History

In 1974 a group of young people were looking for a place where they could make an independent and innovating theater. Those were difficult and repressive times we lived in. Everything that looked like vanguard, or different was branded as red or rebel.
Several doors were knocked but nobody answered. We were a group of dreamers with weird ideas in mind without money and proclaiming the "flag of culture" to help build a better world.
An old house was for sale in the colonial zone and with it the possibility of a dream was being born... the dream of opening a window to hope. We dared. We jumped into emptiness, and having in mind the only joy of getting this space of culture open along with a group of friends, the hard task of conquering hearts to get our dream come true was only beginning. The people answered.

New hands joined the project and what seemed impossible is a splendid reality today. More than 30 years have gone by combined so that this old space was turned into a culture center where new artists and the consecrated found their nest and from there learned to fly with their talents.

Opening the doors of the house represented a detonator. It seemed that all artists were waiting for a space where to grow and show their works. Singers, musicians, dancers, poets, narrators, actors, painters, designers, photographers... made the old colonial house their home.
The days went by and so did the hours. The creative effervescence made that a space only for theater turned into a pictorial gallery rehearsals room, school for children and adults, the birth of groups of theater, a dance school, group of photography, jazz nights, puppets theater, poets meeting, lecture's center... the house came to life and became the path through which the new and young artist could express their talent without the need of economical resources the prestige.

The house has been the first step, the promoter, the producer of magnificent shows and collector of the funds for the most unimaginable projects.
Every year in its gallery more than 30 painting and photography displays take place, music shows, ballet, theater, conferences as well as may other cultural expressions are produced. Cultural interchanges with others countries are held, their works and displays are taken to the country side, presentations for companies are organized. The house is open every day of the year and its café bar is the meeting place for artist, and all those who enjoy jazz and bolero nights.

For more than 20 years, the house has worried about the birth of new talents. In its efforts to do so, and with the support of the firm Leon Jimenes and Cerveceria Nacional has sponsored different contest: Stories, theater, novel, young painting and photography, and edits the winner's books where the new writers can see their works done.
In our physical space we have a little office, a warehouse (that is too small already) two display rooms, a two-story cafe bar, a small conference and a small dressing room with their bathroom. Casa de Teatro is a non-profitable organization.

Many are the names that have begun their artistic career in this place. Many are the young people who have made important decisions in their lives when confronting their works with the public. Many are the men and women who haven't lost the hope of dreaming, and some way trough the years, the house, has kept the poetry, the capacity of a astonishment and the faith in a human being capable of not betraying and loosing his sensibility, and the possibility of discovering our god in the unceasing search of beauty and creation.

Freddy Ginebra