Who We Are

Teatro Dallas was founded as a non-profit theater in 1985 by Jeff Hurst and Cora Cardona. As a cultural institution, we focus on international theater and the Latinx experience as lenses through which to experience the human condition. We stage productions for adults and children from both classical and contemporary Latino, US, and international playwrights. We support emerging local artists and produce works from a variety of genres, expanding the definition of theater to include visual, musical, spoken word, performance art, and more.

Teatro Dallas is a pillar in our community with seasonal productions and ongoing classes for children and adults no matter their financial need. We regularly represent the United States abroad at world-class theater festivals. And we are proud to have hosted our own International Theater Festival for the past 20 years; the first of its kind in the Southwest.

Our Mission

Teatro Dallas is committed to the cultural empowerment of the Latinx community by representing our varied experiences, voices, and artistic expressions. Through high quality theatrical programming Teatro Dallas employs the power of theater to celebrate our diverse traditions while strengthening our community.

Our Staff

Gustavo Ott

Executive Artistic Director

Sara Cardona

Development Director

Erica Herrera

Managing Director

Cora Cardona

Founder and Contributing Director

Nancy Escobedo

Management Assistant

Mac Welch

Marketing Coordinator

Omar Padilla

Affiliated Artist

Emily Ernst

Affiliated Artist

Founder in Memoriam

Jeff Hurst

Jeff Hurst was a lighting designer in the film and television industry for 45 years. In 1985 he co-founded Teatro Dallas with Cora Cardona, and was an activist in the Dallas arts community, working for racial equity and parity in the arts…

Board of Directors

John Fullinwider

Scott Branks del Llano

Lisa Bailey

Cynthia Miller

Carmen Guzman

Jackson Bailey

Cora Cardona Hurst