The American Southwest Theatre Company was founded in 1984 by Dr. Bruce Streett and Tony Award-winning playwright Mark Medoff. Their purpose was to invite visiting Guest Artists
The American Southwest Theatre Company was founded in 1984 by Dr. Bruce Streett and Tony Award-winning playwright Mark Medoff. Their purpose was to invite visiting Guest Artists to work alongside a Resident Company of theatre professionals to enrich the community and New Mexico State University's Department of Theatre Arts' students.
ASTC's Resident Company members teach courses for the Department of Theatre Arts and lead the production of ASTC/NMSU's theatrical season, while working professionally around the nation to forge valuable artistic connections. ASTC's visiting Guest Artists are funded solely by ASTC's Board of Trustees fund- raising efforts and include professional artists who are in residence for specific productions. Recent guest artists have included actor Jeremy Lawrence, star of Albert in Wonderland: a fantasia on Einstein; film and stage designer Thom Bumblauskas; and New York director Shoshana Gold. These artists are contracted by ASTC's Producing Artistic Director in conjunction with the Managing Director and the Board of Trustees. The number of guest artists contracted for each season varies, depending on the artistic needs of the season and available funding.
In the last ten years alone, over 175,000 patrons have attended ASTC/NMSU performances at the Hershel Zohn Theatre. An additional 110,000 area elementary school children have been provided with free theatre performances through the award-winning "Theatre for Young Audiences" program. Another 5,000 high school students have seen matinee performances at a reduced cost.
There are no other theatres in the region that have the capacity and talents of both ASTC and its partnership with the NMSU Theatre Arts Department.
ASTC is a not-for-profit corporation (501c-3), governed by a Board of Trustees made- up of company and community members who value the arts and philanthropy.
Live theatrical performances.
