Aguijon Ii Theater Company

AGUIJON'S MAIN OBJECTIVE IS TO EXPLORE THE DIVERSITY WITHIN THE LATINO/HISPANIC CULTURES THROUGH THE PRODUCTION OF SPANISH LANGUAGE WORKS. WOTKING WITH ETHNICALLY DIVERSE CASTS, THE COMPANY CONTINUES TO BREAK DOWN BARRIERS EVEN WITHIN GROUPS OFTEN VIEWED AS HOMOGENEOUS.

FOR NEARLY THIRTY-FOUR YEARS, IT HAS BEEN OUR GOAL TO PROMOTE, FOSTER, AND SHOWCASE THE DIVERSE CULTURAL EXCELLENCE OF CHICAGO'S THEATER ARTISTS AND PERFORMERS. WE'VE REDOUBLED OUR EFFORTS IN THIS RESPECT WHILE ALSO MAKING GETTING ARTISTS AND OTHER WORKERS PAID AND PAID EQUITABLY OUR MAIN GOAL NOW AND MOVING FORWARD. THIS YEAR, WE WORKED WITH 25 INDIVIDUAL ARTISTS. IN THE FALL OF 2022, WE WERE PROUD TO, ONCE AGAIN, BE A PART OF THE DESTINOS CHICAGO INTERNATIONAL LATINO THEATER FESTIVAL, PRODUCED BY THE CHICAGO LATINO THEATER ALLIANCE (CLATA), WITH THE U.S. PREMIERE OF NORGE ESPINOSA'S CINTAS DE SEDA, DIRECTED BY SNDOR MENNDEZ. THE PIECE EXPLORES THE ROLE OF WOMEN IN A STIFLING MACHISTA SOCIETY THROUGH TWO ICONS OF MEXICAN CULTURE: FRIDA KAHLO AND SOR JUANA INS DE LA CRUZ. THE SHOW STARRED AGUIJN'S FOUNDER AND CO- ARTISTIC DIRECTOR, ROSARIO VARGAS (WHO RECEIVED A NON-EQUITY JEFF AWARD NOMINATION FOR HER WORK), AND ENSEMBLE MEMBERS MARCOPOLO SOTO AND CLAUDIA RENTERA. THE SHOW RAN OCTOBER 13 THROUGH NOVEMBER 20, 2022 FOR A TOTAL OF 20 PERFORMANCES. WE REMOUNTED THIS PRODUCTION AS PART OF CHICAGO THEATER WEEK 2023 (FEBRUARY 17 - 26, 2023) FOR SEVEN PERFORMANCES. TOTAL AUDIENCE: 1485 (ACTUAL; PAID/COMP) OUTREACH ACTIVITIES: MONTHLY PROGRAM WITH DIRECTORS, ACTORS, ETC SPEAKING ABOUT GENERAL THEATRE WORK AND THIER PROJECTS; PLAYWRITING CONTEST; CULTURAL THEATER AFTER SCHOOL PROGRAM.