Danreb V.
Yelp
I've lived in the Alum Rock area since 1993, so I've pretty much overseen the evolution of what is now the Mexican Heritage Plaza. Construction began when I was in 2nd grade, and the venue was finished when I reached about 4th grade.
Why am I talking about grade school? Because the venue was right behind it. During the mixing periods, my teacher Mr. Lynn would take us to the Plaza's Computer Labs, and teach us some very basic computer skills. He was more of a Mac user, so he didn't know about Windows 95 (which was the killer app at the time).
But let's fast-forward to 2008. Never did I know that the place was much more than a computer lab. It had a nice garden, some wonderful Mexican-American murals, and best of all--an incredible theatrical space. My Fil-Am group, Akbayan, used this the theatre for its annual Pilipino Cultural Night this year and last year, and now I imagine it being a mainstay with Akbayan for quite a while.
With a huge stage, an impressive repertoire of more than 500 seats, and professional lighting, curtains, and other stage equipment, the Mexican Heritage Plaza remains a grand venue, and it's definitely a diamond in the rough when you compare the interior to the greater area around the Plaza.
Whether you're Mexican or not, this is a place worth taking a child to. I only wish San Jose had something like this for Filipinos.