MISSION
¡Oye! Group is an Obie Award-winning multi-disciplinary arts organization with a foundation in boundary-pushing theater, poetry, and arts education. Our expansive repertoire includes theatrical productions, live art, music & performance festivals, and art therapy programs for both the youth and adults. From the community to the world, we present innovative and experimental new works that are genre-bending and spark conversation, healing, and impact.
HISTORY- ¡Oye!: “Listen up!”
¡Oye! Group was founded in 2012 by Modesto ‘Flako’ Jimenez, a Dominican-born, Bushwick-raised theater maker, producer, and educator, and Kevin Torres, an experienced videographer, photographer, and media content creator. For over a decade, ¡Oye! Group has remained unwavering in our commitment to amplifying new voices – be they artists, students, or community members – and cultivating spaces for them to grow and share their work with others. Whether onstage or off, our work has always been founded in a central goal: to support Black and Latine communities in our Bushwick, Brooklyn neighborhood and beyond by using art to engage, educate, and inspire
The company began by offering a combination of poetry readings and festivals to support emerging artists working across disciplines, while also providing free classes and workshops focused on poetry and Shakespeare to youth, teens, and adults. In the 10+ years since, ¡Oye! Group has grown our work substantially. We continue to offer (and continue to expand) our educational activities that transform the lives of participants of all ages, and our annual festivals provide a space for our community to share art, food, and resources. At the same time, we have established a reputation as a company that develops and presents unique theatrical experiences that bring the stories and issues of importance to our Bushwick community to wider audiences: since we started producing original work in 2015, ¡Oye! Group shows have been featured on some of the most prominent Off-Broadway stages in NYC, including New York Theatre Workshop, The Bushwick Starr, Abrons Art Center, JACK, and The Tank.
¡Oye! Group now operates multiple programs for year-round impact: alongside our ongoing development of new stage productions, we offer 3-4 free all-ages workshops in poetry, architecture, engineering, and literacy each month; three free theater programs for youth each year including Fresh Start, a program for incarcerated youth; and three annual festivals.
