The passion, pain and power of Frida Kahlo will come alive in Peoria this June.

The City of Peoria’s Arts, Culture, and Library Services Department is hosting a week-long cultural residency where actress and playwright Vanessa Severo brings Frida Kahlo’s fiery spirit to life, June 2-7.

Kahlo (1907–1954) was a revolutionary Mexican painter whose vivid, introspective works explored identity, pain, politics, and womanhood. Influenced by Mexican indigenous culture, Surrealism, and symbolism, she has become an enduring feminist icon and global symbol of creativity through adversity.

Severo will perform her powerful one-woman show, "Frida…A Self Portrait," at multiple locations across Peoria.

Severo was recently appointed Cultural Ambassador of the United States in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, and was trained at Missouri State University and The American Conservatory Theatre in San Francisco.

She has received a number of prestigious awards, including the Fox Foundation Fellowship and Dramatist Guild Grant. Severo’s production "Frida…A Self Portrait" explores the life of the Mexican artist, whose emotionally charged self-portraits redefined identity, femininity, and resilience.

Free events are scheduled that include public performances, workshops, and educational experiences. Space is limited and available on a first-come, first-serve basis.

• Free performance & talk back (This event is followed by a discussion led by Dr. Matthew Sandoval, a member of ASU’s Chicano/Latino Faculty & Staff Association)
Wednesday, June 4 | 6 p.m. – 7:30 p.m. | William L. Patena Community Center, 8335 W. Jefferson Street

• Meet & greet with Vanessa Severo (Includes an excerpt from the performance and artist Q&A)
Thursday, June 5 | 2 p-m. – 3 p.m. | Sunrise Mountain Library, 21109 N. 98th Ave.

• Free performance & talk back
Saturday, June 7 | 11 a.m. – 12:30 p.m. | Peoria Main Library, 8463 W. Monroe Street

• Acting Workshop for Adults
(Ages 18+. No acting experience required. Explore Suzuki Method and Viewpoints in this engaging class)
Saturday, June 7 | 2-3:30 p.m. | Rio Vista Recreation Center, 8866 W. Thunderbird Road

Peoria’s Guest Artist Residency Program brings nationally and regionally recognized artists to the community for performances, classes, workshops, and exhibits that enrich Peoria’s cultural landscape. This program is supported by Creative West, a nonprofit dedicated to expanding the reach of the arts across the western U.S. through innovation and partnership, and the National Endowment for the Arts.

For more information and full event details, visit: peoriaaz.gov/arts-events.