From the Page to the Stage: Proyecto Teatro in East Austin

“To be, or not to be – that is the question.”  Almost everyone knows the opening line to Hamlet’s famous soliloquy, but how many of us can actually say we’ve been a part of a theatrical production, one that enraptures the audience and moves them to laughter or tears or quiet contemplation?  Though the modern cinema, with its exotic locales, explosions a la Michael Bay, and an army of computer-generated images has changed people’s expectations of entertainment, there is still much to be said for the stage.

Kids in East Austin now have the opportunity to take part in theater, whether they are in the audience or showcasing their talents on stage themselves.  Proyecto Teatro is a Spanish-language theater program for kids and adults that promotes bilingual literacy, engagement in the arts, and celebration of Hispanic culture.  For the past year, the Proyecto Teatro theater troupe has been actively involved at East Austin Prep through the Latino Arts Preservation Project, using the school’s facilities to practice on weekdays and perform on weekends for students and families from the community.  In addition, the players offer performance classes to East Austin Prepsters, passing along their experience in the world of theater to the students’ eager young minds.

Proyecto Teatro performances and classes emphasize the power of literature and imagination to take you almost anyplace you want to go, figuratively and by opening doors to educational opportunities.  By performing various works of literature, such as the childhood classic Where the Wild Things Are, the theater troupe introduces audiences of all ages to the idea that books are so much more than rows of words on pages.  Proyecto Teatro offers a unique cultural-theatrical-literary experience that is not only first-rate entertainment, but also plays a part in getting kids and their parents excited about reading and the world it opens up to them.

- Kelle Kampa

Communications Intern

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