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presented by ALTA, Austin Latino Theater Alliance --
La Pastorela, A Shepherd’s Story
is a contemporary musical comedy based on a traditional Yuletide play from Native-American and Latino communities
Thursdays through Saturdays, December 2nd through 18th at 8:00 p.m.
Mexican American Cultural Center, 600 River Street, Austin, Texas.
Admission: $15 Adults, $8 Students/Seniors
The Austin Latino Theater Alliance (ALTA) proudly announces La Pastorela 2010, a traditional Yuletide play that has been performed in Native American/Latino communities since the late 16th century when Spanish priests first introduced it to the Native people of this land. Revered in the Christmas tradition aspect, as the Latino counterpart to The Nutcracker, La Pastorela is a family-friendly, musical comedy must see during this Holiday Season. The play follows a group of singing shepherds on their journey to Bethlehem. On their quest, they encounter obstacles in the form of worldly temptations put before them by crafty devils but try to resist as guardian angels fight to keep the shepherds on their path. This production holds strong roots in Austin's own Latino community as its inaugural run was performed at the original Mexican American Cultural Center building in 1997.
La Pastorela 2010 production is the result of collaborative artistic efforts of many of Austin’s finest Latino actors, singers, musicians and theatrical designers. Patricio Villarreal Avila is this year’s Artistic Director and Francisco “Kiko” Villamizar is the Musical Director for 2010. The dynamic cast includes many talented actors from the past twelve years including, Frank Barajas, Donato Rodriguez, Diego Villarreal, as well as new to the Pastorela stage are Ana Luisa Esperon, Chris Shortic, and Tony Salinas to name a few.
About the Director: Patricio Villarreal Avila is a graduate of La Casa del Teatro in Mexico City and has studied under Ileana Dieguez in Buenos Aires, Argentina, and Mexico City. Patricio has studied and performed as a member of Escuela Internacional Teatral de America Latina y el Caribe. Patricio has over 18 years of theater experience and says of his 2010 Artistic Direction, “I am thrilled to recreate the original concept of this production of La Pastorela, integrating the oldest traditions from the 16th century with a 21st century artistic experience. I want to give the audience the feel of our old traditions, but with current issues effecting our community today.”
This project is funded and supported in part by the City of Austin through the Cultural Arts Division and by a grant from the Texas Commission on the Arts and an award from the National Endowment for the Arts, which believes that a great nation deserves great art.
Amigos y Amigas de Austin, 
presented by ALTA, Austin Latino Theater Alliance -- 
