About

A short documentary created by ArtsFwd

En el 2013, Cleveland Public Theater trajo a la luz a Teatro Público de Cleveland, una compañía local de teatro Latino, cuyo trabajo refleja los objetivos, intereses e ideales artísticos de sus miembros. El propósito de este conjunto teatral es compartir la rica diversidad y perspectivas de la cultura Latina en Cleveland, y cumplir con la misión central de CPT.

El Teatro Público de Cleveland inspira el intercambio inter y transcultural a través de una narración bilingüe que invita a la reflexión, y la actuación que fomenta conciencia social y crea comunidad. TPC se compromete a identificar, desarrollar, celebrar e inspirar a los artistas latinos de Cleveland a compartir sus experiencias, culturas, perspectivas y talentos. Colaborando con el progreso artístico, Teatro Público de Cleveland da la bienvenida a artistas aficionados y con experiencia que comparten un idioma común independientemente de su origen cultural.

In 2013, Cleveland Public Theatre launched Teatro Público de Cleveland, a local Latino theatre company, whose work reflects the artistic goals, interests, and ideals of its members. The purpose of this theatre ensemble is to share the rich diversity and perspectives of the Latino-Cleveland culture, and to fulfill CPT’s core mission.

Teatro Público de Cleveland inspires inter/intra cultural exchange through thought-provoking bilingual storytelling and performance that fosters social consciousness and builds community. TPC is committed to identifying, developing, celebrating, and inspiring Cleveland Latino artists to share their experiences, cultures, perspectives, and talents. Collaborating on the artistic continuum, Teatro Público de Cleveland welcomes amateur to experienced artists who share a common language regardless of cultural origin.

ARTISTIC EXCELLENCE

Initiated by award-winning, nationally-acclaimed director Raymond Bobgan, Teatro Público de Cleveland plays have a distinctive quality. Many Teatro Público productions are developed through CPT’s unique play creation and ensemble building techniques, which give voice to the participants’ stories, dreams and creativity, and result in a strong sense of ownership of the culminating performance. These play creation techniques have been developed over years of work with professional actors, adults in recovery, youth, and community groups. Teatro Público is managed by Faye Hargate.

MOMENTUM & SUCCESS

Teatro Público’s premiere show Cuando Cierras Your Eyes (2013) and subsequent original works, A Recipe para la Vida (2014), ¿Donde Está My Home? (2015), and ¡CELEBRANDO THREE YEARS! (2016) exceeded expectations with:

Sold out performances – and added shows, totaling over 5,000 attendees.
Audience development – A majority of audience members were first-time theatre goers.
Community response – Teatro Público’s productions were acclaimed by audiences and community leaders have praised the work as filling an important need in the community.
Lasting engagement – The 32-member performance ensemble has quickly embedded itself in the CPT arts community, regularly attending theatre arts events and participating in community meetings.

Teatro Público’s shorter works, Los Cabazudos, Yo Sueno of Home, Vuelo del Ocean, A Dream of Estrella del Norte, Mi Nombre Es, and Mariel’s List, have been featured at CPT’s annual Pandemonium fundraiser, and Station Hope, a social justice-based neighborhood event, serving thousands of audience members from across Northeast Ohio.

In March of 2015, Teatro Público produced the US Premiere of Mi Muñequita by Gabriel Calderón. This was the company’s first all-Spanish language production. The following year, Teatro Público premiered another work by Calderón, Uz, El Pueblo.

Following the success of Fabio Rubiano Orjuela’s Labio de Liebre (The Lip of the Hare) in April 2017, Teatro Público performed their fourth Spanish language production in February 2018: En el Tiempo de las Mariposas (In the Time of the Butterflies) by Caridad Svich based on the novel by Julia Alvarez,* in Spanish with English subtitles, which was made possible with the support of The City of Cleveland’s Cable Television Minority Arts and Education Fund.

“Our community came out and we loved it. Sharing together and connecting to the wider community was amazing. Everyone was looking around saying—wow, I can’t believe this hasn’t happened before!”

-Blanca Salva, founding member of Teatro Público and Executive Assistant for Cleveland City Councilman Matt Zone of Ward 15

*IN THE TIME OF THE BUTTERFLIES. Copyright © 1994 by Julia Alvarez. Published in English by Algonquin Books of Chapel Hill and in Spanish by Plume/Penguin. By permission of Susan Bergholz Literary Services, New York, NY and Lamy, NM. All rights reserved.

DIVERSITY

Teatro Público is an ensemble of actors and creators with a broad range of experience, from amateur to professionally trained artists. A majority of members can trace heritage to Puerto Rico, and there is representation from other countries of origin: Mexico, Uruguay, Guatemala, Peru, Nicaragua, Colombia, and Cuba, as well as diverse educational and economic backgrounds. Plays are performed in a mixture of Spanish and English.

“Teatro Público is helping us to forge a Cleveland Latino identity. Its impact goes well beyond the walls of the theatre to support community change and growth, socially and economically.”

-Jason Estremera, President, Young Latino Network

DEEP IMPACT

In the creative process, participants engage in storytelling workshops expressing their stories, family memories, and legends from native countries. Through this authentic collaboration, CPT artists and community members create an original play. The impact on the ensemble of artists has been immense.

“It changed my personality. It’s a very big freedom for me and takes me out of my normal element. I really feel like [Teatro Público] is part of who I am now.”

-Letitia Lopez, founding member and non-profit executive director of Julia de Burgos Cultural Arts Center

“When the Uruguayan economy collapsed, I came to the US. I felt totally excluded from the arts community. I thought I could never be an artist here. When I came to Teatro Público I felt like I was eighteen again, and I realized I can contribute as an artist in this country!”

-Dante Larzabal, founding member and landscaper who moved to Cleveland in 2006

COMMITMENT & FUTURE

Teatro Público de Cleveland is a core program of CPT, born from a significant investment of Cleveland Public Theatre and support from the Cleveland Foundation’s Engaging the Future Program. Teatro Público de Cleveland is an integral part of CPT’s 2019/2020 season, which will include the Rolling World Premiere of Maya Malan-Gonzalez’s A Xmas Cuento Remix, as well as their sixth spring production, performed in Spanish with English subtitles.

“I’m blessed to be in [Teatro Público]. I never thought in a million years I’d actually do something this big. We are just scratching the surface. Hopefully, this is something that will continue for years.”

-Alejandro Rivera, founding member and local photographer