GALLUP REPERTORY THEATER This month the Gallup Repertory Theater is officially announcing its placement in the Gallup arts scene. I was able to sit down with one of the founding members, Erik Pederson, to talk about upcoming projects and the future of theater in Gallup. 36
February 2018
What is the name of your new theater group?
So your company is looking to encompass all areas of theater?
We are The Gallup Repertory Theater. I am one of the four founding members; the others are Suzanne Hammons, Kelli Furney, and Leslie Farrell.
Yes, we are looking not just for actors and performers but people who are interested in set design, costume design, makeup, and the technical parts of theater such as sound and lighting.
How did you all meet? I’ve known Suzanne since high school; we attended Gallup High together, and when we moved back after college, we reconnected. Suzanne and Leslie grew up together here in Gallup, so when Leslie moved back after college I met her through Suzanne. The genesis of our partnership really happened when we all met Kelli last spring when Suzanne directed The Complete History of America (Abridged) and Kelli directed The Complete Works of Shakespeare (Abridged). Kelli, Leslie, and I were the cast for The Complete History of America (Abridged) so we were all able to bond over our love of theater and our desire to bring theater to Gallup and the surrounding area. What made you all decided to start a theater company? We all have performative backgrounds in different ways and we all felt that Gallup was lacking a vibrant theater scene and that our area is underutilized and underserved from a performing arts standpoint, especially because there are so many talented people without an adequate outlet.
So you are looking for professionals? It is certainly not necessary to be a professional. Part of our mission is to find people who have that spark and that passion for theater and to help them grow their talent. What kind of works are you hoping to bring to the community? We would like to bring works that have a connection to our community. There are a lot of great Native American playwrights and plays and a lot of truly wonderful Chicano theater that I feel is not performed enough in our area.
