Viva!_El_Paso

<i>Viva! El Paso</i>

Viva! El Paso

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Viva! El Paso is an annually performed musical which celebrates El Paso's cultural history through dance, drama, narration and songs. It has been running almost continually since 1978 and was updated with a new script and music in 2016. The musical play is performed outdoors in the McKelligon Canyon amphitheater.[1]

Viva! El Paso rehearsal, 2015.

With 2020 being cancelled caused by the COVID-19 pandemic, the 43rd was deferred to 2021.

About

The performance describes over 400 years of El Paso history.[2] There have been two versions of the musical play. The original play was created by Hector Serrano and was first performed in 1978.[1] It was first produced by the Los Pobres Bilingual Theatre Repertory Company.[3] In 2014, Viva! went on hiatus when there was not enough funding to support the play.[3] A new script was written by Marty Martin for the new production starting in 2016.[4] The new version was produced through a partnership with the University of Texas at El Paso (UTEP), El Paso Live, the El Paso Community Foundation and the El Paso Community College (EPCC).[3][5]

The new script includes additional musical and dance scenes and streamlines the original script.[2][4] The 2016 version is also more character-driven than the original, with the focus on two lovers who move through history and time starting with indigenous settlers to the more present day.[4] Musical arrangements were done by Jim Ward and Cody Ritchey.[5]

See also

References

  1. [1]
    "'Viva! El Paso' returns to McKelligon Canyon". El Paso Inc. 26 June 2017. Retrieved 2017-06-27.
  2. [2]
    Acosta, Dave (12 July 2016). "Review: New 'Viva! El Paso' is fresh take on old story". El Paso Times. Retrieved 2017-06-27.
  3. [3]
    Hettiger, Julia. "'Viva! El Paso' returns after year-long hiatus". The Prospector. Retrieved 2017-06-27.
  4. [4]
    Acosta, Dave (14 June 2017). "'Viva! El Paso' tradition returns to McKelligon Canyon". El Paso Times. Retrieved 2017-06-27.
  5. [5]
    "EPCC Partners with Community Foundation for Viva! El Paso". El Paso Herald-Post. 12 May 2016. Retrieved 2017-06-27.
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