Exhibition - Stage and Screen: 150 Years of Entertainment in the Mesilla Valley

The Branigan Cultural Center is excited to announce a new exhibit, “Stage and Screen: 150 Years of Entertainment in the Mesilla Valley,” that explores the long history of stage theater and cinema theater in the Mesilla Valley and discusses prominent citizens who were a part of the local theater experience.

Live theater and motion pictures have a way of uniting a community and creating memories for viewers. In the Mesilla Valley, this has been true since the 1870s when the first theater group was founded and later, in 1913, when the first movie theater in Doña Ana County opened in downtown Las Cruces. Throughout the years, community theater groups and university theater productions, along with movies and drive-ins have entertained the citizens of Las Cruces and the Mesilla Valley.

“Stage and Screen” uses selected theater productions and movies to show the historic and contemporary importance of the arts in the Mesilla Valley and the families, individuals, and businesses that support the arts. By using movie posters, theater programs, costumes, and videos, the exhibit presents a wealth of information and examples of theater and film in the region. This exhibit was developed by Tracie Amend, Hamed Aziziangilan, and Jerry Wallace of New Mexico State University’s Public History program.

An opening reception is scheduled for February 2^nd, from 5-7pm. Additionally, several programs are scheduled during the exhibit run, including a presentation by the three exhibit curators on February 15, and a showing of “The Milagro Beanfield War” at the historic Rio Grande Theater on March 16.

For additional information, visit the website at https://www.lascruces.gov/museums or call 575-541-2154.