GALA Hispanic Theatre

Page curated by George Shi and Sophia Moustaid

GALA stands for the Grupo de Artists LatinoAmericanos!

Founded in 1976, the GALA Hispanic Theatre is a Washingtonian institution we should all be proud of. The theatre company is dedicated to showcasing the Latino performing arts including plays, musicals, and even festivals for Flamenco dancing. The mission of GALA has been created and maintained by exceptional individuals like Rebecca Medrano, who we had the pleasure of speaking and touring the theatre with. Their effort to preserve their heritage, tell Latino stories, and uplift Latin American artists is incredibly admirable-- more than worthy of your patronage! Check out their schedule of shows at https://www.galatheatre.org/

(Sophia Moustaid)

Photo by Alice Baughman

How The Gala Functions: Fundraising and Community Outreach

About 30% of their operating budget comes from ticket sales, while the rest depends on grants, donors, etc. (this is unique because most theaters have ticket sales as a larger proportion of their income) -- as a smaller theater with a focus on supporting Latinx/o/a creatives (writers, directors, actors, and others), they don't have as much influence or sway when it comes to getting more federal funding
Part of what is so valuable about the GALA Theater's role in the community is its youth program (and how parents who once participated as children now bring their own kids to participate!)

(Alice Baughman)

Founding Executive Director, Rebecca Medrano show us the restoration of the original decorative plaster of the Tivoli Theatre. Scagliola! (we think)

Our class learning about the grassroots founding of the GALA

An Ode to the past: the original 1976 sign of the Gala Theatre

The GALA Theatre Marquee, est. 1976 by founding director

Photos by Alice Baughman

The Tivoli Theatre: How a 1920's Art Deco Theatre Became the Beloved Home Of GALA

Reactions and more. . .

Photo by Alice Baughman

Including symbols of different star signs as well as the iconic Homer, the dome of the GALA theater is a beautiful piece of art that emphasizes the historical significance of the building. (Meghan Smith)

It's so neat to see how a building can once again have new life after years of neglect - though I wonder how the Columbia Heights community reacted to Target's funding the renovation as a means to get goodwill with the community (and ultimately displace mom-and-pop businesses in the area). (Justin Oei)

The GALA theatre was one of our most special visits. Not only because it promotes Hispanic culture and it's bilingual, but also it's the few ones that struggle to prosper in this city. I love how they find all the ways to have a live performance during this pandemic. The passion and energy could be transmitted to the audience through the wonderful show. (Xiwen Liu)

The Tivoli Theatre dates to 1924 -- a Movie Palace and Theater for Variety Shows

I was very intrigued by the commentary provided by our hosts at the Gala Hispanic Theatre. One of the things that particularly interested me was the distinction between the hierarchal model of the American theatre versus the socialism-inspired model of the Latin American theatre. Our host lamented this change in identity, but she also deemed it as necessary for success in the running of a theatre in the United States. However, she insisted that the GALA theatre maintains certain aspects of this egalitarian approach to the creative process, as they are central to the theatre's Latin American identity. (Evan Wollerton)

Washington D.C is a city that subconsciously breathes history, yet I always find myself surprised at the persistence of the cities buildings. The Gala sits nonchalantly on the main street of Columbia Heights, despite being a very special construction. It was destroyed the riots of 1968 following the assassination of Reverend Martin Luther King. (Kai Okai-Brown)

The outside of the old Tivoli Theatre, parts of which are retail with GALA Hispanic Theatre as the "anchor" occupant. (Justin Oei)

I did not anticipate the Tivoli theatre to have such a rich history until I saw the stunning architectural elements adorning the theater. I loved the ceiling's ancient Roman style of relief with gold accents. However, behind the appearance of grandeur, the theatre holds a torturous history. The theatre originally opened in the 1920s as venue for plays and silence movies. However following the 1968 riots, the theatre was abandoned and very nearly escaped demolition. Thanks to the restoration efforts of the GALA Theatre, we are able to witness the original design of the stucco dome. I am fascinated by the effort that the Washington Latino community has made to build and maintain such an exciting theater company, which allows the rest of the Washington community to enjoy the performances of Latin America art and culture. (George Shi)

Photos by Xiwen Liu

Le Casa de la Laguna: (the House on the Lagoon) The UpcominG Puerto RicAn PLay AT the Gala

The Spanish-language play Le Casa De La Laguna, adapted by Caridad Svich from the novel by Rosario Ferré, is showing at the GALA Theatre February 3 - 27, 2022. Described as the struggle of a woman "to find her artistic voice when her marriage and the island of Puerto Rico is in a constant state of flux," the play features an exceptionally talented cast of Puerto Rican actors and English subtitles for non-Spanish speakers. Directed by Rebecca Aparicio, the play is a must-see of the Washington arts scene.

(Sophia Moustaid)

Our Observations from a Sneak Peak at their Rehearsal!

Watching the actors rehearse was so interesting. The scenes were entirely in Spanish, so I was mostly dependent on body language for understanding what was happening in the scenes. The actors were incredible and I followed the flow of the scene easily with some skimming of the script. I feel that body language is a very underrated aspect of theater and after our visit, it's even more clear to me how important it is. (Meghan Smith)

Covid testing 3 times a week keeps live performance LIVE!

Costume designer Jeannette Christensen shows us her sketching software and how she builds costumes from bought and found apparel

The lighting booth of the GALA Theatre (Photo: Alice Baughman)

It seems self-explanatory or obvious, but even watching the actors interact in Spanish (which I only understand a few words of), I was able to follow along, see the parallels between the generations of characters in their opinions about Puerto Rico and statehood vs. independence, and understand the nuances of their relationships -- as Grace and I said when discussing it, that shows that the actors are really, really good at their jobs, and are invested in the emotional depth and complexity of their roles. (Alice Baughman)

Despite just getting to see two scenes rehearsed, you could still feel the emotion and connections of the characters with the story. The parallel of the two scenes chosen (A1 S6 - A2 S10) made it more cohesive. The scenes were from two separate parts of the show, but mirrored one another, with the two main characters going from arguing with their parents, to having the same argument with their son. (Grace Lyons)

Period props in the dressing room

Props crowd the shelves in the Children's workshop studio in the lower floor of the GALA

I really hope to be able to see the completed play, the storyline seemed interesting because it touched on issues about racism, classism, and gender discrimination in Puerto Rico. Not to mention the added layer of statehood or independence from the US. Being from Latin America, it was also very exciting to see Hispanic representation in the arts and theater. The actors did an amazing job of representing their heritage, the story, and the weight of the storyline through their body language and acting skills. Seeing the rehearsal instead of the final play also allowed us to see the thought process and the work behind every scene, movement, prop placement, and word, which allowed us to think more deeply about appealing to an audience, accessibility, story-telling, and narrative voice. (Laura Brancati)

The dressing room with costume designer Jeannette Christensen

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