Gonzales-Garcia, Joanne Riddick, Jean Nichols, Amanda Bissell, Alessandra Ogren, Rebekah Tarín, Nicole Kowalski, Michele Peixhino and Ki Holste.
Heartfelt gratitude to Wise Fool NM and all the volunteers and donors who keep the theatre alive and to the performers who give of their artistic passions: Amanda Bissell, Anna Jacobs, JP Bradley, Jean Nichols, Sugar Nymphs, Scott and Lluvia Aby, Jamie Henthorn, Amaryllis de Jesus Moleski, Siri Hollander, Gretchen Hildebrand, Jean Thompson and Jessica Gutfreund, Nina Gonzales, Karen Fox and all the artists, youth and families that support our programs.
sugar nymphs bistro
The Penasco Theatre is housed in the same beautiful historic adobe building as the Sugar Nymphs Bistro. The cozy Bistro is a great place for lunch, dinner and brunch. Contemporary cuisine with an emphasis on local produce provides a diverse menu of grilled meats, fish, pasta, fresh salads, hand tossed pizzas and desserts and breads made on the premises. The restaurant has a friendly atmosphere that caters to individuals as well as families. Please call 505-587-0311 for reservations.
Directions to Peñasco
Go north on 285 (St Francis ) out of Santa Fe - keep heading on that all the way to Española and head thru Espanola towards Taos (follow signs) go thru Velarde and when you get to Embudo you'll see a right turn onto Highway 75 - there are signs for Dixon - turn and stay on 75 all the way to Penasco (13 miles) - you'll see the theatre on the left side as you go thru Penasco - you'll see the huge mural all over the front. (Map)
Peñasco Theatre Wish List:
Running the Peñasco Theatre takes a lot of resources!!! We are trying to raise money for expanding programs and theatre upgrades.
A $500 donation will provide 20 pair of new stilts for the youth summer camp. We received a generous donation of theatrical lighting equipment, but now we need to upgrade the electrical system in the theatre so that we can use the lights! This will cost around $5000.
We are looking for any grant resources or grant writers. All donations are greatly appreciated and tax deductible. Contact Alessandra for detailed information.
Peñasco Theatre gratefully acknowledges the generous donations for theatre renovation projects from the following Taos businesses:
- Rio Grande Ace Hardware, Dennis Coca, Owner
- Vargas Paint and Tile, Viviana and Christine, Owners
- Olguin’s Lumber, Della Barrone, Owner, Western Auto, PACA, David and Lisa Sipp, Don Conaceinte, Benito Concha, Pricilla Bertucci, Kayo Muller, Kathy NiKeefe, Sebastian, Ace Hardware, Hillary, Wren, Beth, Nina, Rebekah, Sugar Nymphs Bistro, Art for the Heart, Gered, Carlos, Thomas, Christina