Teatro Vivo is a popular, viable, and culturally necessary arts organization for the Austin community. Committed to developing a new theatrical aesthetic that is based on and draws from the culture, history, and folklore of the Latino experience, Teatro Vivo continues to be one of the only bilingual Latino theater companies in the state of Texas. Rupert Reyes and JoAnn Reyes founded the organization in 2000.  Teatro Vivo has since produced more than 45 full-length productions, a variety of performance collaborations with other arts organizations, and several theatre workshops for traditionally underserved populations in the Austin community. Teatro Vivo has garnered numerous nominations for acting, writing, and design from both B.Iden Payne Awards (Austin Creative Alliance) and the Austin Critics Table awards, including the Cohen New Play Award. The National Association of Latino Arts and Culture also recognized Teatro Vivo with a grant as part of NALAC Fund for the Arts national funding program to support the 2007 – 2008 theater season.

Teatro Vivo’s mission is to produce culturally relevant Latino theatre that addresses critical social issues. Teatro Vivo serves the community by telling the Latino story, positively reflecting the Latino community and uniquely celebrating the vibrancy of the Latino culture and the power of the human experience. While targeting audience outreach to underserved groups in our community, Teatro Vivo also regularly counts 40% of our audience to be non-Latinos.  The company has established itself as a welcome place for all theatre-goers.

Teatro Vivo received 501(c) 3 status in 2006.  Teatro Vivo is a proud member of the Latino Arts Residenty Program at the Emma S. Barrientos-Mexican American Cultural Center.  As a member of the National Association for Latino Arts and Culture, the Austin Creative Alliance and Greenlights for Non-Profits Success, Teatro Vivo has a strong base of support and a commitment to responsible organizational growth and development as a theater company.