Cal State LA University Library expands Latinx theatre archive with new collections

The University Library's Special Collections and Archives at Cal State LA is pleased to announce significant new acquisitions to the Latinx Theatre Alliance/Los Angeles Collection. These additions represent key Latinx theatre companies and practitioners whose work has profoundly shaped the genre of Latinx theatre in Los Angeles from the late 1960s to the present.

Building upon the foundational Voces del Teatro Oral History Archive, these new materials mark a major step forward in the ongoing effort to document, preserve, and make accessible the cultural, and artistic contributions of Latinx theatremakers in Southern California.

The newly acquired sub-collections now housed under the Latinx Theatre Alliance/Los Angeles Collection include:

• Carlos Brown Collection - Archival materials from a prominent Latinx theatre costume designer.

• Estela Scarlata Collection - Papers and memorabilia from the co-founder of the Bilingual Foundation of the Arts.

• Grupo de Teatro SINERGIA / Frida Kahlo Theater Archive - Documentation from one of Los Angeles' most prolific Spanish-language theatre companies.

• Teatro de los Niños - Records from the first Chicano children's theatre company in Los Angeles.

• Teatro Primavera - Materials from one of the earliest Chicano theatre companies in the region.

"Cal State LA is proud to continue expanding the Latinx Theatre Alliance/Los Angeles Collection, as it provides a great resource for our students and the overall campus community on Los Angeles theatre history," said Azalea Camacho, head of Special Collections and Archives at the University Library. "We look forward to deepening our collaboration with the Latinx Theatre Alliance of Los Angeles to ensure these histories are documented, preserved, and highlighted through primary source instruction and public programming."

The Latinx Theatre Alliance/Los Angeles Collection began with the Voces del Teatro Oral History Archive, launched in 2020 through a partnership between the University Library and the Latinx Theatre Alliance/Los Angeles (LTA/LA). This foundational archive features more than 40 video and audio interviews with influential artists and cultural leaders, including José Cruz González, professor emeritus of theatre at Cal State LA; Rubén Amavizca-Murúa of Grupo de Teatro SINERGIA/Frida Kahlo Theater; Evelina Fernández of the Latino Theater Company; Josefina López of Casa 0101 Theater; and Jesus Reyes of East L.A. Repertory Theater.

Founded in 2012, the LTA/LA is a service organization that advocates for and supports Latinx theatremakers across the region. Recognizing the urgent need to record and share this often-overlooked history, LTA/LA launched the Voces del Teatro Oral History Archive under the leadership of Minerva Garcia, Blanca Melchor, and Liane Schirmer. In 2023, the alliance expanded its vision to include related collections and archives under one unified banner.

"By nature, theater is ephemeral," noted Amavizca-Murúa, artistic director of Grupo de Teatro SINERGIA. "But with this collaboration between LTA/LA and Cal State LA, our theater's history will remain available for students in the future."

The Latinx Theatre Alliance/Los Angeles Collection is housed in the University Library's Special Collections and Archives, located in the Palmer Wing, Room 2079, on the Cal State LA campus. The archive is open to students, faculty, researchers, theatre historians, and members of the community seeking to explore the development of live theatre in Los Angeles during the modern era.

To support the collection or the University Library, please visit the library's giving webpage. For more information, contact Azalea Camacho at azalea.camacho@calstatela.edu.

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California State University, Los Angeles is the premier comprehensive public university in the heart of Los Angeles. Cal State LA is ranked number one in the United States for the upward mobility of its students. Cal State LA is dedicated to engagement, service, and the public good, offering nationally recognized programs in science, the arts, business, criminal justice, engineering, nursing, education, and the humanities. Founded in 1947, the University serves more than 24,000 students and has more than 250,000 distinguished alumni.