Teatro Izcalli performance at UTEP

Artwork by Nopalico

The performance by Teatro Izcalli was a pleasure to see. Prior to the performance, a handful of audience members were patiently waiting outside and a performer swiftly crossed to the doors and jested about: “Hey, is this where the Minutemen meeting is?” .  Needless to say, I cracked up a bit and my excitement for the production grew. They performed several skits, with issues ranging from the role of women, education, voting, and what it truly means to be “Chicano”. A particular favorite was the Chicana package, which satirized the portrayal of Chicanas. I thoroughly enjoyed their performances, but, at times, seemed a bit disconnected with some of the messages, specifically those geared towards the youth attending college. It was never a problem with my household, albeit it is a recurring problem for many Mexican households in my area. As a college student, it was one of those “I’m in college already. This is a bit redundant”, yet, while it failed to connect with me, it does have a bigger impact on the youth. In retrospect, their main audience is CA youth and high school students, so I cannot really fault them for that.  I highly recommend everyone to attend their performances, and sincerely hope they return to El Paso.

They performed skills from their anthology, which can be purchased from their website.

Here is a video of the “Chicano rehab” skit they performed: 

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