MANHATTAN (WABC) — The start of Hispanic and Latin American Heritage Month coincides with the opening of a new immigrant cultural center in Manhattan.<\/p>\n
The new center is part of the People’s Theatre and includes rehearsal studios, a cafe and additional community and performance spaces.<\/p>\n
“A lot of activities and everything we do, we’re going to do concerts and music,” said Washington Heights resident Marisol Alcaide.<\/p>\n
The facility officially opened Tuesday morning on West 206th Street. The project began 18 years ago as the People’s Theatre Project in a one-bedroom Inwood apartment before establishing its permanent home.<\/p>\n
“Welcome to your home, the People’s Theatre Centro Cultural Immigrante,” said Mino Lora, co-founder and executive artistic director.<\/p>\n
The 19,000-square-foot facility was envisioned by Lora and features multiple performance and rehearsal spaces. Among its highlights is a custom chandelier.<\/p>\n
“The grand chandelier contains that custom chandelier, 191 lights, a reminder of 191st Street, where this organization began,” Lora said.<\/p>\n
During the opening celebration, Lin-Manuel Miranda spoke on the main stage. A second, smaller stage bears his family’s name.<\/p>\n
“It took many to collaborate to get to today’s happy moment, a home where artists and audiences can come together in community to tell their stories, share them across generations, and ensure that the immigrant experience remains a key part of the city’s cultural storybook,” Miranda said.<\/p>\n
The center includes two rehearsal spaces, two music rooms and a two-story mural titled Liquid Highway.<\/p>\n
“It’s called liquid Highway. And it’s all about migration and stories. It’s a highway that we take many of us to come here when we emigrate from other places,” Lora said.<\/p>\n
Lora said the new facility is designed to serve as a gathering place for artists, audiences and the broader community.<\/p>\n
“It’s a living building, a place to create, to gather, to learn, perform, to organize, to celebrate and to connect,” Lora said.<\/p>\n
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