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.
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.
Eduardo Ramos, right, just booked a role in a film to be directed by Albert Lanfranco. The director found his profile complete with headshot and resume on the HOLA online talent directory.
Marcelino Feliciano will be playing the role of Juan Julián in the Pulitzer Prize winning play Anna in the Tropics. Written by Nilo Cruz and directed by Beatriz Esteban-Messina, the production will take place in August at Hackensack Cultural Arts Center in Hackensack, New Jersey.
Ziad Tayeh booked work in an upcoming episode of the television series "The Good Wife" (CBS).
Pregones Theater is presenting a workshop presentation of their upcoming bilingual musical Fly-Babies/Piojos. Conceived and written by Rosalba Rolón and Desmar Guevara, the show will take place in August at Pregones' eponymous theater in the Mott Haven section of the Bronx. It will be directed by Rolón and feature Rosal Colón, Shadia Fairuz, Elise Hernández, Jesús E. Martínez and Omar Pérez in the cast.
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?
On Thursday, July 28, 2011, HOLA presented its second HOLA After The Curtain/HOLA Después Del Telón event, a series of post-performance discussions. This particular incarnation was for the off-Broadway production Brownsville Bred. Written and performed by Elaine Del Valle, the solo show was directed by Pamela Moller Kareman, and produced by The Schoolhouse Theater, Theater 808 and Al Eskanazy Productions. The show and the HOLA event took place at 59E59 Theaters in Manhattan's East Side. Mario Bósquez served as moderator.
Before a packed house, Bósquez spoke with Moller Kareman and Del Valle regarding the autobiographical show and how it came to fruition. The discussion was lively and funny, although it became poignant at times. In the audience was one of Del Valle's elementary school teachers, a teacher from the school where her late father (who figures prominently in the play) worked and the son of an old boyfriend of Del Valle's mother. Tears were shed when a gentleman in the audience who was also from Del Valle's old neighborhood (Brownsville, Brooklyn) mentioned that her father's spirit lives on in him because he learned to play the conga through him. The gentleman now plays percussion for the band Alma Moyo. He came up to the stage and they shared an embrace which made the room erupt with applause.
The discussion was one of four talkbacks affiliated with the production. According to Del Valle, "it was the best talkback that she had ever had [with the production]. Mario [Bósquez] is amazing and I think that HOLA (even before last night) has been better than ever before and I am proud to be a member!"
Bósquez, for his part, also reciprocated the love: "It was a wonderful experience to be a part of this. You guys are amazing and [Elaine Del Valle] is absolutely riveting in this show...."
Photos of the event were taken by Anthony Ruiz of ARuiz Photography (click on each to see them bigger). More photos of the event can be seen by clicking here.
This four-week workshop focuses on the development of individual song presentation and interpretation. During the four sessions, close attention will be paid to body awareness and voice technique. Participants will work to develop a song that he/she already knows (bring to class chart/sheet music in the key they sing it, printed copies of lyrics of the song, and CD version of the song from the artist). Open to performing artists with a background in singing.
ART/NY 520 Eighth Avenue, Room 520C (between West 36th & West 37th streets), NYC
Four two-hour sessions Mondays from 6:30 to 8:30PM August 1, 8, 15 & 22, 2011
Workshop price: $120 MasterCard, VISA and American Express For registration, call HOLA at (212) 253-1015.
Trains: A/C to 34th Street (north exit) Buses: M20 northbound to 36th Street
About the Instructor: Sabrina Lastman is a vocalist, performer, composer and educator born in Montevideo, Uruguay. Drawing from jazz, Latin American and contemporary music, often integrating extended vocal techniques she concentrates her work on the Sabrina Lastman Quartet and the creation of interdisciplinary performances relating voice, sound, movement, visuals and theatre. In New York, she has performed at Carnegie Hall, Classical Guitar Association of New York, Blues Alley Jazz, Blue Note, Joe's Pub, Yale University, El Museo del Barrio, Juilliard, CUNY, and NYU, among others. She has played with musicians such as Fernando Otero (Grammy Award Winner), Meredith Monk, Bakithi Kumalo, Tali Roth, Pablo Aslan, Emilio Solla, Pedro Giraudo, David Silliman, The M6, Sasha Bogdanowitsch, Philip Hamilton and Leonardo Suárez-Paz. Her album, The Folds of the Soul, was nominated by the Graffiti Award 2008 as one of the best jazz albums of the year, and it was considered of cultural interest by the Ministry of Culture and Education in Uruguay. She was awarded grants by the Lower Manhattan Cultural Council (LMCC) & New York City Department of Cultural Affairs (DCA), and the New York State Council on the Arts (NYSCA).
She has taught at the Hispanic Organization of Latin Actors (HOLA), IATI Theatre, Middlebury College, Portland Arts & Technology School, Movement Research, New York Theatre Workshop (NYTW), Actors Movement Studio, Teatro LATEA, Art for Change, Jewish Community Center in Manhattan, and privately at her own studio. She's the co-director of Vital Vox, a vocal festival exploring the myriad power of the human voice in its solo and ensemble forms across a multitude of genres by vocal artists creating and performing their own original work.
She has toured internationally playing in many musical and interdisciplinary projects from Tango to New Music. She is currently in her second year at the Feldenkrais Professional Training Program at The Feldenkrais Institute of New York. She graduated from The Jerusalem Academy of Music & Dance in Israel.
A single session introductory seminar to AudioBook Recording
HOLAfábrica presents an intensive workshop on how to audition as a narrator for audiobooks
Manuel Herrera, HOLA Special Projects Director, actor, director, voiceover artist and Rights Acquisitions/Director of AudioLibros for Recorded Books, LLC will direct an advanced voice-over technique workshop for the experienced actor who wishes to fine-tune his/her technique. He will be conducting a "how to" approach in choosing the right audition material, microphone practice, characterization and interpretation technique. Small classes.
Seminar conducted in Spanish.
The workshop will be held at New York's famed Recorded Books Studios. Practice recordings will be used to familiarize the student with the demands of the art of studio voice recording.
Tuesday August 9, 2011 6:30-9pm
Recorded Books Productions 826 Broadway, 10th Floor (near E. 12th Street), NYC
HOLA members $50 (nonmembers $100) payable in advance MasterCard, Visa & American Express
Call (212) 253-1015 to register. Limited class size.
HOLAfábrica presenta un curso intensivo de técnicas de cómo trabajar en la industria de los Audiolibros con Manuel Herrera, el Director de Proyectos Especiales de HOLA y Adquisiciones de Derechos/ Director de Audiolibros en Recorded Books Productions. Aprenda cómo presentar una audición como un narrador de audiolibros.
• Elección del mejor material para la audición • Práctica con micrófono • Caracterización y la técnica de interpretación para Audiolibros.
Cupo limitado. Cargo: $50 (no miembros de HOLA: $100)
Recorded Books Productions, 826 Broadway, Decimo piso (esquina de la East 12th Street), Nueva York. PAGO AL REGISTRARSE. Llame al (212) 253-1015 para registrarse. Se aceptan AMEX, VISA Y MASTERCARD.
a post-performance discussion with the writer-performer and director of
BROWNSVILLE BRED
Written and performed by Elaine Del Valle(shown above) Directed by Pamela Moller Kareman
Moderated by Mario Bósquez
A true and inspiring journey out of Brownsville, Brooklyn. Set in the 1980s, it follows a Latino family you’ll love to laugh with, have to cry with and need to root for. The extraordinary Elaine Del Valle will win your heart with her powerful story.
Thursday, July 28, 2011 at 7:15pm 59E59 Theaters (Theater B) 59 East 59th Street, (bet. Park and Madison Aves.), NYC
Tickets: $35, $25 for HOLA members (with promotion code “NUYO”) Go to www.ticketcentral.com to buy tickets online.
Thursday, August 4, 2011 at 5:30pm Teatro SEA @ CSV Cultural and Educational Center 107 Suffolk Street, First Floor, (between Rivington and Delancey sts.), NYC J M Z trains to Essex/Delancey / M9, M14 buses
Find out who will be honored and awarded with 2011 HOLA Awards, scheduled for Monday, October 17, 2011 at The Battery Gardens, NYC
Check out the hit of the Sundance Film Festival, Rashaad Ernesto Green's film Gun Hill Road, starring Esaí Morales; Judy Reyes; Isiah Whitlock, Jr.; Míriam Colón; Vincent Laresca; Franky G; Robin de Jesús; Shirley Rumierk; Félix Solís; Vanessa Aspíllaga; Glendilys Inoa; Flaco Navaja; Caridad De La Luz; J.W. Cortés; Jeff Lima; Paul Mauriello; Reinaldo Marcus Green; and introducing Harmony Santana.
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.
Broadway producer Ken Davenport is, in an unprecedented move, opening up investment in the 40th anniversary production of Stephen Schwartz's musical Godspell to the theater-loving public. This crowd-funded, called by the producer "community-funded," model is the first time it has been applied to theater. The Broadway musical is scheduled to open in November 2011 at the Circle in the Square Theater. The producers of the show are called, collectively, The People of Godspell.Luis Salgado, Jamie Cesa, Roger Alan Gindi, Joe DiPietro and Gabriela García are among The People of Godspell. The revival will mark the first Broadway production of the musical since its original run transferred from off-Broadway to Broadway, closing at the Ambassador Theatre on September 4, 1977 after 527 performances. For more information on how to be one of The People of Godspell, click here. Dennis Brito will be appearing in the play Paid Off. Written by Robert D. Argen and directed by Argen and Julia Frieri, the production will take place in July at The Hudson Guild Theater in Manhattan's Chelsea neighborhood as part of The Riant Theater's Strawberry Festival.
Also at The Riant Theater's Strawberry Festival will be Ángel Dillemuth, who will appear in two plays: Criminal Mischief (written and directed by Ellen Orchid) and Flowers Don't Grow Here Anymore (written and directed by Josie Perrelli). Both shows will take place at The Hudson Guild Theater in Manhattan's Chelsea neighborhood. For more information on the festival and the Summer 2011 lineup, click here.
Denia Brache will act in the play Cassanova Was a Woman. Written and directed by Jezabel Montero, the play also features Margo Singaliese, Carla-Marie Mercun, Jeffrey Moore Cusimano, Christian Castro, David Michaels and Camille West and will have an August run in The Living Theater (located in Manhattan's Loísaida neighborhood) as part of the 15th Annual New York International Fringe Festival (fringeNYC). For information and tickets, 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?
a post-performance discussion with the writer-performer and director of
BROWNSVILLE BRED
Written and performed by Elaine Del Valle(shown above) Directed by Pamela Moller Kareman
Moderated by Mario Bósquez
A true and inspiring journey out of Brownsville, Brooklyn. Set in the 1980s, it follows a Latino family you’ll love to laugh with, have to cry with and need to root for. The extraordinary Elaine Del Valle will win your heart with her powerful story.
Thursday, July 28, 2011 at 7:15pm 59E59 Theaters (Theater B) 59 East 59th Street, (bet. Park and Madison Aves.), NYC
Tickets: $35, $25 for HOLA members (with promotion code “NUYO”) Go to www.ticketcentral.com to buy tickets online.
Check out the interview actor J.W. Cortés and director Angelica Torn gave to New Tang Dynasty Television (NTD) regarding their project, the musical Soldier's Song, now playing at the Poet's Den Theater. Interview is in English with Mandarin Chinese subtitles.
Wanna be an HOLA member? Wanna know more about HOLA first?
HOLA is a not-for-profit arts service and advocacy organization founded in 1975.
HOLA members get their headshots and resumes on our web directory. In addition, HOLA receives casting notices from various sources that we pass on to our members (or in specific cases, help refer actors to the casting director).
HOLA offers low-cost workshops and seminars, professional counseling, special events and networking activities. We also produce the HOLA Awards which honor outstanding achievement by Latinos in entertainment.
HOLA has a Facebook page and a Twitter page in addition to this blog (imaginatively titled El Blog De HOLA). Whenever a member is doing a project, we can promote via e-mails we send out, through our Members in Performance page on the website or in El Blog on our HOLA Member Bochinche column (only good bochinche, never bad bochinche). It functions as another outlet to promote your work.
What if you are not an actor? You can support HOLA by being a Friend of HOLA. For more information, click here.
To become an HOLA member online, fill out the member application form 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.
Loren Escandón just let us know that she will be one of the leads in the webnovela "Madres y comadres." Presented by Kmart, the webnovela will be seen on YouTube and deals with Latino families living in the U.S. The show will premiere August 1, 2011. To see their YouTube page and webisodes, click here. Apple Core Theater Company will be presenting two of Mel Nieves' one-act plays. Collectively titled By The Dawn's Early Light, the two one-acts are called Los Embrujados and Midnight Mass. Directed by Walter Hoffman, the production will take place in August at The Studio Theater at Theatre Row Studios in the theater district of midtown Manhattan. The cast includes Camilo Almonacid, Arturo Castro, Alicia Fitzgerald, Wynn Hall, Mike Havok, Gustavo Heredia, Jorge Humberto Hoyos, Flor De Liz Pérez, Kevin Prowse, Gordon Silva, Karen Sours and Damian Jermaine Thompson. For more information, click here.
The Puerto Rican Traveling Theater, in conjunction with Teatro SEA, is presenting El encuentro de Juan Bobo y Pedro Animal/The Meeting of Juan Bobo and Pedro Animal. A bilingual play written and directed by Manuel Morán based on the folkloric stories and characters from Puerto Rico and the Dominican Republic, it will feature Morán and Jesús E. Martínez in the cast and tour NYC in August as part of the 44th Annual Summer Tour of The Puerto Rican Traveling Theater. For more information, click either here, here or here.
Theatreworks USA is presenting The Yellow Brick Road. An all-new salsa and merengue-infused musical inspired by L. Frank Baum's The Wizard of Oz. The musical's book was written by Mando Alvarado and Tommy Newman, while the lyrics and music were written by Jaime Lozano (who also did the arrangements and orchestrations with Salomon Lerner) and Tommy Newman. Directed by Devanand Janki and choreographed by Janki and Robert Tatad, it stars Virginia Cavaliere; Ryan Duncan; Cedric Leiba, Jr., Lexi Rhoades; Natalie Toro; Frank Viveros; Joshua Cruz; and Verónica Reyes. Music direction and additional arrangements are by Zachary Dietz. The production will have a July and August run and take place at the Lucille Lortel Theater in Manhattan's West Village. For more information on the show and to how to get the show's free tickets (yes, free), click here.
Elizabeth Rivera de García will be one of the featured poets in a show entitled Men and Women in Poetic Conversations about Love. Produced by Haiku Empire, the show will also feature Charlie Vázquez, Odilia Rivera Santos and The Werdsman and will occur on July 29, 2011 at Billie's Black in Manhattan's West Harlem neighborhood.
Robmariel Olea is starring in the stage comedy La movida. Written and directed by William Colmenares, the play is produced by Rafael Marín, Larry Villalobos and Arisleyda Lombert, also stars Colmenares, Marisela Buitraga, Henry Zakka and Paulo Quevedo and is scheduled for an August run at Teatro Natives in the Jackson Heights section of Queens.
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 the news report on NY1 Noticias (plus its accompanying text in Spanish) by clicking here. Día De Los Muertos is written by Anthony Pennino and directed by Alberto Bonilla and features Bonilla, Javier E. Gómez and Ydaiber Orozco in the cast. The show is running at Teatro LATEA until July 31, 2011.
The Fast and The Furiousfilm series is a series of action films that focuses on street racing and heists. Produced by Universal Studios, the series was established in 2001 with the eponymous first film, which has since been followed by four sequels, and two short films that tie into the series. In 2011, the most recent installment, Fast Five (also known as Fast & Furious 5or Fast & Furious 5: Rio Heist) was released in theaters. Together, the film series has grossed over U.S.$1.5 billion dollars worldwide (of which almost U.S.$700 million was from the domestic gross).
The films in the series are as follows.
The Fast and The Furious (2001), directed by Rob Cohen 2 Fast 2 Furious (2003), directed by John Singleton Turbo-Charged Prelude (2003), a six-minute short film directed by Philip G. Atwell The Fast and The Furious: Tokyo Drift (2006), directed by Justin Lin Los Bandoleros (2009), a twenty-minute short film directed by Vin Diesel Fast & Furious (2009), directed by Justin Lin Fast Five (2011), directed by Justin Lin.
The films were based on a magazine article written by Ken Li entitled "Racer X." The screenplays were written by Gary Scott Thompson, Erik Bergquist and David Ayer (original film); Michael Brandt and Derek Haas (second film); Vin Diesel (Bandoleros short film); and Chris Morgan (Prelude short film, third film, fourth film and fifth film), respectively.
The stars of the film series include Vin Diesel, Paul Walker, Tyrese Gibson, Sung Kang, Ludacris Thom Barry and Dwayne Johnson.
But did you know of the numerous Latino stars who have been in the film franchise?
• Michelle Rodríguez, of Puerto Rican and Dominican heritage, played Leticia "Letty" Ortiz in The Fast and The Furious, Los Bandoleros and Fast & Furious. A photo of her is also shown in Fast Five.
• Jordana Brewster was born in Panama to a Brazilian mother and an American father. She was raised in England, the U.S. and in Brazil. She played Mia Torretto in The Fast and The Furious, Fast & Furious and Fast Five.
• Eva Mendes, of Cuban heritage, played FBI agent Mónica Fuentes in 2 Fast 2 Furious. She has an uncredited cameo at the end of Fast Five.
• Mo Gallini (sometimes credited as Matt Gallini) of Cuban and Lebanese heritage, played Enrique in 2 Fast 2 Furious.
• Roberto "Sanz" Sánchez was born in Cuba. He played Roberto in 2 Fast 2 Furious.
• John Ortiz, of Puerto Rican heritage, played Arturo Braga in Fast & Furious.
• Laz Alonso, of Afro-Cuban heritage, played Fénix "Rise" Calderón in Fast & Furious.
• Leonardo Nam was born in Argentina and raised in Argentina and Australia to Korean parents. He played Morimoto in The Fast and The Furious: Tokyo Drift.
• Mirtha Michelle, of Dominican heritage, played Cara Mirtha in Los Bandoleros and Fast & Furious.
• Elsa Pataky, was born in Spain to a Spaniard father and a Hungarian/ Romanian mother. She played Elena Neves in Fast Five.
• F. Valentino Morales, of Dominican and Italian heritage, played Malo in Los Bandoleros.
• Celinés Toribio was born in the Dominican Republic. She played Malo's Wife in Los Bandoleros.
• Tego Calderón, born in Puerto Rico, played Tego Leo in Los Bandoleros, Fast & Furious and Fast Five.
• Don Omar, born in Puerto Rico, played Rico Santos in Los Bandoleros, Fast & Furious and Fast Five.
• Luis "Trikz" Da Silva, of Portuguese heritage, played Diego in Fast Five.
• Joaquim de Almeida was born in Portugal. He played Hernan Reyes in Fast Five.
Vin Diesel and franchise producer Neal Moritz are already developing the sixth film (tentatively titled Fast & Furious 6 or Fast Six) which will be written by Chris Morgan and directed by Justin Lin. Plans are for stars Diesel, Paul Walker, Dwayne Johnson and Tyrese Gibson to return as well as others. On June 24, 2011, Vin Diesel revealed on his Facebook account that the release date for Fast & Furious 6 is May 27, 2013 in the U.S.
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.
J.W. Cortés was mentioned in the "Starr Report," the column and blog written by Michael Starr for The New York Post for the musical Soldier's Song, in which he is starring. The musical, written by Jim Cohen and Joanne Lee Drexler Cohen (and co-starring Jeffrey Hernández) will be directed by Angelica Torn and is set for a July and August run at The Poet's Den theater in Manhattan's El Barrio neighborhood. To read the column, click here.
Susana Péreze-mailed us to let us know that she booked a co-starring role in an episode of "Blue Bloods" (CBS).
World View Productions is set to mount of Cayendo con Victoriano in Mexico. Written by Luis Enrique G. Ortiz Monasterio and directed by Luis Martín, the play features Alfredo Huereca, Ana Verónica Muñoz, Raoul Bretón, Bill Blechingberg and Mío Marabotto in the cast and will have an August run in the Teatro San Pedro as part of the Nuevo León Theater Festival in Monterrey, Nuevo León, Mexico.
Yanelba Ferreira booked a U.S. college tour of Linda Nieves-Powell's Yo Soy Latina which is scheduled to start this September. The tour is hitting colleges in Florida, Georgia, Massachusetts and New York.
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, famous performers that defy categorization. Sammy Davis, Jr.(1925-1990), born Samuel George Davis Sánchezal estilo latino, was an entertainer, primarily a dancer and singer. Born in New York, New York, U.S.A. to Sammy Davis, Sr., of African American descent, and Elvera Sánchez, of Puerto Rican heritage (although some sources say Cuban). Both parents were vaudeville dancers.
When he was three years old, his parents separated. His father, not wanting to lose custody of his son, took him on tour. He learned to dance from his father and his "uncle" Will Mastin, who led the dance troupe for which his father worked. He joined the act as a child and they became the Will Mastin Trio. When he served in the U.S. Army during World War II, he was confronted by strong racial prejudice. The Army assigned Davis to an integrated entertainment Special Services unit, and he found that the spotlight lessened the prejudice. "My talent was the weapon, the power, the way for me to fight. It was the one way I might hope to affect a man's thinking," he said. After his discharge at the war's end, Davis rejoined the family dance act, which played at clubs around Portland, Oregon, U.S.A. He began to achieve success on his own and was singled out for praise by critics, releasing several albums. This led to his appearance in the Broadway play Mr. Wonderful in 1956.
Davis nearly died in an automobile accident on November 19, 1954 in San Bernadino, California, U.S.A. as he was making a return trip from Las Vegas to Los Angeles. He lost his left eye as a result. He was fitted for a glass eye, which he wore for the rest of his life. While in the hospital, his friend, performer Eddie Cantor, told him about the similarities between the Jewish and African American cultures. Prompted by this conversation, Davis— who was born to a Catholic mother and Protestant father— began studying the history of Jews, converting to Judaism several years later.
In 1959, he became a member of the famous "Rat Pack," led by his friend Frank Sinatra, which included fellow performers such as Dean Martin, Joey Bishop, Peter Lawford and Shirley MacLaine. He was the only non-white member of the group.
He was a headliner at a casino in Las Vegas, Nevada, U.S.A., but he was required (as were all black performers in the 1950s) to lodge in a rooming house on the west side of the city, instead of in the hotels as his white colleagues did. No dressing rooms were provided for black performers, and they had to wait outside by the swimming pool between acts. During his early years in Las Vegas, Davis and other black artists could entertain, but usually could not stay at the hotels where they performed, gamble in the casinos, nor dine or drink in the hotel restaurants and bars. Davis later refused to work at places which practiced racial segregation.
In the mid-1950s, he was involved with Kim Novak, a movie star under contract to Columbia Studios. The head of the studio, Harry Cohn, was worried about the negative effect this would have on the studio because of the prevailing taboo against miscegnation. He called his friend, the mobster Johnny Roselli, who was asked to tell him to stop the affair with Novak. Roselli arranged for Davis to be kidnapped for a few hours to throw a scare into him. His hastily arranged and soon-dissolved marriage to black dancer Loray White in 1958 was an attempt to quiet the controversy.
In 1960, he caused controversy when he married white Swedish-born actress May Britt. He received hate mail while starring in the Broadway musical adaptation of Golden Boy from 1964-1966 (for which he received a Tony Award nomination for Best Actor). At the time of his marriage, interracial marriages were forbidden by law in 31 U.S. states, and only in 1967 were those laws ruled unconstitutional by the U.S. Supreme Court. Davis and Britt had one daughter and adopted two sons. he performed almost continuously and spent little time with his wife. They divorced in 1968, after Davis admitted to having had an affair with singer Lola Falana (see below). That year, Davis started dating Altovise Gore, a dancer in Golden Boy. They were married on May 11, 1970 by the Reverend Jesse Jackson. Although he was still a draw in Las Vegas, his musical career had sputtered by the latter 1960s, although he had a #11 hit (#1 on the Easy Listening singles chart) with "I've Gotta Be Me" in 1969. But then, even as his career seemed at its nadir, Sammy had an unexpected hit with "Candy Man." Although he did not particularly care for the song and was chagrined that he was now best known for it, he made the most of his opportunity and revitalized his career. Although he enjoyed no more Top 40 hits, he did enjoy popularity with his performance of the theme song from the television series "Baretta" (1975–1978), which was not released as a single but was given radio play and he remained a live act beyond Vegas for his career. He occasionally landed television and film parts, including cameo visits on "All in the Family" (during which he kisses Archie Bunker's character, played by Carroll O'Connor, on the cheek) and, with wife Altovise Gore Davis, on "Charlie's Angels."
On December 11, 1967, NBC broadcast a musical-variety special entitled "Movin' With Nancy." In addition to the Emmy Award-winning musical performances, the show is notable for Nancy Sinatra and Sammy Davis, Jr. greeting each other with a kiss, one of the first black-white kisses in U.S. television history.
He was an avid photographer who enjoyed shooting family and acquaintances. His body of work was detailed in a 2007 book by Burt Boyar. "Jerry [Lewis] gave me my first important camera, my first 35-millimeter, during the early '50s," Boyar quotes Davis. "And he hooked me." He later used a medium format camera to capture images. Again quoting Davis, "Nobody interrupts a man taking a picture to ask ... 'What's that nigger doin' here?'" His catalog includes rare photos of his father dancing onstage as part of the Will Mastin Trio and intimate snapshots of close friends Jerry Lewis, Dean Martin, Frank Sinatra, James Dean, Nat "King" Cole, and Marilyn Monroe. His political affiliations also were represented, in his images of Robert Kennedy, Jackie Kennedy, and Martin Luther King, Jr. His most revealing work comes in photographs of wife May Britt and their three children, Tracey, Jeff and Mark.
He died in Beverly Hills, California, US.A. on May 16, 1990, of complications from throat cancer. Earlier, when he was told that surgery (laryngectomy) offered him the best chance of survival, he replied he would rather keep his voice than have a part of his throat removed; he subsequently was treated with a combination of chemotherapy and radiation. However, a few weeks prior to his death his entire larynx was removed during surgery. On May 18, 1990, two days after Davis' death, the neon lights of the Las Vegas strip were darkened for ten minutes, as a tribute to him.
Sammy Davis, Jr. tap dancing and singing
Gregory Hines's tribute to Sammy Davis, Jr. (note that he was in the final stages of his cancer and was directed by doctors not to dance-- yet he couldn't refuse; he passed away three months after this television special aired)
Lola Falana (1942- ) was born Loletha Elaine Falana in Camden, New Jersey, U.S.A. to a Cuban father and African American mother. She spent most of her childhood in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, U.S.A. She is a singer, dancer an actress.
By the age of three she was dancing, and by age five she was singing in the church choir. By the time she was in junior high school, she was already dancing in nightclubs to which she was escorted by her mother. Pursuing a musical career became so important to Falana that, against her parents' wishes, she left high school a few months before graduation and moved to New York City.
Her first dancing gig was at Small's Paradise in Harlem. Dinah Washington, the “Queen of Blues,” was influential in fostering her early career. While dancing in a nightclub, she was discovered by Sammy Davis, Jr. (see above), who gave her a featured role in his 1964 Broadway musical Golden Boy. Her first single, "My Baby," was recorded for Mercury Records in 1965. Later in her career she recorded under Frank Sinatra's record label. In the late 1960s she was mentored by Davis. In 1966 Davis cast her, along with himself, Ossie Davis (no relation) and Cicely Tyson, in her first film role in the film, A Man Called Adam.
She became a major star of Italian cinema beginning in 1967. In Italy she learned to speak fluent Italian while starring in three movies. She became known as the "Black Venus." During this time she was busy touring with Davis as a singer and dancer, making films in Italy, and reprising her role in Golden Boy during its revival in London.
In 1969, she ended her close working relationship with Sammy Davis Jr., though the two remained friends. "If I didn't break away," she said in an interview, "I would always be known as the little dancer with Sammy Davis, Jr.... I wanted to be known as something more." The previous year, Sammy Davis Jr. was divorced by his second wife, May Britt, after Davis admitted to having had an affair with her.
In 1970, she acted in the film The Liberation of L.B. Jones and was nominated for a Golden Globe Award for New Star of the Year-Actress. She was the first black woman to model for a line of cosmetics that was not targeted solely at blacks, in the successful Faberge Tigress perfume ads. American TV audiences became familiar with her during the early 1970s. She often appeared on "The Joey Bishop Show" and "The Hollywood Palace," displaying her talent for music, dance, and light comedy. These appearances led to more opportunities. From 1971 to 1975, she was married to Feliciano “Butch” Tavares (who himself was of Cape Verdean descent), one of five brothers of the popular R&B band Tavares.
She was the first supporting player hired by Bill Cosby for his much-anticipated variety hour, "The New Bill Cosby Show," which made its debut on September 11, 1972 (her 30th birthday) on CBS. Throughout the mid-1970s she made guest appearances on many popular TV shows, including "The Tonight Show Starring Johnny Carson," "Laugh-In," and "The Flip Wilson Show." She also starred in her own television specials.
In 1975 her disco record "There's A Man Out There Somewhere" reached #67 on the Billboard R&B chart. That same year, she returned to Broadway as the lead in the musical Doctor Jazz. Although the production closed after just five performances, she was nominated for a Tony Award and won the 1975 Theater World Award.
With help from Sammy Davis, Jr., she brought her act to Las Vegas and became a top draw there. By the late 1970s, she was considered the Queen of Las Vegas. She played to sold-out crowds. She was offered her $100,000 a week to perform. At the time, she was the highest paid female performer in Las Vegas. Her show ran twenty weeks a year and became a major tourist attraction.
While still playing to sell-out crowds in Las Vegas, she joined the cast of a short-lived CBS soap opera, "Capitol" as Charity Blake, a wealthy entertainment mogul. Soon after the show was cancelled in 1987, she suffered a major setback; a diagnosis of multiple sclerosis (MS). At the time, her left side was paralyzed, she became partially blind, and her voice and hearing were impaired. Recovery lasted a year and a half, during which she spent most of her time praying. She attributes her recovery to a spiritual experience which she described as "Being able to feel the presence of the Lord." Though she performed again in Las Vegas shows in 1987, her practice of religion and faith became the center of her life. After another bout with MS in 1996, Falana returned to Philadelphia and lived with her parents for a short time. No longer performing, she now tours the country with a message of hope and spirituality. When not on tour, she lives a quiet life in Las Vegas working on the apostolate she founded, The Lambs of God Ministry. The ministry is focused on helping children who have been orphaned in sub-Saharan Africa, and works closely with the group Save Sub-Saharan Orphans. Her last known musical performance was in 1997, at Wayne Newton's theater in Branson, Missouri, U.S.A.
Live performance by Lola Falana
Lola Falana singing in Italian
Holly Woodlawn (1946- ), born Haroldo Santiago Franceschi Rodriguez Danhaklin Juana Díaz, Puerto Rico. She is an actress (who happens to be transgender) and became famous at first for being one of Andy Warhol's superstars in the late 1960s and 1970s. She is also one of the subjects in Lou Reed's 1972 hit song "Walk on The Wild Side." Note the lyrics from the opening verse below.
"Holly came from Miami F-L-A,
Hitchhiked her way across the USA,
Plucked her eyebrows on the way,
Shaved her legs and then he was a she.
She says, 'Hey babe, take a walk on the wild side'
He said, 'Hey honey, take a walk on the wild side.'"
She adopted the name Holly from the heroine of the classic movie Breakfast at Tiffany's, and in 1969 added the surname from a sign she saw on an episode of "I Love Lucy." After changing her name she began to tell people she was the heiress to Woodlawn Cemetery (located in the Bronx, New York, U.S.A.)
She grew up in Miami Beach, Florida, U.S.A. and in 1962, while still a teenager, left, heading north. She recollects that "I hocked some jewelry and ... made it all the way to Georgia, where the money ran out and... had to hitchhike the rest of the way" to New York.
She met artist Andy Warhol at a screening of his film Flesh. Through him she met writer-performer Jackie Curtis, who cast her in her play Heaven Grand in Amber Orbit in the autumn of 1969. In October of that year she was given a bit role in the film Trash (produced by Warhol), but so impressed writer-director Paul Morrissey that she was given a much larger role.
In May 1971, she replaced Candy Darling at the LaMama Theatre in New York in a production of Vain Victory written and directed by Jackie Curtis. In 1972 director Robert Kaplan and cinematographer Paul Glickman concocted the idea of a movie whose premise would be using a transvestite as the lead in a film without revealing the sex of the actress. Woodlawn played a young, starstruck girl hoping for success as an actress in New York City. The film, Scarecrow in a Garden of Cucumbers, was a low budget, 16mm, unsuccessful musical feature. The song "In The Very Last Row," written by Marshall Barer, was performed by Bette Midler.
She continued to make cameo appearances in plays and films such as (Billy's Hollywood Screen Kiss) throughout the 1980s and 1990s. After Warhol's death, she was interviewed frequently on his life and influence. Even though saddled with chronic back problems that limit her mobility, she began performing in cabaret shows in sold-out New York and Los Angeles performances in the early 2000s. She continues to travel with her cabaret show, most recently appearing in Kraków, Poland and London, England in 2008. She currently resides in West Hollywood, Calfornia, U.S.A.
Clip of the film Trash with Holly Woodlawn and Joe Dallesandro (note there is adult language in this clip)
1993 Interview with Joan Rivers
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WBAI Radio gives Elaine Del Valle's self-penned solo show Brownsville Bred its highest reviews FOUR (4) STARS--"It's Tremendous!...A Brilliant Piece!...Organic...Riveting...A Brilliant Young Actress...You Gotta Go See That!...A very promising Actress...we should look forward to seeing her!" Check out this stellar review written by David Dow Bentley III for The People's Critic by clicking here. For more information about the show, click here.
Marquita Rivera (May 18, 1922–October 21, 2002), born María Heroína Rivera de Santiago in Fajardo, Puerto Rico, was an actress, singer and dancer. Dubbed the "Queen of La Conga," "Queen of Latin Rhythm" and "Latin Hurricane" during various stages of her career, Rivera, went on to enjoy a strong musical career both in the United States and in her native Puerto Rico.
She was the youngest in a family of seven sons and five daughters. The family moved to New York City when Rivera was only three months old and it was there that she started a musical career. Studying dance and flamenco at the age of six, she originally studied with Rita Hayworth's father, Eduardo Cansino. Hayworth herself gave her a set of castanets as a gift.
A childhood friend of bandleader Tito Puente, Rivera, accompanied by her costume designer mother, went on to earn a featured role as a dancer with George White's Scandals of 1936, but it was her performance before Britain's King George VI and Queen Elizabeth at the 1939 New York World's Fair during their respective royal visits that she considered the highlight of her nascent career. She also toured Boston, Chicago and Philadelphia in bands headed by Paul Whiteman and Noro Morales. Appearing in many New York venues, including The Roxy, Paramount, Loews State, Strand and Radio City Music Hall, she shared their stages with Frank Sinatra, Mickey Rooney, Ann Miller, Dean Martin and Jerry Lewis, Victor Borge, Ed Sullivan, Merv Griffin and Betty Hutton.
She put together her own show and performed it at the Latin Quarter and Havana-Madrid in New York. She was also a marquee name back in her homeland where she entertained at venues such as Zero's Nightclub and El San Juan Theatre. In the mid 1940s Rivera was signed by Azteca Studios in Mexico City. She acted for director Fernando Soler in both the film drama Me persigue una mujer (1947) with José Torvay and David Silva, and the comedy El conquistador (1947), also starring Torvay and Enrique Herrera.
After her contract ended at Azteca, she went on to sign a Hollywood contract with a major studio, and made her American movie debut as lead singer and specialty performer in the Hope-Crosby-Lamour comedy The Road to Rio (1947). Rivera was selected (in a popularity poll by Mexican filmgoers themselves) to star in a Hollywood film biography of the late Mexican spitfire Lupe Vélez. The film was shelved when legal issues involving Ms. Vélez’s estate reared its head. She continued to work in "hot spots" such as the famous Ciro's nightclub with Desi Arnaz's band.
She was married to business tycoon Albert Vernon Ashbrook from 1946 to 1949 and had one child, Marquita, her namesake. In 1951, she married physician Eugene N. Biscardi, Jr. in New York City. They eventually became a family of seven children. Of their children, eldest son Eugene Biscardi III is a one-time model-turned-fashion photographer who has appeared occasionally as an actor on film and TV, and daughter Jessica Biscardi is a former model/actress and former "Miss New York."
By the 1950s, she had phased out her career in order to concentrate on raising her large family. In 1963, however, she made a special appearance at Carnegie Hall that featured an all-star lineup, including opera performers Thomas Hayward, Rina Telli, Dino Formichini and James Boxwill, led by Philharmonic conductor Warner S. Bass. She did not appear again publicly until 1977 when she returned to the stage in a limited engagement of her own off-Broadway revue, "The Marquita Rivera Show."
In the 1980s her husband, Dr. Biscardi, retired and the couple relocated to Los Angeles where she would occasionally make TV appearances, including "Sanford and Son" with Redd Foxx. She also traveled frequently throughout the South on the beauty pageant circuit as a judge. Following the death of her husband in 1988, Rivera chose to retire completely from the limelight.
On October 21 in 2002, Rivera died at Cedars-Sinai Hospital, Los Angeles, California, U.S.A. after suffering a stroke. She is survived by her seven children - daughters Marquita Press, Jessica Wolford and Lucrezia Silver, and sons Eugene Biscardi III, Louis Biscardi, Robert Biscardi and Joseph Biscardi, as well as 17 grandchildren and one great-grandchild.
Marquita Rivera dancing while Luba Malina sings "Cuban Pete" (with Noro Morales on piano and Tito Puente on drums)
The 63rd Annual Primetime Emmy Awards, presented by the Academy of Television Arts and Sciences, will honor the best in primetime television programming from June 1, 2010 until May 31, 2011, and will take place Sunday, September 18, 2011, at the Nokia Theatre in Hollywood, California, U.S.A. It will be televised in the United States on Fox. Actress Jane Lynch (also a nominee this year for her work on the Fox television series "Glee") will host.
The nominees were announced live on Thursday July 14, 2011, at 5:40am Pacific Time at the Leonard H. Goldenson Theatre in North Hollywood, California, U.S.A. The nominees were announced by Melissa McCarthy of the CBS television series "Mike and Molly" and Joshua Jackson of the Fox television series "Fringe."
Several Latinos nominated for Emmys this year include Sofía Vergara (Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Comedy Series for her work on the ABC television series "Modern Family"), Édgar Ramírez (Outstanding Lead Actor in a Miniseries or Movie for his work on The Sundance Channel's miniseries "Carlos") and Louis C.K., who scored big with three Emmy nominations (Outstanding Writing for a Variety, Music, or Comedy special for "Louis C.K.: Hilarious," as well as Outstanding Writing for a Comedy Series and Outstanding Lead Performance in a Comedy Series, both for the FX series "Louie").
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, vixens of reality television. Nicole Richie(1981- ) was born Nicole Camille Escovedo in Berkeley, California, U.S.A. to parents of Mexican and African American heritage. She is a fashion designer, author, actress and television personality. Her birth parents found it difficult to provide for her financially and, at the age of three, they agreed to let her move in with singer-songwriter Lionel Richie and his then-wife Brenda Harvey. They effectively raised her as their daughter. She was legally adopted by the Richies at age nine. Musical icons Quincy Jones and Michael Jackson were her godfathers. She met socialite Paris Hilton in kindergarten. They became best friends. In 2003, she and Hilton starred in the reality television series "The Simple Life" on Fox, where she received stardom for her outspoken, comedic persona. Cancelled by Fox after three shows, the show was picked by E! Entertainment Television for two more seasons. During this time, she battled with drug and weight issues. After an arrest for driving under the influence and enrolling in an anti-drinking driver education program, she has remained relatively trouble-free. In 2005, she made her acting debut in the comedic drama Kids in America and has guest starred in television series including "Eve," "Six Feet Under," "American Dreams, "8 Simple Rules for Dating My Teenage Daughter," and playing the recurring character Heather Chandler on "Chuck." In 2005, she wrote a semi-autobiographical novel, The Truth About Diamonds, which made The New York Times Best-Seller List. Her second novel, titled Priceless, was released in 2010. It tells the story of a girl who loses everything and then learns about what really matters in life. She has been with Good Charlotte lead singer Joel Madden since 2006. They have two children: daughter Harlow Winter Kate Richie-Madden (born in 2008) and son Sparrow James Midnight Madden (born in 2009). They married in 2010. In October 2008, she debuted a jewelry line, House of Harlow 1960. In spring 2010, the line was extended to include apparel and shoes. In 2009, she joined maternity store A Pea in the Pod to create a new collection ofmaternity clothes; the line was titled "Nicole." In 2010, she won "Entrepreneur of the Year" for her House of Harlow 1960 brand at the Glamour Women of the Year Awards. In July 2011, it was reported that Richie's House of Harlow 1960 line has unveiled a 14-piece handbag collection, which will be available at major department stores across the U.S. as well as on Shopbop.com. Kat Von D (1982- ) was born Katherine Drachenberg (or Katherine von Drachenberg according to some sources) in Monterrey, Nuevo León, Mexico to a Mexican-German father and Argentinean-Italian mother. She is a tattoo artist and television personality. She is best known for for her work as a tattoo artist on the TLC reality television show "LA Ink," which premiered in 2007. She moved with her family to the Los Angeles area at age 4 and grew up in Colton, California. She was classically trained in piano beginning at age 6. She credits the prominent African American culture of New York City as being a major influence drawing tattoos in her art and style. She got her first tattoo at 14 and quit school at 16 to become a tattoo artist.She was asked to work on the program "Miami Ink" when a tattoo artist broke his elbow, preventing him from tattooing. She appeared in the first four seasons of the that show, which led to her own series, "LA Ink," following her work at her tattoo shop, High Voltage Tattoo, in Hollywood, California. On the show, she gained the Guinness World Record of most tattoos given by a single person in 24 hours, with a total of 400. This was broken shortly thereafter by her then-husband Oliver Peck with 415 (the current record holder is Hollis Cantrell with 801). Her first book High Voltage Tattoo, compiling her artworks and tattoos was released in January 2009 and reached #6 on The New York Times Best Seller list. The book traces her career as an artist, from early childhood influences to recent work, along with examples of inspirations, information about the show and her shop, sketches, and personal tattoos. Her second book, The Tattoo Chronicles, an illustrated diary following a year in her life, was released in 2010, and reached #3 on The New York Times Hardcover Advice & Miscellaneous best-seller list. In 2008, she created and launched a makeup line for Sephora. She has released new collections every year and has expanded her line to include fragrances. She is the creator of the MusInk Tattoo Convention and Music Festival, which began in 2008. In 2010, she opened the art gallery and boutique Wonderland Gallery in the space next door to High Voltage Tattoo. Nicole Catherine Polizzi (1987- ), also known as Snooki, born in Santiago, Santiago de Chile, Chile to Chilean parents. She was adopted when she was six months old and was raised by Italian American parents. She received her nickname, Snooki, in middle school when her friends named her after "Snookie," a male character in the movie Save the Last Dance, because she was the first of her friends to kiss a boy. She grew up and attended school in Marlboro, New York, where she was a cheerleader. During high school, she suffered from an eating disorder, at one point weighing 80 pounds (36 kg). In 2009, she became part of the reality TV series "Jersey Shore" (MTV) after being scouted by the casting director. The New York Times identified her as "the breakout member of the cast." According to The New York Times, her actions on the show have caused her to be the target of public disdain while having a "strange appeal." She was subsequently parodied in the "South Park" episode "It's a Jersey Thing," and is frequently caricatured on "Saturday Night Live" by actor Bobby Moynihan.
Jennifer Farley (1986- ), also known as JWoww, was born in Franklin Square, New York, U.S.A. to a Spaniard mother and an Irish-American father. She is a television personality and best known for her participation on the MTV reality series "Jersey Shore," which started in 2009. Prior to the show, she owned a graphic design business, Jenni Farley Designs, Inc. She launched a clothing line, "Filthy Couture," in a las Vegas runway show in July, 2010. After four months of operation, the line ceased sales in October 2010 due to a threatened trademark lawsuit. She stated that the brand was not over and a new line would be released. In April 2011, MTV announced that it ordered two Jersey Shore spin-off series, one of which will feature her and fellow Latina castmate Nicole "Snooki" Polizzi. Twelve episodes were ordered for the first season.
The reality competition series America's Next Top Model has had its share of Latina contestants, even having a Latina winner (Jaslene González, born in 1986 in San Juan, Puerto Rico, shown at left). But she is called the first full-Latina winner, three previous ANTM cycle winners were also part-Latina. Cycle 2's Yoanna House (1980- , born in Jacksonville, Florida, U.S.A.), shown below right at bottom, has a Mexican mother and a Canadian father. Cycle 4's Naima Mora (1984- , born in Detroit, Michigan, U.S.A.), shown below right at top, has an Irish-African American mother and an Afro-Mexican father. Both speak Spanish as well as English. Cycle 3's Eva Marcille Pigford (1984- , born in Los Angeles, California, U.S.A.), now known professionally as Eva Marcille, shown below right at middle, has a Puerto Rican father and an African American mother. ¡Qué belleza latina!
Also interesting to note that the Puerto Rican-American Sandra Díaz-Twine (1974- , born in Stamford, Connecticut, U.S.A.), winner of both the seventh season of "Survivor" (also known as "Survivor: Pearl Islands, Panama") and the twentieth season of the show (known as "Survivor: Heroes vs. Villains") has earned the most money ever won by a woman in an American television contest (and fourth overall) with a total winnings of U.S.$2,000,000. She is also, as of this writing, the only two-time "Survivor" winner.
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Eduardo Ramos, right, just booked a role in a film to be directed by Albert Lanfranco. The director found his profile complete with headshot and resume on the HOLA online talent directory.
About the Instructor: Sabrina Lastman is a vocalist, performer, composer and educator born in Montevideo, Uruguay. Drawing from jazz, Latin American and contemporary music, often integrating extended vocal techniques she concentrates her work on the Sabrina Lastman Quartet and the creation of interdisciplinary performances relating voice, sound, movement, visuals and theatre. In New York, she has performed at Carnegie Hall, Classical Guitar Association of New York, Blues Alley Jazz, Blue Note, Joe's Pub, Yale University, El Museo del Barrio, Juilliard, CUNY, and NYU, among others. She has played with musicians such as Fernando Otero (Grammy Award Winner), Meredith Monk, Bakithi Kumalo, Tali Roth, Pablo Aslan, Emilio Solla, Pedro Giraudo, David Silliman, The M6, Sasha Bogdanowitsch, Philip Hamilton and Leonardo Suárez-Paz. Her album, 
