Letter to our Friends

"Photo of "Shangri LA" during Meet Me @ Metro""

Dear Friend,

What do you do with broken glass? With fractured fiscal foundations? You make art that uplifts. The Los Angeles community of Watts knows a great deal about dealing with hard times - both economic and social. Residents of this long underserved community take pride in their ability not only to “make do,” but also to improvise, to re-create, to conjure beauty from society's refuse. Watts Village Theater Company (WVTC) was born out of that spirit, and we personify it through our continuing development and production of theatrical work that reflects the diverse concerns of the community.

Innovation and tenacity are recession-proof commodities with which WVTC is well stocked. Even in this down-cycle, we are formulating new, creative strategies to bring our work to the world. With our new Managing Director leading a robust artistic team, we have re-branded the company with a new website and logo; and most importantly, we are not mired in the “now,” but focused on our long-term artistic and strategic plans. We are proud of the fact that in our nearly fifteen years of existence, we have developed exclusively new work for, with, and about Watts. This commitment to our vision has garnered national recognition including financial support from the National Endowment for the Arts.

And now, with a core of cutting-edge performance organizations – and the endorsements of Mayor Villaraigosa and the Honorable Mark Ridley-Thomas, Second District Supervisor – we plan to stage our most ambitions theatrical production yet: Meet Me @the Metro. Featuring six site specific works on and around the Metro, this festival will highlight the historical, cultural and artistic significance of South LA by bringing exciting, high quality art to Metro riders and LA theatre audiences, commencing in Downtown LA and culminating at the famous Watts Towers.

Most significantly, we are forging deeper connections into the community through a partnership with the Watts Towers Arts Center to teach theatre to Watts' youth. Additionally, we have partnered with the US Census Bureau to create an original theater piece in Watts, encouraging Census participation within underserved communities and continuing our efforts to make Watts count.

In short, we are not oblivious to the challenges that face us in these fractured times – we just can't slow down long enough to get caught up in them – so we are asking you to provide us with any support you can. Each contribution, no matter how small, is a critical step toward a solid foundation on which we will continue building our unique work.

En solidaridad,

Guillermo Avilés-Rodríguez
Artistic Director

David Mack
Managing Director