TNM Educational Outreach Projects

In its short existence, TNM has been involved in numerous educational outreach projects. Our goal for community outreach through Teatro Nuevo México is to present projects to foster creativity, expression and talent in our local performers and audience members of all ages.

We have two board members who are also teachers involved in outreach with APS schools. José Daniel Apodaca is the music teacher at Longfellow Elementary, and Sabina Zúñiga-Varela is a special education teacher at Washington Middle School. They have spearheaded education outreach projects at both schools. These two schools recently merged and are now known as the Fine Arts Academy Magnet.

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During our first season in 2003, former Board Member Miguel Martínez and present Board Member Sabina Zúñiga-Varela presented workshops at YDI (Youth Development, Inc.) on stage combat and improvisational techniques for adolescents. This accompanied our debut performance of "Sueño" by Jose Rivera at the KIMO and the National Hispanic Cultural Center. We also provided discounted tickets to community centers and large groups.

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In 2004 we created "Noche de Cuentos" at the National Hispanic Cultural Center. This event was a once a month bilingual storytelling and literacy night, which included a book exchange program and audience participation.

Sabina Zuñiga-Varela reads a story during a "Noche De Cuentos."

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Another outreach project was to help fund Las Meganenas, a non-profit organization focused on touring a performance art piece,"Rio de Lagrimas," centered around the devastation happening in Mexico concerning the Maquiladora women.

A scene from "Rio De Lagrimas"

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Teatro Nuevo México is on a mission to form a Zarzuela Institute at the National Hispanic Cultural Center. This Institute would nurture local musical talent for performance and training in order to continue the Zarzuela tradition in New Mexico. Teatro Nuevo México will be producing full scale Zarzuelas at the National Hispanic Institute for the next few years. Many of the zarzuelas include children’s choruses. Our mission is to familiarize the community with this beautiful music from Spain. Eventually, TNM foresees providing opportunities for young Hispanics to perform in professional Zarzuelas at the National Hispanic Cultural Center.

To that end, TNM will be presenting our first Summer Master Class in Zarzuela in July, 2008, for both children and adults. An adult two-week intensive course under the direction of Maestro Pablo Zinger will focus on singing in Spanish. The children will be studying with teacher José Daniel Apodaca, recipient of the highest teacher award - the Golden Apple Award. Scholarships will be available. For more information, please call TNM or the Education Office at the National Hispanic Cultural Center after April 15, 2008.

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Another Summer Master Class will be offered in August of 2008. Marcos Martínez, master teacher from New Mexico and California, will offer and introductory, four-day (Thursday - Sunday) master class for adults in the Suzuki Method of Acting, a powerful and beautiful technique Mr. Martínez studied in Japan. Scholarships will be available.

Our Summer Master Classes are made possible through a grant from the Albuquerque Urban Enhancement Trust Fund.

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TNM is interested in building a theater-going audience in the Hispanic community by nurturing talent in local schools and involving parents, friends and community in productions. Our aim is to involve the community in each and every performance in the TNM season. Through discounted tickets, workshops, teaching materials, and touring performances, we strive to attract New Mexico community members to the theatrical world.