Hello Alamo!
Now that I’ve told you about the venue, let me tell you about the event!
Rebel Performing Arts has been a nonprofit dedicated to supporting mental health specifically through uplifting unheard voices since 2024.
On top of Rent, I’ve known some of the founding members for years even prior to this; amazing people. I also happen to love their mission statement, and the ones I’ve met since have lived up to every word. Welcoming. Warm. Supportive. A part of our community that I am so very fortunate to know.
This time around (and next time around, but we will get there), the experience of watching rehearsal was a bit different.
Technically I am a “90s baby.” That was my first decade of life, so that will always be my number 1, but I’d say college was one of if not *the* best time of my life for several reasons. Probably 3 or 4 on that list, the soundtrack was fire. I can actively remember driving around Las Cruces with my best friends Rebecca and Thomas jamming out to a few of the songs Rebel practiced. This was pretty nostalgic for me. I think there was maybe 1 song I wasn’t singing along to simply because I never heard it back then.
More than that, though, making sure they had a more intimate space similar to their usual Otero Arts (HUGE shout out to Amy Bethard for finding Creo!) does this show a huge service. Each of these performers visibly lets loose, has fun, and leans into the physically comedic side of artistry every single time I’ve seen them on stage. It’s very hard not to play off that energy as an audience member.
I would be remiss not to mention the ambition and engagement of the choreography they put together. The personal stand out to me comes from their own wildly talented Adrianna Sharpe for Uptown Funk (who, just to point out, played Regina George and alongside Aaron Samuels/ Bradley Oliver choreographed much of Mean Girls just last month). I am deeply impressed with how hard this group works just to provide some reprieve to Alamogordo.
I’ve rambled on about the importance of different art forms on this blog too many times to count. And you’ll never stop me. Performance art especially does give you so much freedom. Not only are you engaging amongst community and receiving permission to be goofy or dramatic or sad or energetic etc. as well, but through that, you get to belong so completely even just for a night.
Opportunities to take up space and feel celebrated in your community are the most important to well-being, and dare I say, mental/physical health.
The show dates for the Aux Cord Chronicles are this weekend at 2723 N. Florida Ave:
Friday at 7pm
Saturday at 2pm and 7pm (I’ll see you at the latter!)
Sunday at 2pm
They’re going fast, so snag tickets here while you can.
Salud!
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