History
Grupo de Teatro SINERGIA
We are a 501(c)(3) non-profit arts organization, founded in 1987 by Anibal Aprile, Yvette Cruz, Rubén Marinccioni, and José Salgado. In 1993, Rubén Amavizca became the administrator and artistic director. In 1994, SINERGIA moved to the William Reagh Photography Center in the Westlake District, a space provided by the City of Los Angeles Department of Cultural Affairs.
The FRIDA KAHLO Theater
In 1995, the space at the center was christened the “FRIDA KAHLO Theater,” in honor of our highly successful play on the life of the iconic Mexican painter. SINERGIA is the only Latinx theater company in Los Angeles with a permanent home that is dedicated to providing theater in Spanish.
Our Community
SINERGIA provides arts programming in Spanish and English to serve and represent the majority ethnic groups residing within a five-mile radius of our theater -- Latinx immigrants from Guatemala, Nicaragua, El Salvador, and Mexico. This is a highly transient, underserved, zero to low-income population residing in the most densely populated area of Los Angeles. However, our loyal and growing audiences come not only from the Westake District, but from all over Los Angeles County and beyond. Many are 2nd and 3rd generation SINERGIA patrons.
Signature Works
Signature original works produced by SINERGIA include: Frida Kahlo, which has been reprised several times and toured the U.S., Mexico, Belgium, and Puerto Rico; and The Women of Juarez, based on the mass murders of women in the Mexican border town of Ciudad Juarez. Women won instant critical and audience acclaim and sparked a movement in support of the victims of this feminicide. Productions were subsequently staged in Mexico (Mexicali, Tijuana), Spain (Madrid), Puerto Rico (San Juan, Ceiba), Arizona (Phoenix), Sacramento, and Fresno. Women won instant critical and audience acclaim and sparked a movement in support of the victims of this feminicide. Both works were published in English by Teatro Bravo in 2008 and 2013. Other notable SINERGIA plays include Slaves, I Killed Pancho Villa!, and The Night Of Cuauhtemoc.
10 Minute Theater Festival
In 2012, SINERGIA created the annual 10 Minute Theater Festival to offer new playwrights, directors, and actors an opportunity to present their work to the public. Every year, 30-40 short plays by emerging Latinx artists are selected. Playwrights choose their own actors, directors, and production teams, learning to produce their own work. This skill is essential for artists, given the lack of opportunities Latinx theater makers have on local mainstream stages. Following each performance, there is an audience Q&A to assess the impact of the play on our community. The festival has since expanded to 3 month-long iterations per year.
Staged Reading Series
In 2017, SINERGIA created the free annual Staged Reading Series, featuring 12 new full-length works by local Latinx playwrights. Each year, 2 plays from this series are selected for full productions the following season.
Goethe Institute Los Angeles
In 2022, Grupo de Teatro SINERGIA was invited by the Goethe Institut-Los Angeles to stage a 5-week exhibit titled "Frida Kahlo Theater: Disrupting the Mainstream", a retrospective of our 35-year history. It consisted of visual elements -- posters, production photos, programs, props -- and excerpts from 4 of our signature plays; presentations of our acting, photography, and animation classes; as well as discussions and Q&As with the audience.
Encuentro 2024
In 2024, SINERGIA was invited to participate in Encuentro 2024, a national Latino Theater Festival. It was hosted by the Latino Theater Company at the Los Angeles Theater Center. SINERGIA presented an original work in Spanish, Ayotzinapa: Situación Desaparecido, about the international uproar caused by the disappearance of 43 student teachers in Mexico following a protest. It played to sold out houses and rave reviews.
2026 and beyond...
This fall SINERGIA is proud to usher in its 40th season of challenging and thought-provoking bilingual theater. We want to thank you for your continued support. Please join us in the celebration as we look forward to our next 40 years.