Mexico City has the largest artistic production of the country. Below we share the activities of three companies developing their artistic projects in different areas of Mexico . This activity has certainly had a major impact .
Poéticas Jóvenes / Young Poetics 2016
The demographic dividend of the country indicates that we have a high population of kids ranging between puberty, adolescence and young adulthood (the highest in history). But it is the most neglected sector in Mexican performing arts. There is a lack of training, of public policies dedicated to encouraging shows and complex content to bring young people closer to artistic work as spectators and coincidentally as creators; for this, the company Neurodrama AC from Pachuca, Hidalgo created a first and necessary national seminar of contemporary shows for young people, now in its third edition, sponsored by the State Council for Culture and Arts of Hidalgo.
A call to participate in this pedagogical experience was sent out at the end of 2015, which also included the selection of six plays dedicated to investigate the relationship of young Mexicans to their environment. During two weeks, stage artists and Mexican promoters will discuss the role of youth in national theatre, where the academic coordinator will be the playwright Enrique Olmos de Ita, specialist in dramatic texts for ages 12-25.
Furthermore, the intention to make Poéticas Jóvenes an encounter for ongoing reflection means to innovate in the field of culture, for we face the first great festival dedicated to this audience in Latin America.
A la Deriva Teatro / Theatre Adrift
2015 was a year of joint efforts in developing
projects for young audiences in the country which, although are not enough, they serve to build a solid platform that addresses the urgency of the development, investigation, reflection and production of theatre for children and young people in Mexico. Among these A la Deriva Teatro had the opportunity to open the show “¿Dónde está Isabela?” in the month of June, which is for children from 0-3 years; it is the first of its kind in the central-western region and one of the few that exist in Mexico. They also continue with work for teenagers, which has given over 100 performances throughout the country. But perhaps a greater example of these joint efforts of creators and institutions, is the first specialized certificate in theatre for children and young people PRÁCTICA DE VUELO (FLIGHT PRACTICE), in La Paz, Baja California bringing together teachers (like Susana Romo) from different areas such as playwriting, production, directing, acting, etc., that accompany the development of scenic experiences dedicated to this particular audience. This effort recognizes the need to understand TYA as a specialization. The struggle now is to replicate this in each of the states where there is tangible interest to learn and dialogue about the creation of theatre for children and young people.
Inmigrantes 2015 / Immigrants
For Inmigrantes, (Immigrants) 2015 was the year the company
consolidated as a very serious/important TYA company in the Northwestern region of Mexico. Their show Kikiricaja, aimed at 8-10 year old children, was presented in two important English-speaking theatres in California: La Jolla Play House (San Diego) and South Coast Repertory (Orange County), thus becoming the first Hispanic company to present themselves in these theatres. Kikiricaja also gave over 150 presentations throughout the year including tours around various cities in Mexico. Inmolación (a show for teenagers that talks about bullying and youth suicide), was selected to represent Baja California in the XXXVI National Theatre Encounter in Aguascalientes, Mexico; and Dios es un Bicho (a show that addresses the issue of the right of children to have or not have a religion), was part of the XXVI National Schools Theatre Program and will give 55 presentations in 2016 to schools from Tijuana. Additionally, we celebrated the 7th Week of Theatre for Children, a festival that has become a reference of theatre for specific audiences in the North of Mexico (under the artistic direction of Raymundo Garduño, director of Inmigrants Company). 2016 is looming as a year full of opportunities and challenges, which will surely give the company and its audience great satisfaction and teachings.
