New theater company plans to change El Paso theater scene
EL PASO, Texas (KFOX14/CBS4) — In a two-story house built in the 1950s in the historic Sunset Heights neighborhood, one wouldn't think that a new theatre company is toiling away at their latest production.
The house, however, has been transformed.
The house's benefactor, a longtime supporter of the arts, created a home of love and care, and so too is her grandson and his theater company building a legacy of love and art.
"Teatro Neplanta" started as an idea to bring good quality performances to the Sun City and showcase local talent with a mix of professional and semi-professional theatrical workers.
After two successful events, the theater company is starting to build momentum and has no plans on slowing down.
Adam Zarowski, the founder and Artistic Director for Teatro Neplanta says for him the house that he grew up and the family he grew up with, have helped lend themselves to a unique and immersive performance space, suitable for all audiences.
He is no stranger to performing in and around El Paso born and raised in El Paso, the former theatre director for Austin High School, he would lead his students to multiple advancing play competitions for the UIL One Act Play contest.
Zarowski is also a professional actor and professor at UTEP in theatre performance. He says "Teatro Neplanta" is dedicated to serving the community with themes and stories that the Borderland can relate to and featuring a majority of Chicano artists or residents of the Borderland.
After a successful production of a 24-hour play festival, in which local artists gather and have 24 hours to put up a production, the company moved onto to a more serious play and staged it in the unique space of the 2-story house.
"The MotherF@cker with the Hat” by Tephen Adly Guirgis, was directed by Jay Stratton and performed for sold out audiences and two standing-room only performances, proof Zarowski says, that in El Paso "theatre is alive and well. "
His brother, Darron Saunders, who also made food for the performances helped round out the atmosphere of the family, on "The MotherF@cker with the Hat” performances, that the theater company stands for.
And even though his grandmother isn't here to share in her grandsons' success, the house and the venue are a testament that her love for the arts lives on in the performances the community gets to be a part of.
Their next production of "Romeo and Juliet" debuts on June 1.
RECOMMENDED: Las Cruces woman to fly to space with Virgin Galactic
Sign up to receive the top interesting stories from in and around our community once daily in your inbox.
