ALAC, a Latino arts and culture center founded and operated by the Arizona Latin@ Arts and Culture Consortium, is located at 147 E. Adams (corner of  Adams and 2^nd Street) in downtown Phoenix. The Cultural Coalition is a founding member organization of the consortium.

On First Friday, March 5, rising recording star Quetzal Guerrero will present a special after-hours concert from 9-11 p.m. at ALAC with songs from his latest musical CD.

Quetzal Guerrero has produced a number of CDs of his original works and popular favorites since he was a teenager, but the release of his new, career-best CD titled Now makes good on the promise this young artist has shown since he started playing the violin at four years old.

Quetzal’s innate musicality has led to collaborations with legendary musicians such as Tito Puente, Lalo Guerrero, Los Illegales, Barrio Boyz, and Acoustic Alchemy, among others.

This Chicano/Brazilian’s new disc highlights his maturity as a songwriter and his band’s increasingly tight rhythms. And what a wide variety of musical rhythms and vocal harmonies this tribe puts out! Quetzal’s unique, totally original music is a convergence of Salsa, Yoruba, Brazilian, House Hip Hop, Jazz, and Soul.

On Third Friday, Feb. 19 at 7:30 p.m., renowned playwright/actor/mask-maker Zarco Guerrero reveals the awesome power of the mask to transform in his unique, one-man show, Face @ Face in a Frenzy. If you haven’t seen it yet, you shouldn’t miss this performance!!

With a master’s touch, the artist personifies eccentric cultural prototypes such as the poetry spouting El Vato Poeta, the flirtatious La Comadre, the clueless Special Ed, the wise El Abuelito, and other beloved roles this prolific playwright has created to express the humor and sadness of our lives.  Bring the entire family, it is appropriate for all audiences.

Zarco Guerrero, Bruno Cisneros, Andres Martinez,  and Carmen de Novais will perform the play, Cesar Says.  Featuring many songs of the farm workers movement while telling the story of Chavez.

In Cesar Says, multi-talented playwright, actor, and mask-maker Zarco Guerrero portrays the life and times of the iconic historical figure Cesar Chavez through his unique masked characters and their reverent yet humorous style of story-telling. The Cesar Chavez Education Foundation commissioned Zarco to write and stage this new play.

In Cesar Says, Zarco puts Chavez’s life and accomplishments into perspective in a delightful and engaging way in this family oriented show.

Tickets for all these events are $10.   You may pay at the door or to reserve tickets by calling 480.834-5731, or visit www.culturalcoalition.org. But better hurry, tickets will be going fast for these popular performing artists and seating is limited !

You may also email:  culturalcarmen@msn.com to reserve your seats.

For other events in which Zarco is performing, or to buy a copy of his colorful book, We Decorate the Dead (a narrative poem by Zarco, 35 photos and illustrations, as well as history about the holiday) visit www.zarkmask.com.

Cultural Coalition, founded in 1996, has been the producing organization for festivals, theater, music concerts, and community events  in Guadalupe, Phoenix, Mesa, Chandler, and the west Valley.

This presentation was designed to enhance and share the 8th grade, Cross Curricular Unit of study on World War II and “Envisioning Peace: Tolerance”, Phoenix, Arizona.

The unit of study was made possible by funding from the Phoenix Office of Arts and Culture, the Cultural Arts Coalition (who also helped to write the grant and create the arts component of the curriculum), the Orangewood Site Council, the Orangewood PTO and the Orangewood Student Council.

The 800 students were divided into 2 rotating groups to provide an opportunity for everyone in the school to attend this production.

The stage was set with visual arts created by the 8th graders during the art classes weeks before; the result of a bead and origami crane workshop based on the book Sadako, the true story of a Japanese girl who died from leukemia- the result of radiation from the atom bomb dropped on Hiroshima. Children around the world create cranes honoring acts of peace building. These origami crane and bead strands are intentions for PEACE in our homes, communities, countries created by each 8th grader at Orangewood. A lesson plan for crane making can be found here.

Anna introduces program and the use of the Byrd Baylor book, “The Way to Start A Day”, that sets the theme for the production throughout the performance of "Envisioning Peace: Tolerance"

Before the production Michele and Esther apply makeup and straighten costuming.

The girls’ fan dance and the tension of the young warriors mimic the real life scenario of the tension between boys and girls at this age as they become independent young adults.

“Chant at Dawn”

A special thanks was extended to Judy Butzine of the Cultural Arts Coalition; Esther Vandecar of Fushicho Daiko Dojo; Michele Ceballos Michot and Dulce Juarez of Opendance; Orangewood Principal Andree Charlson, Regan Schwartz, Catherine Switzer, Alejandro Luna, Melissa Griffin, Enoch Davis and Warren Panaligan for their dedication to the arts and the students of Orangewood Elementary.

The power and internal vibration from the drumming was profound and gut felt! The visual arts of the origami cranes and masks was beautiful and significant to the overall residency.

Dance choreographed by Michele Ceballos Michot, Opendance, “Feel the Sun.”

Taiko Drumming instructed and led by Esther Vandecar—“Edo Matsuri"

The interspersed drumming with the dance and movement was awesome and kept the students of all ages enthralled!