Teatro Libertad was a Chicano street theater group that was
founded in 1975 in Tucson, Arizona. Over the course of 10 years, it produced a number of
plays and skits, performing them in a variety of places, from cotton fields to local
neighborhood centers to international theater festivals. The group worked collectively
to write their own material. Their focus was on issues affecting the Mexican American
community and the working class. The material included in this collection is comprised
primarily of original scripts, photographs, publicity, news articles and organizational
documents.
Collection Number:
MS 757
Language:
Materials are in English and Spanish.
Repository:
University of Arizona Libraries, Special Collections
University of Arizona
PO Box 210055
Tucson, AZ 85721-0055
Phone: 520-621-6423
Fax: 520-621-9733
URL: http://speccoll.library.arizona.edu/
E-Mail: LBRY-askspcoll@email.arizona.edu
Biographical Note
Teatro Libertad was founded in 1975 in the tradition of teatro Chicano, which came to
prominence during the Chicano movement of the Sixties and Seventies. The troupe was
influenced by the United Farmworker's affiliated Teatro Campesino and comedia del'arte
street theater, political theater, the San Francisco Mime Troupe as well as the work of
Bertoldt Brecht. Teatro Libertad wrote and produced full-length plays and a wide array
of one act skits, and included musical performances as part of their repertoire. Their
major productions were the plays Los Peregrinos(1975), El Vacil de 76(1976), Los
Pelados(1977), La Jefita(1979), Semilla Sembrada (1981) and La Vida Del Cobre(1983).
They were members of the international theater organization, TENAZ, and participated in
many festivals, from New York to Mexico City to San Diego and Santa Barbara. Most of
their performances took place in Tucson in the local neighborhood centers, but they also
performed in mining towns for striking miners and for farmworkers in the fields. The
teatro worked collectively to develop their plays and functioned as a collective.
Members included Sylviana Wood, Barclay Goldsmith, Teresa Jones, Scott Egan, Arturo
Martinez, Francisco Medina, Pernela Jones, Juan Villegas, Pamela Bartholomew, Lilliana
Gambarte, Bob Diaz and a many others. The troupe was supported by grant funding and
donations. It was an all-volunteer effort.
Scope and Content Note
The Teatro Libertad collection, compiled by members of Teatro Libertad, is comprised
primarily of scripts for plays and skits performed by the group between 1975-1985. These
include both rough drafts of scripts, individual members' annotated scripts, and final
drafts of scripts. Also included are films of two plays, El Vacil De 76 and La Vida Del
Cobre, in addition to promotional and supporting material comprised of brochures,
flyers, news articles, and photos. The collection also has news articles about Teatro
Libertad, organizational records, group photos, a songbook, background research material
and technical information about the group's plays.
It is the responsibility of the user to obtain permission to publish from the owner of
the copyright (the institution, the creator of the record, the author or his/her
transferees, heirs, legates, or literary executors). The user agrees to indemnify and
hold harmless the Arizona Board of Regents for the University of Arizona, its officers,
employees, and agents from and against all claims made by any person asserting that he
or she is an owner of copyright.
Included in Series IV are general promotional materials, grant information,
general articles about the group, photos, member information, a group songbook,
meeting notes, and principles of organization documents.
box
folder
5
1
Award, Certificates, Recognition, 1982
5
2
General Magazine and Newspaper articles about Teatro
Libertad, 1975-1984
5
3
General promotional materials--brochures, flyers, etc., 1975-1984
5
4
Grants and Grant agency information, 1975-1984
5
5
Group meeting notes, 1975-1984
5
6
Group photos and negatives, 1975-1984
5
7
Principles of Organization, Rules and Regulations, 1975-1984
Series V includes plays and articles by and about Bertolt Brecht, articles on
Chicano theater, information about Chicano theater festivals, information about
Chicano theater groups in Tucson, a powerpoint presentation about Teatro Libertad,
photos and information about the Teatro Libertad Reunion in 2013 and information
related to an exhibition about Teatro Libertad from 2013-2014.
box
folder
6
1
Bertolt Brecht--plays and articles, undated
6
2
Chicano theater--articles and plays, undated
6
3
Chicano Theater Festivals, 1975-1984
6
4
Chicano Theater Groups in Tucson, 1975-1984
6
5
A Documentary History of Teatro Libertad--presentation by Bob
Diaz, 2014
