VIVA! El Paso

I had heard of this infamous thing called VIVA! El Paso since my first time at the mission in 2003, but had never been until this past Saturday night with the Language Plus JumpStart participants. Servant event groups used to go every week, but no one has thus far in the year and a half I've been here, at least no one that I remember. Maybe that's partly due to the fact that it used to be awful (at least according to everyone I have talked to...I never saw it for myself), but everything--storyline, choreography, costumes, etc.--has recently gotten MUCH better. Anyways, it's a musical that traces the history of El Paso, through all of the cultures that have occupied the area, concluding with the present day. It takes place in the McKelligon Canyon Amphitheater, so it's kind of like El Paso's version of the Muny for you St. Louisans. Anyways, I did enjoy the show, and they allow photography without a flash, so here are a few scenes:

The opening number--flags and dancers representing all the nations/cultures that have occupied what is now El Paso.

See the building very faintly silhouetted in the background? It's the Ysleta Mission (not the Ysleta Lutheran Mission...the Catholic one that is around the corner from us), which I learned is the oldest continually operating church on TX soil.

Until next time, blessings!