Azuay Community Theater at 10: Ecuador’s only English-speaking theater celebrates a decade

By Scott Levine

DATELINE: Cuenca, Ecuador 2014. SuperMaxi shelves have never known Heinz 57 ketchup. Mariscal Lamar and Gran Colombia are torn up for future Tranvia tracks. Expats arrive in big numbers, drawn by Cuenca’s affordability and beauty and informed by International Living ranking it the #1 retirement destination. Number of English-speaking theaters in Cuenca: 0.

The Early Years (2014-2017)
In 2014, a small group of theater-loving expats responded to a Gringo Post ad for acting lessons. Through this innocuous beginning, Ninfa Gonzalez, Bob Pirtle, Linda Chase, and Deana Culp met and, after some discussion, decided to gauge interest in forming an English-speaking theater. With positive feedback, they formed a Board and soon thereafter, Azuay Community Theater was born.

In 2015-17, the burgeoning, but homeless, theater performed at well-known Cuenca venues including Teatro Casa de la Cultura, the Abraham Lincoln Cultural Center, and Museo Pumapungo. Original founder Deana Culp notes, “we were vagabonds until 2018!” Absent a home theater, the group struggled for consistency for its actors and its audiences. Theatergoers had to pay attention not just for upcoming show titles, but for where the shows would be staged. Similarly, the lack of a permanent home-made rehearsals a challenge. But audiences came, and it was clear that Cuenca’s vibrant arts scene had ample room for an English-speaking theater.

Finding a Home (2018-2019)
Finding a permanent home proved to be quite a challenge for many reasons–size needs, ideally some sort of kitchen facility, space for a green room, and the like. And finding all of this in a safe, accessible space on a nonprofit organization’s shoestring budget made the challenge even greater. But the victory was even sweeter when, in the spring of 2018, ACT rented a venue on Ordóñez Lasso next to the Hotel Oro Verde. As has been the case throughout ACT’s history, volunteers were instrumental–in this case, transforming the space into a theater with a proper stage, lighting booth, and green room.

The first production in the new theater, “The Kitchen Witches” premiered later in April 2018, followed by “Four Places,” “The Odd Couple,” and “Clever Little Lies.” The theater also hosted vocal concerts by the acapella group Cuencordia. Audiences loved the performances and the location–it was a great fit.

Success continued in 2019, with several plays, a violin concert, and more Cuencordia acapella performances. The play “Over the River and Through the Woods” brought 2019 to a successful close.

Pandemic Pause (2020-2021)
Life came to a halt in 2020 with COVID-19’s arrival. Ecuador took safety very seriously, and all plays were cancelled for the foreseeable future as the city went into total lockdown. For the next two years the stage was dark. The ACT Angels fundraising program launched to help pay rent on the now-shuttered theater, demonstrating its importance to the expat community.

As life slowly returned to normal, ACT ended a difficult time on a positive note, reopening with a staged radio play of “A Christmas Carol.” The performance was symbolic — joyous, defiant, and cathartic. It signaled that ACT had survived the storm and was ready to rebuild.

A Fresh Start (2023-2025)
After a successful 2022 at the Ordóñez Lasso location, ACT faced a new burden when the landlord chose a higher-paying tenant in January 2023. Facing the threat of homelessness anew, the leadership scoured Cuenca for a suitable venue. After two locations fell through, the theater signed a lease on its current home on Antonio Vega Munoz in September 2023. Volunteers once again met the challenge of transforming the space head on, insulating walls, constructing a stage, and outfitting a lighting and sound booth. The first play in the new space, “The Cemetery Club,” premiered that November, followed by a return to a normal schedule of productions. The just-completed 2024-2025 season was another success, thanks in part to the ACT Angels fundraising effort and the now-proven need for, and delight with, an English-speaking theater company.

The 2025-2026 season, opening 10/23 with “A Jukebox for the Algonquin,” promises a compelling mix of comedy and drama. It also celebrates an important milestone: ACT’s 10th anniversary. The season was announced last month, along with a new logo and 10th anniversary mark to usher in a new era of great theater.

Individual “Jukebox” tickets go on sale on September 23rd, but an even more compelling offer is still available: Flex Tickets. Considered by some to be Cuenca’s best entertainment deal, Flex Tickets entitles the purchaser to a full season, six shows, for the price of five–just $75. Buyers can use their tickets for individual shows, share with friends and visitors, or any other combination. Order tickets at https://www.actseats.com/flex-purchase using credit cards, PayPal, or Ecuadorian bank transfer. These payment options are also available for readers who want to become an ACT Angel: https://www.actseats.com/angel.

The Future
With a stable home, a growing roster of acting and directing talent, enhanced sound and lighting, and many volunteers, ACT will remain what it has always been: Ecuador’s only English-speaking theater, open to all.

The tenth anniversary is both a celebration of past triumphs amid hardship and an invitation—for new actors, directors, Angels, and audiences to join the story. Margaret Mead famously said, “Never doubt that a small group of thoughtful, committed citizens can change the world.” In Cuenca, they already have.