This is the official blog of the Hispanic Organization of Latin Actors (HOLA). www.hellohola.org
HOLA has been funded, in part, through the New York State Council on the Arts, The City of New York Department of Cultural Affairs, Friends of HOLA and the dues-paying members of HOLA.
• Have you ever thought of going to the West Coast
in order to “hit it big?”
• Think you have what it takes to be a bicoastal actor? • Find the allure of “Hollywood” too much to resist?
Find out the pros and cons about taking the leap.
HOLApanels in association with the East Harlem International Film Festival presents GO WEST, YOUNG ACTOR The Good, The Bad and The Ugly of Being a West Coast or Bicoastal Actor
Panelists include Luis Antonio Ramos, Selenis Leyva, Jorge Montenegro and José Roldán, Jr.
Thursday, June 2, 2011 at 5:30pm EAST HARLEM CAFÉ 1651 Lexington Avenue (corner of East 104th Street), NYC Coffee, drinks, pastries and sandwiches available for purchase.
FREE ADMISSION To RSVP, please call (212) 253-1015.
Click on this article by Georg Szalai of the Hollywood Reporter about how the Starz network plans to launch a Spanish-language premium movie channel this summer called Encore Español for the Latino/Hispanic market by clicking here.
Bochinche refers to "gossip." In this sense, we use it to mention HOLA members who are getting acting and performance gigs. The names of HOLA members are in boldface.
Jeffrey Hernández, shown at right, booked work on the music video "Casa de amor" from Grupo 3D2 through an HOLA casting notice. Joel A. Luna e-mailed us to let us know that he finished work on the short film Love and Hate, directed by Juan Pablo Noguera.
Mauricio Bustamante and Soledad Del Río are completing work on the film shortThe Last Seance, directed by J. Rodrigo López Portillo. (Mr. Bustamante is acting in, wrote and co-producing the film, while Ms. Del Río is the art director.)In addition, Bustamantecontacted us to say he also completed a lead role in the short film I Like Crazy (directed by Francesco Saviano) and is in pre-production for a feature film titled The Audience, to be shot in Berlin, Germany.
The film short Utopia Lies at the Horizon will be screened in an evening of short film screenings at the Tribeca Grand Hotel in Manhattan's Tribeca neighborhood. Scheduled for a June 7, 2011 screening, the film is written, directed and produced by Leo Curbelo and stars Goya Robles, Nelson Landrieu; Ángelo Mercado, Jr.; Mateo Gómez; Ángel Dillemuth; Chuck Monsanto; Jason Smith; Vin Hamilton and Anthony Cotto.
Around the Block/Al Doblar La Esquina is presenting, in collaboration with the New York Public Library, the eighth annual Raymond J. Flores Short Play Series. A series of new short plays using the city as subtext, the theater company presenting the 2010 Raymond J. Flores Playwriting Prize to Edgar Chisholm for his play The Long Dance. In addition, plays by Julius Landau, Bill Beasley, Olivia Arieti, Tev Abrams, John Esposito and Bara Swain. The plays were directed by Phillip Filiato, Laurence Holder and Count Stovall, is scheduled for a June run at the Hamilton Fish Library in Manhattan's Loísaida neighborhood and featured the talents of Elizabeth Bove, Susan, Charette, Jill Chenault, James Colgan, Laurence Holder, Brain Faizul Khan, Danny Richardson, Rodney Roldán, John Rosania, Joan Shepard and Shara Ashley Zeiger. If you are an HOLA member and want to submit a bochinche item, send us an e-mail at holagram@hellohola.org. If you are not an HOLA member, why not join?
Bochinche refers to "gossip." In this sense, we use it to mention HOLA members who are getting acting and performance gigs. The names of HOLA members are in boldface.
Pregones Theater will present The Ides of March. The 2010 Asunción Playwrights Project winning play is written by Leo Cabranes-Grant and will have a workshop production in June at Pregones' eponymous theater, located in the Mott Haven section of the South Bronx. The production will be directed by Jorge B. Merced and star Jack Landrón, Carlos Alberto Valencia, Elise Hernández, Yvette Quintero and Stefano Fossa in the cast. [Landrón, Quintero and Fossa, shown from left to right, above, won their roles either through an HOLA referral or after reading the casting notice in the HOLA daily e-mail announcements for its members.]
Yanelba Ferreira will add runway model to her resume. She is scheduled to do the fashion show entitled Fashion House Of Hopes: A Red Heels/Red Bow Tie Affair. Hosted by TV personality Stephanie Carrera and fashion stylist Shi-Nuh Holt, the show will benefit Casa Esperanza para Mujeres y Niños, Inc. Presented by Donny Ponce and directed by Jahdi Duarte, the event will take place Saturday, June 4, 2011 at the 1 Front Street Restaurant and Lounge located in the DUMBO neighborhood of Brooklyn. Casa Esperanza para Mujeres y Niños, Inc., is a non-profit organization empowering women to become change agents in their communities by providing them with the tools needed to render support, outreach, spiritual development and preventive services to other women infected or at risk of contracting HIV/AIDS. To buy tickets and donate in advance, click here.
Elle de Amor has just completed directing portions of the plays Broken Bones, Rabbit Hole, Dolores and Hello Out Thereas part of the Actors Studio 2011 repertory season. The presentations took place in April and May at Dance New Amsterdam in Manhattan's Civic Center area.
If you are an HOLA member and want to submit a bochinche item, send us an e-mail at holagram@hellohola.org. If you are not an HOLA member, why not join?
• Have you ever thought of going to the West Coast
in order to “hit it big?”
• Think you have what it takes to be a bicoastal actor? • Find the allure of “Hollywood” too much to resist?
Find out the pros and cons about taking the leap.
HOLApanels in association with the East Harlem International Film Festival presents GO WEST, YOUNG ACTOR The Good, The Bad and The Ugly of Being a West Coast or Bicoastal Actor
Panelists include Luis Antonio Ramos, Selenis Leyva, Jorge Montenegro and José Roldán, Jr.
Thursday, June 2, 2011 at 5:30pm EAST HARLEM CAFÉ 1651 Lexington Avenue (corner of East 104th Street), NYC Coffee, drinks, pastries and sandwiches available for purchase.
FREE ADMISSION To RSVP, please call (212) 253-1015.
Turns out the "American Idol" Season 10 winner Scotty McCreery, at left, has something in common with judge Jennifer López– a Puerto Rican ancestry.
While McCreery was born in 1993 in Garner, North Carolina, U.S.A., his father Michael McCreery, was born in Aguadilla, Puerto Rico to a Puerto Rican mother from San Juan and an Anglo-American father. His grandmother is Puerto Rican. In an interview with Ryan Seacrest, he confirmed that he has Puerto Rican ancestry. "Yes, I'm Puerto Rican," said McCreery with a smile. "I have a little bit of J.Lo [a reference to Jennifer López] in me."
He is the youngest male to have won "American Idol" and the second youngest (next to Season 6 winner Jordin Sparks) overall. His first single, "I Love You This Big," is currently available.
Check out this article by Bel Hernández of Latin Heat which highlights the casting of Latinos in the Showtime series "Dexter" (which include regulars Lauren Vélez and David Zayas) as well as the addition of Edward James Olmos to the cast by clicking here.
Bochinche refers to "gossip." In this sense, we use it to mention HOLA members who are getting acting and performance gigs. The names of HOLA members are in boldface.
Milteri Tucker performed at the 5th Annual Dance Parade in New York. The parade took place on Saturday, May 21, 2011 and ran from Broadway and West 21 Street south to Union Square whereupon it continued south on University Place to Saint Marks Place whereupon it turned east to Avenue A and the entrance of Tompkins Square Park, where it culminated in a festival of dance. For more information on New York's Dance Parade and Festival, click here.
The short film Spooking: Dulces Besos, directed by Carmen Oquendo and Jorge B. Merced and starring Charlie Vázquez and Johnathan Cedano will be screened in conjunction with the production Dancing in My Cockroach Killers. The latter is a celebration of the work of poet, storyteller and playwright Magdalena Gómez and is directed by Rosalba Rolón. Both are scheduled for a June run in Pregones Theater, located in the Mott Haven section of the south Bronx. Esaí Morales is set to star in the new webseries "Los Americans." Created by Dennis E. Leoni, the series will air on the Public Internet Channel (PIC.TV) and premieres on May 26, 2011. For more information, click here.
Tony Plana is scheduled to appear in an episode of the webseries "Los Americans" (PIC.TV). He also guest-starred in an episode of "Desperate Housewives" (ABC).
If you are an HOLA member and want to submit a bochinche item, send us an e-mail at holagram@hellohola.org. If you are not an HOLA member, why not join?
Check out this article by Alex Ben Block in The Hollywood Reporter about Telemundo's plans to launch their first ever Emmy campaign for Kate Del Castillo and the telenovela "La reina del sur" by clicking here.
Bochinche refers to "gossip." In this sense, we use it to mention HOLA members who are getting acting and performance gigs. The names of HOLA members are in boldface.
The 56th Annual Drama Desk Awards were held on May 23, 2011 at the Hammerstein Ballroom in New York City. Winners include John Leguizamo (Outstanding Solo Performance for Ghetto Klown); Trey Parker, Robert López and Matt Stone (Outstanding Music and Outstanding Lyrics, respectively, for The Book of Mormon, which also won Outstanding Musical); and Bobby Cannavale (Outstanding Actor in a Play for The Motherf**ker With the Hat).
Susana Pérez e-mailed us to let us know that she will be hosting a live event for NBCUniversal called "Go Healthy Step-A-Thon." The event, which will take place in Times Square (Broadway and West 42 Street in Manhattan) on Wednesday, May 25, 2011 from 10am-6pm, is hosted by NBCUniversal and held in conjunction with Walgreen's, Exercise TV, iVillage, Telemundo, Mun2, SNY and others. She will be interviewing stars from Telemundo and Mun2 and giving away prizes. Inma Heredia, Éric-Dominique Pérez, Sol Echeverría, J.A. Acevedo and Zahaira Curiel are among the numerous performers at the the 16th Annual Lower East Side Festival of the Arts, to take place at the Theater for the New City in Manhattan's East Village neighborhood. For more information, click here.
Elaine Del Valle is set to open her self-penned solo show Brownsville Bred off-Broadway. Directed by Pamela Moller Kareman and produced by The Schoolhouse Theater in association with Theater 808, the show is scheduled for a July run at 59E59 Theaters in Manhattan's East Side. For more information, click here.
If you are an HOLA member and want to submit a bochinche item, send us an e-mail at holagram@hellohola.org. If you are not an HOLA member, why not join?
Some of the most notable names from the dawn of film and television are of Latino descent. Here are some of them.
In this edition, some Latino stars you can currently see on television. Harry Shum, Jr. (1982- ), born in Puerto Limón, Limón, Costa Rica to Cantonese Chinese parents, is a dancer and actor. He is commonly known for being a part of such dance films as Stomp the Yard, You Got Served, and had recurring roles as Cable on Step Up 2: The Streets and Step Up 3D. He is currently part of the musical-comedy television show "Glee," where he plays Mike Chang. His parents emigrated from Guangzhou, China to Costa Rica, where he was born. The family stayed there for about six years before moving to San Francisco, California, U.S.A. In an interview he stated, "I feel I have the best of so many worlds. I speak Chinese and Spanish. Spanish is actually my first language before I learned Chinese and English." In an interview, he revealed that his earliest motivations to dance were actually pop/R&B artists Ginuwine, Dru Hill and Usher before becoming influenced by iconic dancers like Gene Kelly and Michael Jackson. He started dancing with his high school dance company team and continued his career in San Francisco, California, under several different studios. He incorporates various different styles into his dance, including popping, locking, breaking as well as contemporary dance. He launched his career as the only male dancer on BET's "Comic View" in 2002 and later became one of the lead dancers with stars such as Beyoncé, Mariah Carey, Jennifer López and Jessica Simpson. He currently plays Mike Chang, a dancer who joins the glee club, on the Fox musical-comedy television series "Glee." Known as the "Other Asian" on Glee, he was promoted from guest star to series regular in season three, with varying levels of certainty from different sources. ¡Oye! Él es un chino-tico.
Sarah Shahi (1980- ), born Aahoo Jahansouz Shahi in Euless, Texas, U.S.A. to a Spanish mother and Iranian father, is an actress. She is probably best known for starring in "The L Word" as Carmen de la Pica Morales and in "Life" as Detective Dani Reese. In 2011 she began playing the role of Kate Reed in the legal drama "Fairly Legal" on the USA Network. As a child, she adopted the name "Sarah." She speaks Persian and Spanish as well as English. A former National Football League cheerleader and a great-great-granddaughter of the 19th-century Persian Shah Fath Ali Shah Qajar by Begom Khanom, she attended Trinity High School and Dallas' Southern Methodist University, majoring in English and opera. As a teenager she won several beauty contests, and took first place in the Miss Fort Worth USA pageant in 1997. She joined the Dallas Cowboys cheerleaders and was part of the 1999-2000 squad. She also appeared on the cover of their 2000 calendar. While working as an extra on the set of Dr. T and the Women in Texas, she met director Robert Altman, who encouraged her to move to Hollywood, where she received roles in several series, including "Alias," "Dawson's Creek," "Reba" and "Supernatural." In addition to her roles in "The L Word and "Life," she also played Farah in the second season of "Sleeper Cell," and also appeared in HBO's "The Sopranos." She has been playing attorney Kate Reed in the USA Network series "Fairly Legal" since January 2011.
Morena Baccarin (1979- ), born in Rio de Janeiro, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil to a Brazilian TV and stage actress and an Italian journalist, is an actress. When she was 7, she moved with her family to New York, New York, U.S.A. when her father was transferred to Globo TV's U.S. headquarters. She later attended the Fiorello H. LaGuardia High School of Music & Art and Performing Arts before she entered the theater program at Juilliard. She landed her first movie role in the improvised fashion world comedy Perfume (2001). This was followed by a lead role in the film festival hit Way Off Broadway (2001). Shortly before moving to Los Angeles, she appeared with Natalie Portman and understudied for her role in the acclaimed Central Park production of Anton Chekhov's play The Seagull. The science-fiction drama "Firefly" was her first television series, and she reprised her role in the 2005 film Serenity. In February 2005, she provided the voice for Black Canary in multiple episodes of the animated series "Justice League Unlimited," as well as guest starred in three episodes of the television series "The O.C." in 2006. She then played the adult version of Adria, a recurring villain in the tenth season of "Stargate SG-1" and reprised her role as Adria in the movie Stargate: The Ark of Truth. She landed the lead role in ABC's 2009 remake of the series "V," playing Anna, who is the leader of the Visitors. In May 2009, she made her off-Broadway debut in Theresa Rebeck's television satire Our House at Playwrights Horizons in New York City where she played a news reporter whose affair with a television executive lands her a job as the host of a hit reality show.
Eva LaRue (1966– ) born Eva María Laruy in Long Beach, California, U.S.A. is an actress, model and songwriter. She is of Puerto Rican, French, Dutch and Scottish heritage. She began acting at the age of six and was later a teenage beauty queen. She won Danfranc Productions Miss California Empire 1984 title at the state pageant held in Irvine, California, U.S.A. Soon after graduating from high school, she started modeling, eventually becoming a model for Frederick's of Hollywood. From 1993 to 1997 and again from 2002 to 2005, she portrayed Dr. María Santos Grey on ABC's "All My Children." There, she was half of the show's supercouple Edmund and María. For that role, she received a Daytime Emmy Award nomination in the category of Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Drama Series. She also received a nomination in 2004 in the category of Outstanding Original Song for composing the song "Dance Again with You," which was used in the series. In 2010, she reprised the role temporarily on January 5 for the 40th anniversary of the series. She has also performed in television movies over the years, appearing as Annette Funicello in a biographical movie of the former Mouseketeer and also in the adaptation of Danielle Steel's Remembrance as Princess Serena. She also was the second Linda Lorenzo, George López's sister, on the TV sitcom "George Lopez." In the fall of 2005, she began the role of Natalie Boa Vista on "CSI: Miami." She became a full cast member on the show the following season.
Tristan Wilds (1989- ), born Tristan Paul Mack Wilds, is an actor and singer-songwriter. Born in Staten Island, New York, U.S.A. to a Dominican mother and African American-Irish father, he made his television debut at the age of 15 when he played AJ in the miniseries "Miracle Boys." He followed that up with theater gigs, where he worked with Phylicia Rashad and the Roundabout Theater Company in the workshop Wool and in the production Stockholm Brooklyn for the Cherry Lane Theater. He was then cast as Michael Lee in HBO's critically acclaimed series "The Wire." That same year he also made his big screen debut starring opposite Ryan Gosling in the film Half-Nelson. Other credits include the films Indelible, Red Tails and The Secret Life of Bees and roles in the television series "Cold Case" and "Law and Order." He can currently be seen playing Dixon Wilson on the CW Network's "Beverly Hills, 90210" spinoff, "90210." As a singer and songwriter, he is currently working on his music.
• Wanna see other editions of "Betcha Didn't Know...?" Click here.
María Montez (1912-1951), born María África Antonia Gracia Vidal de Santo Silas, was a film actress who gained fame and popularity in the 1940s as an exotic beauty starring in a series of filmed-in-Technicolor costume adventure films. Her screen image was that of a hot-blooded Latin seductress, dressed in fanciful costumes and sparkling jewels. She became so identified with these adventure epics that she became known as "The Queen of Technicolor." Another nickname she was given was "The Caribbean Cyclone." Over her career, she appeared in 27 films, 22 of which were made in North America and five in Europe.
She was born in Barahona, Dominican Republic to a Spanish consul and his wife who were working there. She traveled extensively after being educated in the Canary Islands and attempted, albeit unsuccessfully, to establish herself as a stage actress in Europe. In 1940 she found herself in New York City, a model. Her screen career began in 1941, with Universal casting her in bit parts.
Her beauty soon made her the centerpiece of Universal's Technicolor costume adventures, notably the six in which she was teamed with Jon Hall— Arabian Nights (1942), White Savage (1943), Ali Baba and the Forty Thieves (1944), Cobra Woman (1944), Gypsy Wildcat (1944), and Sudan (1945). She also appeared in the Technicolor western Pirates of Monterey (1947) with Rod Cameron and the sepia-toned swashbuckler The Exile (1948), directed by Max Ophuls and starring Douglas Fairbanks, Jr.
While working in Hollywood, she met and married French actor Jean-Pierre Aumont, who had to leave a few days after their wedding to serve in the Free French Forces fighting against Nazi Germany in the European Theatre of World War II. At the end of World War II, the couple had a daughter, María Christina (also known as Tina Aumont), born in Hollywood in 1946 (and who passed away in 2006). They then moved to a home in Suresnes, Île-de-France in the western suburb of Paris under the French Fourth Republic. There, she appeared in several films and a play written by her husband. She also wrote three books, two of which were published, as well as penning a number of poems.
She passed away in Suresnes at the age of 39, after apparently suffering a heart attack and drowning in her bath. She was buried in the Cimetière du Montparnasse in Paris where her tombstone displays her theatrical year of birth, 1918.
Shortly after her death, a street in her birthplace city of Barahona was named in her honor. In 1996, the city of Barahona opened the Aeropuerto Internacional María Montez (María Montez International Airport) in her honor. The American underground filmmaker Jack Smith idolized her as an icon of camp style. Among his acts of devotion, he wrote an aesthetic manifesto titled "The Perfect Filmic Appositeness of María Montez," referred to her as "The Wonderful One" or "The Marvelous One," and made elaborate homages to her movies in his own films, including the notorious Flaming Creatures.
María Montez and María Montez (playing twin sisters) in Cobra Woman
Snake dance scene from Cobra Woman
María Montez and Carmen Miranda fight over Don Ameche's affections
Check out this article about award-winning actor José Yenque, shown at right, who is set to receive an honorary Doctorate of Fine Arts from California State University at San Marcos right after his film Miss Bala(produced by Gael García Bernal and Diego Luna of Canana Films) played the prestigious Cannes Film Festival in Cannes, France by clicking here.
Bochinche refers to "gossip." In this sense, we use it to mention HOLA members who are getting acting and performance gigs. The names of HOLA members are in boldface.
John Leguizamo will march in the 16th Annual National Puerto Rican Day Parade as Global Ambassador to the Arts in recognition of his contributions to entertainment and his work for the protection of the environment and natural resources. In addition, Caridad De La Luz has been designated as the New York Godmother of the Youth. The parade will march down Fifth Avenue between 44th and 86th streets on Sunday, June 12, 2011.
BestofOffBroadway.com announced the first annual Tina Award nominations, honoring the top Off-Broadway productions of the 2010-2011 season. Daphne Rubin-Vega was nominated for Best Actress for her work in Blood from a Stone (New Group) and Luis Salgado was nominated for Best Choreography for his work in I'll Be Damned (Vineyard Theater). Tina Award winners will be selected by popular vote and announced June 9, 2011. To cast your vote, click here.
Center Stage NY is closing, and having a farewell fundraiser to offset costs. The space, located in Manhattan's Flatiron District, will have their event on Sunday night, May 22, 2011. Performers Mauricio Alexander (of Infinite I Am), Ben Williams and Max Woertendyke, Briana Pozner and Dominic Spillane, Martha Wollner, Jody Christopherson and Michael De Roos, Sara Marie White, The LABrats, FACES and more. For more information, click here.
If you are an HOLA member and want to submit a bochinche item, send us an e-mail at holagram@hellohola.org. If you are not an HOLA member, why not join?
Bochinche refers to "gossip." In this sense, we use it to mention HOLA members who are getting acting and performance gigs. The names of HOLA members are in boldface.
Modesto Lacén was subject to a feature article on him in People en Español's website. Read the article (text is in Spanish) written by Vicglamar Torres by clicking here.
Ángel Dillemuth's play How I Survive is being presented in June as part of the DC Black Theater Festival. Produced by Daryl Sledge, directed by Bridget Leak, the production stars Alexis Suárez and Shaz Khan and will take place at the August Wilson Stage at The Studio Theatre in the North West area of Washington, District of Columbia. For more information, click here.
Lucio Fernández is presenting his new cabaret show, provocatively titled Lucio... Less Cuban Than Ever. Also starring Larry Piscitelli, Amy Smith and Megan Fernández, the show is directed by Lennie Watts (with musical Direction by Mark Goodman and choreography by Megan Fernández) and scheduled for an October and November run at the Laurie Beechman Theater in the theater district of midtown Manhattan. In addition, he is one of the co-producers of the new weekly news program "A Week In Review" on Hudson County TV. For more information, click here.
Elizabeth Rivera de Garcíais performing her poetry at the event Poetry and Prose on Puerto Rican Identity, Place and History. Produced by Haiku Empire, the event will also feature Odilia Rivera Santos, Aime Alonzo and Mery J. Tróchez and take place on June 5 at Lolita's Bar and Lounge in the Manhattan's Loísaida neighborhood.
Repertorio Español is presenting the world premiere of Lina Gallegos' play Locuras en Wichita (Wild in Wichita). The winning play of the MetLife Nuestras Voces National Playwriting Competition, the production is directed by Luis Fernández and stars Míriam Cruz, Frank Robles, Dennis Vargas and Silvia Sierra and will have a June run at Repertorio Español, located in the Rose Hill section of Manhattan.
Mara Sánchez will be singing on May 21, 2011 at 4pm at the world famous Apollo Theater (located in Manhattan's Harlem neighborhood) as part of the theater's Education Department workshop series. She will be accompanied by Alessandro Roveri on the piano and by Solomon Hicks on the guitar. The event is free and open to the public.
Kenny Ortega will be hosting a fundraiser produced by 100 Hispanic Men featuring standup comics Bill Santiago, Víctor Cruz and Francisco Aldorando. The fundraiser will occur on May 26, 2011 at 7pm at the FB Lounge in Manhattan's El Barrio neighborhood and is to help pay for surgery costs for a local child. For more information, click here.
If you are an HOLA member and want to submit a bochinche item, send us an e-mail at holagram@hellohola.org. If you are not an HOLA member, why not join?
Bochinche refers to "gossip." In this sense, we use it to mention HOLA members who are getting acting and performance gigs.
Elizabeth Rivera de Garcíais performing her poetry at Heaven on the Hudson. A celebration of the art, poetry, music and cuisine of Afro-Latino and Caribbean culture, she is performing in a lineup that includes Ruperto Vanderpool, J. Skye Cabrera, El Poeta, Taína Brooklyn Poet, Leticia M. Reyes and Stacey Griffin. Music will be provided by DJ Duce Martínez and Bambino Beatz. The evening is set to take place in on May 25 at the Hudson River Café in the West Harlem neighborhood of Manhattan.
Multitalented Gladys K. Nilsen e-mailed us to let us that she returned from Nassau, Bahamas, where she sang at the Sandals Royal Bahamian resort to great success. She just completed her first book entitled On A Sad, Gray Afternoon. For more information on the book or to buy it, click here. She is also set to act in a new film entitled Suddenly from Sunnyside Films.
PinPuppets Productions, in association with East Harlem Presents, is presenting the comedy The Importance of Doing Art. Written by Susannah Dalton and directed by José Ignacio Vivero, the production stars Tom Morf, Nick O'Neil, Sara Hendricks, Carissa Dagenais, Paul de Vries and will be presenting in August at the Poets Den Theater in Manhattan's El Barrio neighborhood.
The 56th Annual Village Voice Obie Awards, considered by many to be Off-Broadway's highest honor, were presented May 16 at Webster Hall in the East Village. Informally structured, with no strict categories, they honor excellence in every aspect of off-Broadway theatre. The Obie Awards publish no nominations, and judges may give multiple Obies in any category, or even invent new categories, to reward exceptional artistic merit. This year's awards honored Kristoffer Díaz with the Best New American Play for The Elaborate Entrance of Chad Deity (the award is accompanied by a $1,000 award as well) and René Buch and Repertorio Español for Lifetime Achievement. For more information, go to this site.
If you are an HOLA member and want to submit a bochinche item, send us an e-mail at holagram@hellohola.org. If you are not an HOLA member, why not join?
Bochinche refers to "gossip." In this sense, we use it to mention HOLA members who are getting acting and performance gigs.
J.W. Cortésand Jeffrey Hernández, shown at left, booked roles in the musical Soldier's Song (written by Jim Cohen and Lee Drexler) due to an HOLA referral. The play is set for a July run and will take place in the Poets Den Theater in Manhattan's El Barrio neighborhood.
Horse Trade Theater Group is presenting Graciela Berger Wegsman's play Memory is a Culinary Affair. Directed by Fabián González, the cast consists of George Bass, Ben Bucher, Michelle Concha, Ydaiber Orozco, Mariana Parma and Ronald Sarcos and is scheduled for a June run in the Red Room in the East Village of Manhattan.
The Latino International Theater Festival of New York, Inc. is presenting the fifth annual TeatroStageFest. Works will take place all over the city between June 4-18, 2011 and include the following productions.
• They Call Me La Lupe, Luis Caballero and James Manos, Jr.'s solo show about the life of Cuban singer Guadalupe Victoria Yolí Raymond, a.k.a. La Lupe, stars Lauren Vélez and is directed by Verónica Caicedo with music by Ángel R. Rodríguez, Sr. A co-production of Hostos Center for Arts and Culture and La Lupe Productions, the production will take place at the Hostos Center for Arts and Culture in the Mott Haven section of the south Bronx.
• My Audition for Almódovar, Alberto Ferreras and Inma Heredia's solo show about a Spanish actress with an accent who desires to audition for the only director who could make her a star... Pedro Almódovar, stars Heredia and is directed by Ferreras. The production will take place at Centro Español in Manhattan's West Village neighborhood.
• Mi bebé es un héroe, Eduardo Navas' puppet play about Prince Azulito and his beloved Princess Perlita, is directed by Navas and stars Navas and Gredivel Vásquez. Produced by Scaramouches Latin Children's Traveling Theater, the production will have a date at the Amistad Dual Language School in Manhattan's Inwood neighborhood and a date at Instituto Cervantes in the East Side of Manhattan.
For more information about these productions and others in the festival, click here.
If you are an HOLA member and want to submit a bochinche item, send us an e-mail at holagram@hellohola.org. If you are not an HOLA member, why not join?
Check out this article of The Hollywood Reporter's Georg Szalai's interview with David Lawenda, president of advertising sales and marketing for Univision Communications. In it, Lawenda talks about Univision's upfront expectations. For more information, click here.
In the North American television industry, an upfront is a meeting hosted at the start of important advertising sales periods by television network executives, attended by the press and major advertisers. It is so named because of its main purpose, to allow marketers to buy commercial airtime "up front", or several months before the television season begins.
In the United States, the major broadcast networks' upfronts occur in New York City during the third week of May, the last full week of that month's sweeps period. The networks announce their fall primetime schedules, including tentative launch dates (i.e., fall or midseason) for new programming, which may be "picked up" the week before. The programming announcements themselves are usually augmented with clips from the new series, extravagant musical numbers, comedic scenes, and appearances by network stars. Most cable networks present earlier in the spring since they usually program for the summer months. For a guide on the upfront schedule for many of the networks, click here.
Bochinche refers to "gossip." In this sense, we use it to mention HOLA members who are getting acting and performance gigs.
Allison Strongcalled us to let us know that she has been cast as the understudy to Ali and as a member of the ensemble for the smash hit Broadway musical Mamma Mia! (written by Catherine Johnson, Benny Andersson and Björn Ulvaeus and directed by Phyllida Lloyd). It performs eight times a week at the Winter Garden Theater just above Times Square.
Caridad De La Luz will have a book release for her first book of poetry entitled The Poetician (published under her nom de plume La Bruja) on May 27 at the famed Nuyorican Poets' Café, located in the Loísaida neighborhood of Manhattan. In addition to a book signing, DJ G-Bo the Pro will play music and the event will feature performances from Rob (Simply Rob) Vassilarakis and Carina De La Luz-Vázquez.
Tony Chiroldes, along with Danny Bolero and Natalie Toro, will be performing in Broadway on 22nd Street, a monthly series of cabaret performances presented by and at The Metropolitan Room in the Flatiron District of Manhattan. For more info, go here.
The inaugural East Harlem International Film Festival (EHIFF) announced their selections of films. The selections include work by Ana Rokafella García, Margaret Laney (in a film produced by Lorraine Rodríguez), Michael Díaz, Sonia González-Martínez, Víctor Cruz, Adel Morales, Yamin Segal, Tomax Aponte, Julio Antonio Toro, J.W. Cortés, Brian Gutiérrez Aramayo, George Rivera and Iris Morales. The festival will take between June 1-5, 2011 in Manhattan's East Harlem neighborhood, in such locales as the Poets Den Theater, El Museo Del Barrio, Museum of the City of New York, New York Academy of Medicine, White Park and Piatto d'Oro. For more information, click here.
If you are an HOLA member and want to submit a bochinche item, send us an e-mail at holagram@hellohola.org. If you are not an HOLA member, why not join?
The Disney Channel was launched in 1983. At its inception, it targeted children and teenagers during the daytime, families during primetime and adults at night. In December 1986, it broadcast shows 24 hours a day. Latinos (and, in particular, Latinas) have been there since practically the beginning. An early series, "Kids Incorporated," featured Marta Marrero (later to be known as the singer Martika) and Mario López. "The All-New Mickey Mouse Club" featured the acting and singing talents of Christina Aguilera. Ever since the television series "Lizzie McGuire" and "Hannah Montana" made Hilary Duff and Miley Cyrus worldwide stars since their debuts in 2001 and 2006, respectively, The Disney Channel has been searching for the next "princess" to pick up the mantle and be the flagship iconic image for their network. And they seem to have turned to Latinas for that broad, "crossover" appeal. Selena Gómez (1992- ), born Selena Marie Gómez Cornett al estilo latino, has been playing Alexandra "Alex" Russo on the Emmy Award-winning series "The Wizards of Waverly Place" since 2007. Like her character on the show, she is of Mexican-Italian-English heritage. The series spun off a movie The Wizards of Waverly Place: The Movie in 2009. She founded and is the lead singer for the band Selena Gómez and the Scene. They have released the following albums to date: Kiss & Tell (2009) and A Year Without Rain (2010). Their latest album Otherside is set to be released in June of 2011. "The Wizards of Waverly Place" is scheduled to end its run in 2011. Demi Lovato (1992- ), born Demetria Devonne Lovato de la Garza al estilo latino, has been playing Allison "Sonny" Munroe on the series "Sonny with a Chance" since 2009. The show's premise is that her character is accepting into a live sketch comedy show titled "So Random!" Lovato is of Mexican-Italian-Irish heritage. Like Gómez, she is also a singer-songwriter. She has released the albums Don't Forget in 2008 and Here We Go Again in 2009. She has announced that she is leaving "Sonny with a Chance" to focus on her music career; The Disney Channel has retooled the series to become the show-within-the-show "So Random!" Bella Thorne (1997- ), born Annabella Avery Thorne, has been playing Cecilia "CeCe" Jones on the series "Shake It Up!" since 2010. The show follows her and her friend Rocky Blue (played by Zendaya) and their lives as backup dancers on the local television series "Shake It Up Chicago." An accomplished child model and actress with appearances in more than 20 films and television series and more than 40 commercials, she is of Cuban-Irish-Italian descent and spoke Spanish as her first language. She is the youngest of four children, who are all actors and models.
Some of the most notable names from the dawn of film and television are of Latino descent. Here are some of them.
In this edition, some Latino pop and rock musicians.
Roland Orzabal de la Quintana (1961- ), born Raoul Orzabal de la Quintana (and better known as Roland Orzabal), in Portsmouth, Hampshire, England, U.K. to an English mother and French-born father of Spanish-Basque descent, is a singer-songwriter-musician-record producer. He is known mainly as a co-founding member of Tears for Fears, of which he is the main songwriter and predominant vocalist, but he has also achieved success as a producer of other artists. Originally born Raoul, his name was later anglicized to Roland by his parents. He met Curt Smith, while both were in their early teens in Bath, England. They formed Tears for Fears, a synth pop/new wave music outfit in 1981. Their albums include The Hurting, Songs from the Big Chair, The Seeds of Love, Elemental, Raoul and the Kings of Spain, Saturnine Martial & Lunatic and Everybody Loves a Happy Ending. In April 2001 he released his first solo album, Tomcats Screaming Outside. To date, Tears for Fears have sold over 22 million albums worldwide, including more than 8 million in the U.S. In addition to co-producing most of tears for Fears' records, he also co-produced Oleta Adams' successful album Circle of One (1990). The album reached #1 in the UK and #20 in the US, and featured her transatlantic top ten hit "Get Here." He also co-wrote the lead track "Rhythm of Life" for the album and appeared in the song's accompanying music video, as well as playing guitar and singing backing vocals on the track.In 1999, Orzabal co-produced the Icelandic singer-songwriter Emiliana Torrini's acclaimed album Love In The Time of Science, along with Tears for Fears associate Alan Griffiths. The pair also wrote two tracks for the album. Although he did not produce it, his talents as a songwriter were recognized again after Michael Andrews and Gary Jules recorded the song "Mad World" for the Donnie Darko film soundtrack in 2001. Their version was released as a single in 2003 and became the Christmas number one single in the U.K. that year. The song was originally composed by Orzabal and was Tears for Fears' first hit single in 1982.
Geri Halliwell (1972- ), born Geraldine Estelle Halliwell Hidalgo al estilo latino in Watford, Hertfordshire, England, U.K. to a Spanish mother and an English-Swedish father, is a pop singer-songwriter, author, actress and philanthropist. After coming to international prominence in the late 1990s as Ginger Spice, a member of the girl group, the Spice Girls, she launched her solo career in 1998 and released her album Schizophonic. Since then, she has released two more studio albums – Scream If You Wanna Go Faster and Passion. Her albums with the Spice Girls include Spice and Spiceworld. In 2008, she published a book series named Ugenia Lavender. In 1999, she wrote an autobiography, If Only, in which described her life as a Spice Girl.As a solo artist, she has sold 12 million records worldwide and been nominated for two Brit Awards in 2000 and 2002. With the Spice Girls, she has sold over 50 million records worldwide. She has had four number one solo singles at the U.K. Singles Chart, "Mi Chico Latino," "Lift Me Up," "Bag It Up" and a cover of The Weather Girls' hit "It's Raining Men." In 1999, she became a representative for the United Nations Population Fund. In 2000, she appeared in the two-part BBC documentary series "Geri's World Walkabout," which followed her work with the UN and other travels. She visited Zambia in 2006 to promote greater international awareness of the urgent need to reduce maternal death and halt the spread of HIV/AIDS.
Howie Dorough (1973- ), born Howard Dwaine Dorough Floresal estilo latino, is a singer-musician-producer-actor and member of the Backstreet Boys. The son of a Puerto Rican mother and an Irish American father, he was born in Orlando, Florida, U.S.A. With the Backstreet Boys, he became an international star. The Backstreet Boys (also known as BSB) have sold over 130 million records worldwide, making them the best-selling boy band of all time. According to Billboard, they are the first group since Sade to have their first seven albums (released between 1996 and 2009) reach the top 10 on the Billboard 200 chart. In 2011, the Backstreet Boys toured with fellow boy band New Kids on the Block (NKOTB) and released an album, titled NKOTBSB, which coincided with their joint tour of the same name. The compliation album was released with two new tracks. In 1998, Dorough's sister, Caroline Dorough-Cochran, died of lupus. After her death, Dorough established the Dorough Lupus Foundation. The foundation helps raise awareness about the disease, financial support for those who cannot afford treatment, and money for research.
Esperanza Spalding (1984– ) is a jazz singer and multi-instrumentalist. Born in Portland, Oregon, U.S.A. to a mother with Latino, Welsh and Native American roots; and an African American father. By the time she was five, she had taught herself to play the violin and was playing with the Chamber Music Society of Oregon. She stayed with them until she was fifteen and left as concertmaster. During this time she also found the opportunity to pick up instruction in music by listening to her mother's college teacher instruct her mother in guitar. She also played oboe and clarinet before discovering the bass in high school. She is able to sing in English, Spanish and Portuguese. When she was 15 or 16 years old, she started writing lyrics for music for the local indie rock/pop group Noise for Pretend. She soon starting singing with them as well. She left high school at 16 and, after completing her GED, enrolled on a music scholarship in the music program at Portland State University, where she remembers being "the youngest bass player in the program." She decided to apply to Berklee College of Music on the encouragement of her bass teacher, and did well enough in her audition to receive a full scholarship. She was the 2005 recipient of the Boston Jazz Society scholarship for outstanding musicianship. Almost immediately after graduation from college later the same year, shewas hired by Berklee College of Music, becoming one of the youngest professors in the institution's history, at age 20. She has recorded three albums: Junjo (2006), Esperanza (2008) and Chamber Music Society (2010) and won the 2011 Grammy for Best New Artist. She currently lives in Austin, Texas, U.S.A.
Christina Milián (1981- ), born Christina Marie Flores Miliánal estilo latino, is a singer-songwriter, actress, dancer and model. Born in Jersey City, New Jersey, U.S.A. to Cuban parents, she had begun auditioning with local talent agencies by the time she was nine years old, shot commercials for Wendy's and Honeycomb cereal, and played the lead role in the musical Annie. Her mother noticed her daughter's potential and moved to Los Angeles with her three daughters when she was 13 years old. By the age of 17, she had begun writing songs to help obtain a recording contract. She made her first professional musical appearance on rapper Ja Rule's second studio album Rule 3:36 (2000), performing vocals on the song "Between Me and You." The song was released as the album's lead single in 2000, peaking at number 11 on the Billboard Hot 100, and in the top 30 of the U.K. Singles Chart. This collaboration with Ja Rule led to a record deal with The Inc. Records and Def Soul Records. She later moved to Island Records. She has released three studio albums: Christina Milian (2001), It's About Time (2004) and So Amazin' (2006). As an actress, her first lead role was in the 2003 film Love Don't Cost a Thing, and subsequently had main roles in Be Cool and the horror film Pulse. She also had a minor role in Ghosts of Girlfriends Past, starred as the lead role in the film Bring It On: Fight to the Finish and was cast in the ABC Family television movie "Christmas Cupid." As a songwriter, she has written for several artists, most notably Jennifer López with her hit song "Play." She has been nominated for two Grammy Awards and is currently at work on her fourth studio album, due for release in 2011.
• Wanna see other editions of "Betcha Didn't Know...?" Click here.
Bochinche refers to "gossip." In this sense, we use it to mention HOLA members who are getting acting and performance gigs. Yanelba Ferreira and Ziad Tayeh, shown at left, contacted us to let us know that they booked a music video for Ray Cruz and the Cruz Control Band's song "Cuando Te Vea" through an HOLA referral.
Elizabeth Rivera de García will be performing her poetry as part of an evening of erotic poetry. Produced by Haiku Empire and created by Odilia Rivera Santos, the evening will take place at the appropriately-named Lolita Bar in the Loísaida neighborhood of Manhattan.
Ayanery Reyes will be performing in the Stella Adler Studio of Acting's Industry Showcase A. Scheduled for a mid-May run, it will take place at the Stella Adler Conservatory of Acting, located in Manhattan's Flatiron District.
Teatro Las Tablas is presenting the inaugural The Heights Teatro Festival. The festival will present five productions during the month of May in various locations. They are listed below.
• E3Outlaws Productions and Teatro Las Tablas are presenting Mujer contra mujer (El olor de las hembras). Written by Abniel Marat, directed by Enmanuel García, produced by García and Yolanny Rodríguez and starring Diana Pou and Xiomara Rodríguez, the production will have one performance in the El Morocco and one performance in the United Palace Theater both in the Washington Heights neighborhood of Manhattan.
• Teatro TEBA is presenting ¿Y qué fue Doña Inés? Written by Juan R. Diaz Pardo and directed by Héctor Luis Rivera and starring Rogelio Moreno, Cecill Villar, Franco Galecio, Raúl Rivera, Estela Orozco, Kathy Tejada, Agar García and Edward Azcorra and will take place in the Columbia University Alumni Theater in the Washington Heights neighborhood of Manhattan.
• Teatro Fenixusa is presenting Amores de cartera. Written and directed by J.J. Franco, the production will take place in the Columbia University Alumni Theater in the Washington Heights neighborhood of Manhattan.
• Teatro Crequet is presenting Mi amor, hablamos luego. Written by Paula Crequet and directed by Raúl Rivera, the cast includes Agar García, Helen Rodríguez, Jorge Pluas, Crequet, Oscar Manuel Salazar and Pastor Torres and will have one performance in the Columbia University Alumni Theater and one performance in the United Palace Theater both in the Washington Heights neighborhood of Manhattan.
• Teatro Coronado will present Ya viene abuela. Written by Dinorah Coronado and directed by José Bonilla, the cast includes Yvette Quintero, Daihana Saldaña, Waldina Díaz, Christopher J. López, Coronado, Bonilla and Yolanny Rodríguez. The workshop production will take place in the Columbia University Alumni Theater in the Washington Heights neighborhood of Manhattan.
If you are an HOLA member and want to submit a bochinche item, send us an e-mail at holagram@hellohola.org. If you are not an HOLA member, why not join?
Check out this article in the Hollywood Reporter by Georg Szalai about Univision Communications losing $74.1 million in the first quarter of 2011 in spite of higher revenue gains by clicking here.
Check out this article in Latin Heat by Cris Franco about Stephen Adly Guirgis' play The Motherf**ker with the Hat (whose Latino cast members Bobby Cannavale, Yul Vásquez and Elizabeth Rodríguez are all nominated for Tony Awards this year)by clicking here.
Bochinche refers to "gossip." In this sense, we use it to mention HOLA members who are getting acting and performance gigs. Martín Untrojb, at left, e-mailed us to let us know that since he has taken Manuel Herrera's Spanish Language Voiceover Workshop through HOLA, he has booked six radio commercials and two television commercials for such companies as the New York Lottery and Verizon.
Elizabeth Rivera de García is performing in the event I Am Here Now. Produced by Haiku Empire and created by Odilia Rivera Santos, the evening included a reading of her play Redirected Play and performance pieces about coming out as an artist. The event is scheduled for a May run in the Roy Arias Studio Theater in the theater district of midtown Manhattan.
Tony Chiroldes, along with Danny Bolero and Natalie Toro, will be performing in Broadway on 22nd Street, a monthly series of cabaret performances presented by and at The Metropolitan Room in the Flatiron District of Manhattan. For more info, go here.
If you are an HOLA member and want to submit a bochinche item, send us an e-mail at holagram@hellohola.org. If you are not an HOLA member, why not join?
