About Us
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Mandate, Goals, and History
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PUENTE Theatre Society in Victoria, BC, was founded in 1988 by Chilean-born director Lina de Guevara, an immigrant to Canada, out of her own need to tell her story through theatre, and to connect with the Arts in her new country. Puente is a Spanish word meaning 'bridge'.
The mandate of PUENTE Theatre
is to use theatrical experience
as a bridge between cultures.
Ms. De Guevara's vision for PUENTE is to express the immigrant experience while striving for the highest artistic standards. PUENTE endeavours to gain respect for the cultural heritage that immigrants bring to our new homeland, and to facilitate the integration of newcomer artists with the local theatre environment.
PUENTE aims to make it possible for everyone to enjoy the cultural richness brought by immigrants and by the process of immigration itself. To understand it fully and embrace it in all its complexity, and to do this with artistic quality, has always been our objective.
PUENTE aims to make it possible for everyone to enjoy the cultural richness brought by immigrants and by the process of immigration itself. To understand it fully and embrace it in all its complexity, and to do this with artistic quality, has always been our objective.
PUENTE's goals are:
- To offer work and creative development opportunities to immigrant artists.
- To create a multi-ethnic network of immigrant artists and resources, designed to attract and engage newcomers.
- To develop Canadian audiences, and educate them about aspects of the immigrant experience.
- To expose Canadian audiences to works from other cultures.
- To expose immigrant artists to Canadian theatre.
- To build community through collaborative projects.
- To act as an information resource for other organizations and agencies regarding theatrical works from other cultures.
- To use theatre to explore social issues including, but not limited to, those relating to race and culture.
PUENTE pursues these goals through a myriad of activities:
- The creation, production and performance of theatrical works, which explore and relate the experiences of immigrants to Canada.
- The production and performance of theatrical works from other cultures.
- The translation of theatrical works from other cultures.
- The touring of locally developed projects for provincial, national and international audiences.
- The use of alternate forms of theatrical presentation, such as workshop productions, readings, and Forum performances, which facilitate dialogue on community issues.
- Workshops, training courses, mentorships and other programs whose goal is to support and encourage the participation of immigrant theatre people in the Canadian theatre scene.
- The invitation of theatre personalities from other countries (e.g.. Mexico, Chile, Cuba, Brazil) for local workshops and trainings.
- Active communication with theatre people from other countries (largely in Latin America, but also including India, England and Japan).
PUENTE has produced a great number of original plays such as: I wasn’t born here, Crossing Borders, Canadian Tango, Familya, Sisters/Strangers, Of Roots and Racism, Theatre Against Racism, Act Now Against Racism, Storytelling Our Lives 1, Story Mosaic, Letters for Tomas, Storytelling Our Lives 2, and Heinz 57.
PUENTE has collaborated with other organizations - such as the Full Spectrum Arts Society, The Inter-Cultural Association, Media-Net, and Open Space Cultural Centre - in the production of plays from other cultures. Collaborative plays produced include: The House of Bernarda Alba by F.Garcia Lorca, Evita and Victoria by Monica Ottino, and Pastorela de Juan Tierra el Inmigrante by Jaime Silva. Some of these plays have been translated locally; other local translations include Something in the Air, Pereira Declares and Madame Mao. Every year, PUENTE, in collaboration with the Belfry Theatre, produces "Wordplay", a series of staged readings of plays from around the world.
PUENTE’s work has been the subject of several videos, including Creating Bridges, Changing Rhythms, Like Father, Like Son, Rosa’s Story and Changing Steps. Numerous articles have been published in magazines such as Alt Theatre, Canadian Theatre
Review, Artichoke, about the artistic experience in this culturally diverse theatre group, such as It takes one to know one, Sisters/ Strangers, a community play, Wordplay: Creating Connections through Play readings, and The Pastorela Festival in Mexico City.
PUENTE productions have appeared in Canadian theatre festivals in Victoria (Fringe), Vancouver (Fringe, Women In View), Harrison Hot Springs, Canadian Popular Theatre Festivals in Edmonton and Guelph), and in international festivals such as the Theatre of the Oppressed (Rio de Janeiro and Toronto) and Hispano American Festival of Pastorelas (Mexico City). PUENTE has participated in theatre conferences and workshops such as Taller de Pastorelas (Tepic, Mexico), Comunidad 98 (Havana, Cuba), and Theatre of The Oppressed, with A. Boal (Manitoulin Island and Seattle). Because of PUENTE’s prestige, its artistic director was invited to be a
keynote speaker at the IDEA (International Drama Educators Association) Conference in Ottawa, July 04, and to teach at the United World College of the North West in New Mexico in November ’04 and at the Instituto del Teatro, Teatro Vision, San Jose, California in July ’05.
In the past four years, our work has expanded in no small part thanks to a continuous Capacity Building Grant from the Canada Council for the Arts, an indication of the Council's strong confidence in PUENTE. We also deeply appreciate the vote of confidence given us by the Capital Regional District, who supports us with operating funding. These grants have greatly helped to strengthen our organization, and allowed us to continue the projects already started and to implement new ones. As the demand for our work grows, we continually seek other sources of funding (both public and private), carry out research, build our profile, organize tours, administer the work at hand, and strategize/plan for the future.
Review, Artichoke, about the artistic experience in this culturally diverse theatre group, such as It takes one to know one, Sisters/ Strangers, a community play, Wordplay: Creating Connections through Play readings, and The Pastorela Festival in Mexico City.
PUENTE productions have appeared in Canadian theatre festivals in Victoria (Fringe), Vancouver (Fringe, Women In View), Harrison Hot Springs, Canadian Popular Theatre Festivals in Edmonton and Guelph), and in international festivals such as the Theatre of the Oppressed (Rio de Janeiro and Toronto) and Hispano American Festival of Pastorelas (Mexico City). PUENTE has participated in theatre conferences and workshops such as Taller de Pastorelas (Tepic, Mexico), Comunidad 98 (Havana, Cuba), and Theatre of The Oppressed, with A. Boal (Manitoulin Island and Seattle). Because of PUENTE’s prestige, its artistic director was invited to be a keynote speaker at the IDEA (International Drama Educators Association) Conference in Ottawa, July 04, and to teach at the United World College of the North West in New Mexico in November ’04 and at the Instituto del Teatro, Teatro Vision, San Jose, California in July ’05.
Over the years, PUENTE has been awarded grants from many organizations and agencies, such as the Canada Council for the Arts, the Department of Canadian Heritage, the Capital Regional District, Multiculturalism BC, the BC Arts Council, the Federal Ministry of Health and Welfare, Manpower and Immigration, the Vancouver Foundation, 2010 Legacies ArtsNow, and the Victoria Foundation.
In the past four years, our work has expanded in no small part thanks to a continuous Capacity Building Grant from the Canada Council for the Arts, an indication of the Council's strong confidence in PUENTE. We also deeply appreciate the vote of confidence given us by the Capital Regional District, who supports us with operating funding. These grants have greatly helped to strengthen our organization, and allowed us to continue the projects already started and to implement new ones. As the demand for our work grows, we continually seek other sources of funding (both public and private), carry out research, build our profile, organize tours, administer the work at hand, and strategize/plan for the future.
In Victoria, PUENTE is the only theatre with the specific mandate to express the experiences of 
immigrants to Canada. We serve a special niche in the community. Because of its location and small population, Victoria presents special challenges in terms of promoting diversity in the Arts. We do this in our programming and we preferably employ immigrant theatre professionals. We present theatre from the many cultures that form the Canadian mosaic.
Victoria’s immigrant population is increasing steadily and needs to be represented in the Performing Arts. When other theatre groups in Victoria need actors, plays, music, or information about theatre from other cultures, they consult with us. We work in close contact with the Intercultural Association of Greater Victoria, the Victoria Immigrant and Refugee Centre, and other organizations that work with immigrants, as well as with individuals and arts organizations interested in diversity such as the Belfry Arts Center, the La Run Arts Center, the Canadian College of Performing Arts, and the Story Theatre Company. We are in demand by schools, Camosun College, the University of Victoria, and community groups to carry out multicultural presentations, anti- racism education, and promotion of diversity.
PUENTE has built and maintains a trained core of theatre people of immigrant background, to continue, enhance and expand our programming. PUENTE has developed into a strong presence in Victoria and the wider province, accessing and nurturing new audiences, and continually pursuing new works. 
PUENTE works in close contact with the Intercultural Association and the Victoria Immigrant and Refugee Centre, which support immigrants in their integration into our society. We have collaborated on many projects, such as storytelling workshops, trainings using theatre for anti-racism education, and workshops to help families adapt to Canadian society.
Tales), Middle and High School (Act Now Against Racism and Heinz 57) and University level (Heinz 57 and Uthe/Athe).
immigrants to Canada. We serve a special niche in the community. Because of its location and small population, Victoria presents special challenges in terms of promoting diversity in the Arts. We do this in our programming and we preferably employ immigrant theatre professionals. We present theatre from the many cultures that form the Canadian mosaic. Victoria’s immigrant population is increasing steadily and needs to be represented in the Performing Arts. When other theatre groups in Victoria need actors, plays, music, or information about theatre from other cultures, they consult with us. We work in close contact with the Intercultural Association of Greater Victoria, the Victoria Immigrant and Refugee Centre, and other organizations that work with immigrants, as well as with individuals and arts organizations interested in diversity such as the Belfry Arts Center, the La Run Arts Center, the Canadian College of Performing Arts, and the Story Theatre Company. We are in demand by schools, Camosun College, the University of Victoria, and community groups to carry out multicultural presentations, anti- racism education, and promotion of diversity.
PUENTE has built and maintains a trained core of theatre people of immigrant background, to continue, enhance and expand our programming. PUENTE has developed into a strong presence in Victoria and the wider province, accessing and nurturing new audiences, and continually pursuing new works. PUENTE works in close contact with the Intercultural Association and the Victoria Immigrant and Refugee Centre, which support immigrants in their integration into our society. We have collaborated on many projects, such as storytelling workshops, trainings using theatre for anti-racism education, and workshops to help families adapt to Canadian society.
PUENTE collaborates with a number of theatres in Victoria with an interest in diversity, such as the Belfry Theatre, the La Run Arts Centre, Spilt Milk Theatre, Story Theatre Company, The Canadian College of Performing
Arts, Spectrum Arts Society, and Cinevic.PUENTE has designed and implemented several programs for the educational system, at elementary and middle school (Story Mosaic, Winter Tales and Spring
Tales), Middle and High School (Act Now Against Racism and Heinz 57) and University level (Heinz 57 and Uthe/Athe).
We have prepared shows focused specifically on immigrant women's issues such as I Wasn’t Born Here, a VIDA Theatre project on family violence, Sisters/Strangers, and a multi-year series of community-generated plays: Storytelling Our Lives. These shows have been organized and presented for women’s organizations across the province.
Our work on Storytelling Our Lives has been a successful, innovative and collaborative project between professional theatre artists, immigrant women, and immigrant-serving organizations in seven cities in British Columbia. As with many of our projects, we used theatre as a non-threatening means to create an understanding, caring and safe and supportive environment for all.
Storytelling Our Lives is exemplary of how our work raises public
awareness of the contributions of immigrants to Canadian cultural and artistic expression. It promotes culturally diverse creative opportunities for minority performers, writers and musicians to present their work to wider audiences in smaller population centres in BC, where these opportunities are much more rare, or do not exist at all. We have opened up avenues for ongoing participation in the Arts with immigrant communities far beyond Victoria.
PUENTE has successfully mentored several immigrant and First Nations women artists, and helped them express their unique experiences in the broader Canadian Arts scene. Over the years, our mandate has kept us in close contact with the immigrant community in Victoria, and now also across British Columbia, and with all those interested in diversity in the Arts. In doing so, we are able to convey a visceral understanding of the immigrant experience that we hope will continue to promote cross-cultural tolerance, appreciation, and celebration in our neighbourhoods and communities.
