Arcana Collective is an experimental theater troupe based in Phoenix, Arizona, founded by director, playwright and actor Ernesto Moncada. The troupe’s performance aesthetic and themes are inspired by the Panic Movement created by the artists Alejandro Jodorowsky, Fernando Arrabal and Roland Topor in Paris, France in the early 1960’s, a chaotic-yet-organic response to elitist surrealism, aiming for
cathartic emotional release and subconscious awareness with emphasis on sensory-shock through imagery/action and sound. They believed in the power of theater’s ephemeral nature. Every Arcana Collective piece is created by combining specific narratives with different “ideologies-as-tools”, such as Numerology, Color Theory, the Marseilles Tarot (as taught by Jodorowsky) and Symbolism (both ancient and postmodern), to present humanistic psychodramas that can be humoristic, tragic, and poignant or all three combined. As such, the Arcana Collective features a constantly evolving cast of diverse performers experienced in a variety of artistic endeavors, from poetry and spoken word to contemporary dance, belly-dance and burlesque, supported by graphic design and painting, as well as improvised and formal acting. Because of this, every show offers a different perspective on its specific exploration, even when revisiting the same script. Since October 2008, the ensemble participates in several performance festivals like The Poe Show, 7 Minutes in Heaven, Phoenix Annual Parade of the Arts and Phoenix Fringe Festival, among others, and performs in theaters and galleries around the downtown Phoenix area, like Space 55, The Trunk Space and Alwun House. Sometimes you find them at random spots along the monthly First Friday Art Walk. Space 55's Late Night Series is proud to present the newest Arcana Collective monthly show: Arcana Cabaret - performing at Space55, on the second Saturday of every month at 10:30pm. Don't stop at second Saturday though, come down to Space55 and spend your Saturday nights checking out originally produced, unique local theatre with their new Late Night Series (all shows start at 10:30pm):
First Saturdays: Hollis's Traveling Tree House and Dance Party
Second Saturdays: Arcana Cabaret
Third Saturdays: What the F*ck Variety Hour
Fourth Saturdays: Space55 Grab Bag
