Junior Players and Prism Movement Theater have both received artistic innovation grants from the Mid-America Arts Alliance to support new works.
Prism received $15,000 to help fund “Lucha Teotl,” an upcoming production that fuses lucha libre with Aztec mythology.
“It uses the format of wrestling to weave it’s own kind of own amazing, intricate tale about these two rival wrestlers: Huitzilopochtli of the Sun family and Coyolxāuhqui of the Moon family,” says artistic director Jeff Colangelo.
Prism recruited professional luchador, Aski the Mayan Warrior, to choreograph the bilingual performance, which is part of AT&T Performing Arts Center’s Elevator Project.
“He’s been utterly instrumental,” Colangelo says. “We have a mix of pro wrestlers, actors, martial artists all working together. He has taught everybody how to do this art, and he has coordinated all of the fighting sequences.”
“Lucha Teotl” premieres Thursday, July 15, at the Wylie Theatre, and it runs through July 24.
Junior Players also received a $13,000 grant to support “Amplify,” a teen dance production that will explore themes of social justice and racial equity.
Development Manager Clare Cutler says Junior Players will pair BIPOC choreographers Colby Calhoun, Ani Vera, and Floyd McLean with nine young dancers for the original performance.
“Amplify is a very ambitious project for us in that it’s seeking to ignite really serious and impactful conversations about issues like race and social justice,” Cutler says. “Children and youth know such more than we give them credit for, and what we find when we give them space is really inspiring work.”
“Amplify” runs from August 19-21 at Annette Strauss Square.
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