PictureFrancheska Morales, performing her poetry at Mount Holyoke College.
Our Vision:
​The Short Version

We encourage youth to strive for excellence in all facets of their lives with a spirit of generosity, non-violence and compassion.  We are "the other TV" creating our own reality.
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Teatro V!da was founded to build youth leadership through the arts with a special focus on the creation of youth generated multi-media performance works in collaboration with professional adult artists. Our intergenerational ensemble work provides venue for youth to identify and address issues that concern them in creative, positive and life-giving ways.  Our teaching is incremental and intensive, providing the structure and tools necessary to build confidence, support critical thinking, embrace a love of learning, inspire innovation, practice presence, and engage  in respectful, reciprocal and healthy social interactions.  Our members acquire skills for literacy, positive leadership, organizing youth produced arts events, public speaking, team work and strategies for building a successful life that benefits the individual, our community and society at large.  We encourage youth to strive for excellence in all facets of their lives with a spirit of generosity, non-violence and compassion.  We are "the other TV" creating our own reality.


Springfield College and Teatro V!da Ign!te a New Vision

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October, 2016: A new partnership with Springfield College begins to take shape. Conversations began in the summer, and now the planning and activating of visions have begun. A van full of Springfield College students joined community youth at the October Ign!te the M!c. We are now in the envisioning stage as we reach into the untapped possibilities of Ign!te! Felicia Lundquist, Director of Multicultural Affairs for Springfield College tells us "I'm so excited about the possibilities of connecting our students with the Springfield Community in meaningful ways. I know our partnership with Teatro V!da and the Bing Arts Center will be meaningful and successful!" 
(Felicia pictured to the right in photo above)
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Ign!te the M!c, January 28, 2015, welcomed guests from the University of Massachusetts and Mount Holyoke College. Special thanks to our long-term supporter, Dr. Priscilla Page.
To learn more about our by youth for youth monthly open mic:
http://ignitethemic.weebly.com
Below is Natalie Riquelmy performing her poetry at Mount Holyoke College (where she is a senior):

2016 Update: Natalie has graduated Mount Holyoke College and is currently pursuing a Masters degree at PRATT in NYC.

Teatro V!da and Springfield College Collaborate - Stay tuned! Above to the right, Felicia Lundquist, Director of Multicultural Affairs, joined by students interested in Teatro V!da.

Our alumnaes lead successful and fulfilling lives. Many of our members attend or have already graduated from institutions of higher learning and/or are also attending graduate school which include:

​Harvard University
University of Massachusetts, Dartmouth                 
American International College
Saint Peter's College
Westfield University
Ashnuntuck Community College
Springfield College
Holyoke Community College
Springfield Technical Community College
Baypath College
Goddard College
University of Massachusetts, Amherst
John Hopkins University
​Western Neww England University
​just to name a few...

Magdalena Gómez
Co-founder and Artistic Director

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"I feel Magdalena is one of the top artist educators in the country...her classrooms are places of healing and rejuvenation. I look forward to collaborating with her much more in the future."
Kurt Wootton, Founder and Co-director, www.habla.org in Merida, Mexico; former director of Brown University Arts Literacy Project

"The care and compassion that Magdalena expressed reminded me of how the energy of a person can completely change and affect the energy of my students. I need to incorporate this knowledge and confidence into my teaching."
Educator, Madeline English School, Everett, MA
www.mijamemoir.com  and  www.latinapoet.com
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Teatro V!da volunteer, Tiffany Morales (L) and Natalie Riquelmy, Ign!te the M!c's new Team Leader who joined us in August, 2015.
The Current Youth Leadership Team:
The Ign!te the M!c Collective  
Creating Safe Venue for Youth
Throughout the City and Region

Andrew Torres; Emma Shooshan; Ilhan Braxton; Iris Martinez; Abigail Santiago; Nyra Braxton; Zubaida Bello; Mishie Serrano; Alyssa Dominguez; Cheyenne Capella. (More info to come - they are all doing great things in the world!!)

Eilish Thompson (Alumna):  Eilish joined us while still a sophomore in high school.  Throughout all of her years with us she continues to perform, write, professionally publish, volunteer and still makes time to travel and work as she completes her Harvard degree.  Eilish directed our first original anti-bullying production, Bullying:  What are You Going to Do About it? with support from one of our founding members, Yolanda Scavron, now a graduate of St, Peter's College and on her way to graduate school!  Eilish was seventeen years old at the time.  Eilish has worked with Magdalena Gómez as an intern with SmART Schools; Homer Street School; and was one of two TV members invited to speak on Relevant Education for the Honors Program of Lasell College in Newton, MA by Dr. Stephanie Athey, director of the program. Eilish is currently a student at Harvard finishing up her undergraduate degree.

Francheska Morales (Alumna): Francheska came to Teatro V!da by way of Ign!te the M!c, our monthly open mic series, by youth for youth.  It was the first time she read her poetry in front of a live audience.  Francheska broke through her "fear and anxiety" of performance and public speaking going on to win slam competitions, get published and become the gracious, savvy and welcoming host of Ign!te the M!c for the last three years.  She has created a space for youth to express themselves through creative work.  All the the Teatro V!da members join Francheska in the sentiment that:  "we're proud and excited that our venue is the first place many youth come to find their public voice.  They feel safe and break the fear, just like I did." Francheska is a graduate of Holyoke Community College and is making plans to complete her undergraduate degree at a four-year college.  Francheska and Eilish are both featured artists on Teatro V!da's first poetry CD,
(UN) Spoken Words, that highlights the original work of six Teatro V!da Poets in thirteen poems in Spanish and English.

(2016 Update:  Francheska is now pursuing her B.A. at the University Without Walls at the University of Massachusetts, Amherst.)

​Jack Devlin (Alum): Jack also arrived at Teatro V!da by way of Ign!te.  As a volunteer for the Bing, he began as an audience member and eventually went up to the mic as a storyteller.  Jack, like his counterparts is also multi-talented: a visual artist, organizer, carpenter and enthusiastic supporter of the arts.
We gratefully welcomed Jack as part of the team.



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Narelle Thomas, alumna, speaks about how Teatro V!da has influenced her creative work.   Narrelle is currently a student at Goddard College and an entrepreneur. Founder of vegan K-Cookies.

We miss you Natalie and your fierce self as pictured below.  Best of success and fulfillment at PRATT!
On the right are members of Teatro V!da's Ferocious Women Ensemble.  L to R:  Samalid Hogan and Sophia; Norma Nunnally; Rosemary Tracy Woods; Kim Parlengas; Jean Canosa Albano; Francheska Morales; Magdalena Gómez; (front) Marcia Vilpic (in turquoise head wrap) and Eilish Thompson.  Missing from what we thought  was a photo, are María Luisa Arroyo and Janis Astor del Valle.

The Ferocious Women Ensemble is a multi-generational group of women who meet on a regular basis to organize events, volunteer, nurture and support each other, mentor younger women and girls, and engage in theater making.  Their first performance, Random Secrets from the Dressing Room, an original text by the group and other community women, as well as Pushcart Prize Nominee, Kathryn Neel, currently based in Florida, was performed at the Bing Arts Center in Springfield, and at Amherst Media, as fundraisers for those organizations.  The ensemble is currently working on a new production - stay tuned.
We are grateful for the contributions of all the members, volunteers, guest artists, artistic associates, businesses, organizations, supporters, mentors, sponsors, funders, donors, audiences, educational institutions, media outlets of every form, both past and present, who will always remain and be acknowledged as part of us.  The Teatro V!da archives will be included within the archives of our Co-founder and Artistic Director, Magdalena Gómez, held in perpetuity at the Thomas J. Dodd Research Center, University of Connecticut, Storrs.  

Original Co-founders:
​Magdalena Gómez and The Latino Breakfast Club.

Original community partners:  
Amherst Media; The Springfield Museums; and the Greater Springfield YMCA.  

Current community partners:  
Samuel D. Plotkin Associates; Amherst Media; Bing Arts Center; Gandara Health Center; Art for the Soul Galleries (Founder and Curator, Rosemary Tracy Woods); Office of Multicultural Affairs for Springfield College and Director, Felicia Lundquist; Mount Holyoke College's Community Based Learning Program; City Councilor, Tim Rooke.