The February meeting of ART TALK will be held on Wednesday, February 25th at 10 a.m. Program topic is "A Field Trip to the RGV Art League" and the monthly meeting will be held at the Upper Valley Art League facility located at 921 E. 12th in Mission. Art Talk member, Virginia Ingram is the program facilitator for this meeting. Call Keith at (956) 648-2036 for more information or for directions.
After the premiere of “Frontera Sin Fin” and “Pat & Lyndon” last year, The Pharr Community Theater is opening its newest play, “The Chisholm Trail” at Donna High School on February 12. The western takes place in the post-Civil War Rio Grande Valley as vaqueros, cowboys, and cowgirls attempt to make their living herding cattle to Kansas. “It’s an exciting historical western with an epic cattle drive, adventure, comedy, romance and a gripping gunfight,” said Artistic Director Pedro Garcia. “Along the journey they encounter rough river crossings and bandits. Eventually they comes to terms with the senseless civilian and soldier casualties lost during the Civil War and with the displaced Native Americans caught amid U.S. Expansion.” David Cid, a Theater Arts graduate of Weslaco High and Prairie View University directs 13 local actors in the production. “David is a very passionate director and wants to tell the story as authentically as possible,” said Garcia. Pharr playwright Romeo Rosales, Jr. wrote the play after doing historical research on the Chisholm Trail and watching the AMC show “Hell on Wheels” as an inspiration to structure the story. “Seeing the script come to life is surreal. This is the first play I have ever written and knowing people can judge you and critique you negatively for any reason is kind of scary. But, to quote one of my heroes, Louis Pasteur, ‘Chance favors the prepared mind.’ That’s the motto I live by.” Araceli Casares doubles as both “Big Mouth Henri” and the stage manager of the production. “Initially the role of ‘Big Mouth’ was created for a male but not enough actors turned up for the audition, [David] thought I’d be a good Henry so I got the part. I love acting, it allows me to transform myself into someone else for that time,” she said. Casares performs onstage alongside Pharr Community Theater actors Ivan Orozco, Francisco Crisanto, Heriberto Leal, Gracie Gonzalez, Eric Reyna, Juan Guerra, David Ecklund, Genaro Escobedo and Daniela Ramos. The play opens February 12 at 7:00 pm at Donna High School, 1/4 mile Eastwood Ave, (admission to this show will be free but donations as little as a dollar will be accepted at the door). On February 14, a mini-skit of the show will be performed at the annual Chisholm Trail Festival at Donna City Park. The play will then return to Pharr for its regular run of eight shows from February 19 through March 1st. Showtimes are Thursdays through Saturdays at 7:30 pm and Sundays at 3:00 pm at the Carnahan Elementary Auditorium, 317 W Gore Street, Pharr, Texas. Tickets are only $7.00 general admission and $5.00 for anyone 18 and younger. Tickets will be sold at the door one hour before each show or in advance by calling 956-648-2488 or 956-655-9308. Additionally, The Pharr Community Theater and The Pharr Memorial Library will host a “Meet The Author” event with playwright Romeo Rosales, Jr. on Saturday February 14 from 3:00 pm to 4:30 pm at the Pharr Library, 121 E Cherokee, Pharr, TX. Admission is free and alongside a short talk with the author there will be a Kids Drawing Contest, Pan De Campo, Live Music, and a short Skit from the play. For more information call Elva Michal at 956-648-2488 or 956-787-3966 |
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