Celebrate the Performing Arts in Southwest New Mexico and Support Summer Youth Programs

Performer Sarah Thrasher in a Shakespeare sceneSilver City, NM:  Today, Oasis Coffee and Tea House announced the 1st Annual “Shaking the Tree” Performing Arts Festival in honor of Mother’s Day weekend to commence: May 12, 13, and 14, 2023. The Festival was initiated over last year’s Mother’s Day weekend in 2022 to celebrate the Creative Spirit: honoring Mothers, spotlighting the Performing Arts community in Southwest New Mexico, and raising funds for an outstanding workshops and events venue in Silver City: the Oasis Coffee and Tea House on 714. N. Bullard St. Oasis Coffee and Tea House was established in 2019 as a Community Outreach Event Venue for the New Church of the Southwest Desert.

“We are grateful that in the aftermath of the pandemic, the Silver City community came out to support us! We’d suffered significant water damage from a pipe burst in January 2022, followed by a traumatic break-in with thousands of dollars of resources stolen.“ This community’s generosity allowed us to improve our security measures, and to install beautiful French Doors (in place of the water damage) that lead out onto our side yard opposite Pocket Park”, reports Oasis Creative Director, Wendy Spurgeon. As a result, Oasis was able to ‘Pay it Forward’ in support of Silver City Community Theatre’s notable Community Theatre productions, ’12 Angry Jurors’, an all adult cast, as well as, “The Giver”, with an all youth cast. “It’s the perfect season to enjoy great music, food and entertainment from our outstanding Silver City actors and musicians, and your donations go to support Summer Youth programs, community projects, and even more efficient security upgrades for our community event venue.”

May 12 and 13, open at 4:00pm with a Green Show (pre-show) featuring a musical revue of “Annie Jr.”, starring the Young Players of Aldo Leopold, “the G-man” Gregg Garrette and Hallie Harris (the talented director of ‘Shakespeare in the Ditch’) ; encore performances from said recent May Day’s “Shakespeare in the Ditch”; comedy from Starlight Theatre’s smash hit, “The Importance of Being Earnest”  with Mikie Iacono and Wendy Spurgeon (Jack Worthing and Lady Bracknell) ; memorable monologues “Audition” and “Marks” from last year’s “Shaking the Tree” Featured Presentation, “Talking With…” presented by MaryAnn Marlar and Kimber Etheredge, original music by Sarah Thrasher and Billy Dominguez, and much more.

May 12 and 13 offer “Happy Healthy Hour” with delicious, light fare at 6:00pm, followed by the 7:00pm Featured Presentation.

At 7:00 pm on May 12 and 13, you may be among the first to see the Premiere Staged Readings of “Poker Queens of Silver City”.  An original comedy based on historical Silver City characters by Joanie Connors and Chris Wellman, “Poker Queens” is a new play in development sponsored by Silver City Community Theatre. According to SCCT Board President, MaryAnn Marlar, “SCCT is really pleased to participate in Oasis’ first annual performing arts festival. It is part of our mission to support emerging local playwrights, and to honor the historical characters that founded this great Silver City/Grant County community.”

Sunday May 14t closes the “Shaking the Tree” festival with a Mother’s Day Brunch at 12:30, and a closing Matinee of “Poker Queens” at 2:00pm.

The “Poker Queens of Silver City” cast includes Phyllis McQuaide, Terry Sankovitz, Sarah Thrasher, Aletha Jordan, Kristin Iacono, Bill Tooahyaysay Bradford, Patrick Kosiorek, Gregg Jarrette, Akien Macian, Joe Saenz, Mikie Iacono, and more.

“Seating is limited at Oasis, so we recommend you grab an Early Bird “Pay What You Can” Event Pass, or Zoom Pass online right away, to ensure you can see these great performances on the day you want to see them”, says Spurgeon. “Zoom Passes are also available online, and the link is easy to remember, it’s wendy.link/oasis”

Event passes are available now online through May 11, or by donation at the Oasis door (714 N. Bullard) May 12-14. Seating is first come, first served.  Reserve in advance at wendy.link/oasis.

The OASIS in Silver City, New Mexico, is a non-profit coffee and tea house, an ecumenical gathering place for the public, and community groups. The OASIS in Silver is a place where differences are respected and valued...and everyone is welcome.