Peñasco Theatre Collective

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About the Penasco Theatre Collective
Fall Classes
Upcoming Performances
Donate to the Theatre, Sponsor a Youth
Annual Youth Summer Circus Camp
Live, Learn, and Play at the Theatre: Artist Residencies Available
2009 Year in Review
Our Neighbor: The Sugar Nymphs Bistro
Directions to Penasco

About the Penasco Theatre Collective

Inspiring Connections Through Creative Discoveries
15046 St Rd 75
Peñasco NM, 87553
(575) 587-2726
alessandrajo [at] yahoo.com

The Peñasco Theatre Collective, based out of the historic Peñasco Theatre, runs arts and social justice programming in the Peñasco, Espanola, Taos, and surrounding communities north of Santa Fe. Established in 2000, it 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. Peñasco Theatre Collective was created in response to a lack of artistic and creative opportunities for local residents.

Peñasco Theatre Collective’s low- or no-cost programming, including workshops, performances, projects in regional schools, and community events, provides the local community with opportunities to experience and participate in the creative process. A variety of artistic mediums are taught and performed, including aerials (trapeze, rope, hoop, fabric), physical theatre (clowning, juggling, acrobalance), poetry, visual art (painting, puppet-making, fabric arts), and dance (flamenco, hip-hop and other movement-based disciplines).

Utilizing the arts, 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. The theatre was built as a community gathering place in 1940, and we are carrying on the tradition.
 

Fall Classes at Penasco Theatre

Sept 13th- Dec 16th (13 week session . no class thanksgiving week)
call 575 587 2726 for more info or to sign up.

MONDAYS
3pm-4pmtrapeze for ages 3-6
4pm-5pmtrapeze for ages 6-10
5pm-6:30 performance class
6:30-7:30 Adult aerial class

THURSDAYS
4pm-5pm STILT CLUB!!
5-6:30 performance class
6:30-7:30 adult aerial class
 

upcoming performances

TONIGHT ONLY! - STITCH by RICOCHET
Friday, August 27th @ 8pm
Tickets: $15 at the door only
More info: www.ricochet.name

"This is one of those awesome situations where a semi-underground performance is likely to blow your mind in a way that a fully produced, "big company" spectacle can never begin to do." - TIme Out Chicago

"Stitch is an elegant prayer of thanks for the human body." - The Philadelphia Enquirer
 

RICOCHET is the duo project of Cohdi Harrell and Laura Stokes. After three years of sold out shows and standing ovations across the country, RICOCHET brings their acclaimed show "STITCH" back to its place of creation.Weaving delicate metaphor with jaw dropping spectacle, STITCH is an examination of the complexities and absurdities of humans in relationships. Using contemporary dance, contortion, aerial acrobatics and object manipulation, RICOCHET uses their unique style of poetic acrobatics to explore the stitch we get ourselves into, and the stitch that ultimately sews us all together. In addition to STITCH, the award winning Sugar Nymphs Bistro will be hosting a "hundred mile dinner" (everything served has been grown within 100 miles). For dinner reservations, call 575-587-0311 begin_of_the_skype_highlighting              575-587-0311      end_of_the_skype_highlighting.

 

HIGH ROAD PERFORMANCE SHOWCASE
September 18th & 25th @ 5pm
The best of the performing artists on the high road! Music, Circus, Dance and Poetry!
 

support the penasco theatre collective - donate today!

The Penasco Theatre Collective relies on the support of individuals like you to keep our programming alive. We invite you to become a part of our important work by making a donation today.

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.

To Donate: Either click the "Donate" button at the top of the page and indicate the funds are for Penasco Theatre or "Sponsor A Young Artist", or send a check to PO Box 313, Penasco NM 87553. Thank you so very much for your support!

 

circus and arts camp!

A two week program, occurring each July since 2002.
We are proud to present this two-week summer workshop extravaganza for regional 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. This workshop also connects artistic expression with social responsibility toward the community. Youth choose a local environmental or social issue “theme” for each camp, which then permeates the activities, public art component, and final performance. Past themes have included permaculture and the creation of a community vegetable garden, understanding and negotiating generational differences, nutrition and nurturing, and water conservation. Registration opens in March each year.
 

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.
 

 

2009 year in review

By Rebakah Tarin, Dec 2009.
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)