MARFA — With Marfa Live Arts’ Playwriting Workshop entering its 14th year, the organization has shaken things up by eschewing the traditional stage-trained playwright instructor, opting instead to bring onboard Joe Salinas, an El Paso-based multidisciplinary artist with a passion for storytelling and skateboarding. A prolific filmmaker and photographer, Salinas has produced projects for National Geographic and has worked with Austin-based directors Robert Rodriguez (Spy Kids, Sin City, El Mariachi, Machete) and Richard Linklater (Dazed and Confused, Boyhood.)
Salinas, who was once a resident of Marfa, brings his decades of experience as an actor, writer, and director to the table, and is currently leading Marfa High School students through a week-long course which will culminate with the best plays brought to life on stage in early March.
“It’s going to be awesome. I’ve really been looking forward to working with these kids,” Salinas said. “I plan on hitting the ground running with them, and I know there will be countless things that I’ll learn too.”
Salinas, who has previously worked with children teaching acting classes, filmography and photography, explained that his workshop will likely stray from the traditional classes which he believes will allow for further personal introspection. “It’ll be really cool to work with these kids on storytelling,” he said. “I think out here, there’s just a freedom of expression. Of being able to write and develop a script and write out scenarios and tell stories that can be in their own voices. I want them to smile and not be too regimented and not have any anxiety. It has to be fun.”
One reason the playwriting program has thrived for over a decade has been its partnership with Marfa High School and the participation of MHS English teachers Donel Lara and Coach Linda Ojeda. “I’m really glad that we’re still continuing this partnership,” Ojeda said. “These kids are pretty ambitious and a lot of them are going on to higher education. We’re thankful for this opportunity.” The program, Ojeda added, has been a success due to the playwrights in residence. “One of the most important things is that the kids can relate to the individual doing the workshop,” she said. “Starting from the first year, Marfa Live Arts has always brought it with the playwrights selected. They’ve always been easily relatable to our kids and they let the students have an open mind about what they’re going to be writing about and pick the topics they want. They really do bring out the best in the kids.”
Though this will be his first time instructing a Marfa Live Arts program, Salinas did serve as a producer at Marfa Live Arts’ November program, Ándale a Marfa, which featured mariachi singer Arturo Guerrero, Marfa Folkloríco and Ojinaga historian Victor Sotelo Mata at the USO Building. “When I had first moved here, I heard a lot of good things about Marfa Live Arts, so I’m really honored to be able to get to do this program at the school,” Salinas said. “Hopefully the students will be able to use this later in life. Maybe there will be an amazing playwright or director that will look back and recall their experiences during this week.”
For Salinas, the playwright workshop also gives local teenagers a chance to discover something new about themselves and open the possibility of a career in the performing arts. “When I was a kid, this type of work seemed out of my world. I grew up poor and I would just think that there’s no way I would ever be able to get to do things like this. And it’ll be cool to let these kids know that it doesn’t matter about all that stuff that’s out of your control. When you’re in the moment, writing and expressing what is in your heart. You realize, yes, you’re actually able to do this stuff and make it happen. Then it’s like, the whole world is theirs,” he said.
For Salinas, the entire experience will boil down to one thing: community. “Marfa is the perfect place for the arts. I hope these kids have or can open their eyes and know that it all exists if they want it to. There’s nobody competing with each other and everyone here is helping and interested in what other people are doing, and that’s just amazing,” he said. “I hope the kids here understand that they have something really unique and cool. I think it’s important and great that this program exists, and they get the opportunity to be able to do it.”
For more information on Marfa Live Arts programs, please visit www.marfalivearts.org.