Banner Ads Now Available on HOLA Website

Wanna promote your upcoming stage production? Your upcoming film screening? Your upcoming special event?

HOLA members often get publicity in our Members in Performance page, but what if you could promote on our main homepage, or in our directory (The HOLA Pages), where more people can see your ad?

What if you had a project with no HOLA members that you wanted to promote?

What if you wanted to promote something that wasn’t a show (like your production company itself or a new website)?

Now you can do so by BUYING A BANNER AD on the HOLA website.

Banner ads come in half-page and full-page sizes and can be on the HOLA website for one week, two weeks, three weeks or a whole month. HOLA can also link your ad to a particular website at no additional cost.

Prices on the banner ads are affordable. Also, not-for-profit organizations receive a 10% discount on ad prices.

The HOLA website receives thousands of visits each month. The HOLA website is viewed by many professionals in the industry and is a unique way of reaching the Latino/Hispanic and mainstream audiences, which make buying a banner ad a smart investment for you.

Wanna buy a banner ad? Call (212) 253-1015 or e-mail us for prices and ad dimensions.

HOLA Regional Membership Available For Those Outside New York Metropolitan Area

If you are an actor who lives in an area of the U.S. outside of the New York metropolitan area, New Jersey or Connecticut (HOLA's programming and administrative headquarters region), HOLA is proud to announce its Regional Membership level - for only $65 (versus a $125 regular NYC region membership price) for one full year!

As an HOLA Regional Member, you'll be entitled to the following member benefits:

• Your headshot, resume, reel and voiceover demo* showcased on the HOLA Pages, the internet's only concentrated source of Latino acting talent. The directory is a trusted resource for casting directors, producers and talent agents receiving, on average, over 5,000 visits per month. (* There is an additional charge of $15 for adding your voiceover demo.)

• Your performances listed and promoted via HOLA's website and social media pages (Facebook and Twitter) that reaches thousands of people in the entertainment industry.

• Casting notices that will alert you to employment opportunities tailored to the Latino actor.

• Advocacy to combat stereotypes of the Latino/Hispanic community in media and entertainment as well as the opportunity to join in solidarity with the Latino/Hispanic acting community.


Application for regional memberships accepted by telephone order only. Call HOLA toll-free at (212) 253-1015. (VISA, MasterCard and American Express accepted.) Please submit your headshot (in .jpg format) and resume in a Word document or in Portable Data Format (.doc or .docx; or .pdf) via e-mail to HOLA.

Why Join HOLA? Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs) About HOLA

WHY JOIN HOLA?

Frequently Asked Questions

• Is HOLA an agency or management company?

No. While we work similarly to an agency or an artist management company, we do a lot more. In essence, HOLA is a membership organization, a not-for-profit arts service and advocacy organization that offers jobs and casting opportunities, workshops and seminars and special events to its membership.

• Does one have to audition for HOLA?

No. HOLA is a membership organization. Just pay the annual membership and you become an HOLA member.

• I am a new actor. Does HOLA apply to me and how so? (Or conversely, I have a fair amount of experience. How does HOLA apply to me?)

HOLA members range from the beginner to the established and everywhere in between. HOLA will apply to you at every stage of your career.

• Do I have to speak Spanish (or Portuguese) to be an HOLA member?

No. HOLA members speak English only, Spanish only, or both languages fluently. Our Brazilian members speak Portuguese as well as English. There is no requirement for any member to speak Spanish (or Portuguese) to be an HOLA member.

• What kind of casting notices do you receive?

HOLA receives all kinds of casting notices— from union and nonunion, through the disciplines of film, television, theater and voiceover. The majority of our notices are distributed to our membership. There are some instances, whether because of short notice or because of the search for something very specific, that HOLA makes referrals to certain talent.

• I have signed representation. Would that be in conflict with HOLA?

No. In fact, we would put your signed representative’s name and number on your online profile. It would be another way to promote yourself without conflict.

• If I book a job through HOLA, do I owe you a commission?

No. We are not an agency or artist management company. You are under no obligation to give us a commission. (But if you want to show your appreciation with a donation, we’ll be forced to take it, I suppose.)

• I am in the process of getting my citizenship. Could I still join HOLA?

Yes. As long as you can legally work in the U.S., you can join HOLA.

• Does HOLA have a social media presence?

Yes. We are on Facebook, Twitter and have our own channel on YouTube. In addition, we are on Wikipedia and have our own blog, titled El Blog de HOLA.

• What if I am not an actor but I like what you do?

You could support HOLA by becoming a Friend of HOLA and donating to the organization. If you are a producer or director, a Friend of HOLA donation allow us to promote your productions!

All About Becoming an HOLA Member or a Friend of HOLA

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. HOLA is also on YouTube and on Wikipedia.

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 (New York metropolitan area), fill out the member application form here.

Tío Louie Reporta: Marlene Villafañe Goes To Hollywood... and finds herself

HOLA is proud to present Tío Louie Reporta, where filmmaker and Executive Producer of Prime Latino Media, Louis Perego Moreno (affectionately known as Tío Louie) interviews actors and multimedia-makers in the business of show.

In this edition, Tío Louie talks to actress, singer, writer and HOLA Award member Marlene Villafañe, who recently presented her self-penned solo show Marlene Goes To Hollywood at Teatro Círculo in Manhattan's East Village. The production was a result of her winning The ONE Festival, a festival of solo shows.

MARLENE GOES TO HOLLYWOOD...
and finds herself

Marlene Villafañe.

Is she the 21st century Lucille Ball? Is she the Puerto Rican Eartha Kitt? No, she’s the Real McCoy– or shall I say, the real Mirta Silva who hails from Spanish Harlem, but loves all those greats with whom she was raised watching and laughing with family and that shaped her artistic career. But she gives a whole new twist to being a lady of comedy. This lady can make you laugh, because she loves to laugh— and she can sing to boot. And we’re not talking a horse of another color. This is a classically trained lyrical coloratura singer who if given the classic crystal glass audio test will shatter the ca-ca out of it. This lady is funny, a great impersonator and she is spiritually attuned. And as she rolled out the one-woman show she wrote and performed in Verónica Caicedo’s The ONE Festival, a festival of one-person performances, she won the coveted Audience Award with Marlene Goes to Hollywood. As I sat down with this lady in an interview, this is her story and unique journey.

Winning the 2016
The ONE Festival.

Tío Louie: What is at the root of this one-woman show?

Marlene Villafañe: Well, it’s me growing up as a Latina born in Spanish Harlem, but raised in the Upper West Side [of Manhattan]. Then I go into how gawky I was. I was a late-bloomer and not being decisive about what I wanted to do in life. I was not great in school, but I loved watching these TV shows and pretending to be these characters. It was a wonderful release for me. It also helped me escape or feel my insecurity. I was able to laugh while watching TV and growing up. I had studied music. I could sing jazz, opera, I could be funny– and all while telling stories. But I didn’t have a niche. I was trying to find what I wanted. My focus was not narrow. Finally, a few events in my life pointed me in that direction of... this is for me. It was accepting my power. It was about how good I was and not being afraid of that, in order to show the talents that God had given me through the platform that the show provided.

Performing with her cousin,
singer Javier Luis.

TL: You thanked God when receiving your award and cited the higher power several times. Describe the significance of your faith and spirituality?

MV: Everybody in life goes through ups and downs and spiritual growth. I always grew up in a spiritual household, but I would come in and out of it. Occasionally, I would go through these panics, even as a working actress that stemmed from insecurities or whatever. My family helped keep me grounded. I prayed a lot. I started meditating. Writing my story, this show helped me a lot. I surrounded myself with positive people. I took time to be by myself. I also had the gift of laughter. Singing helped a lot and being surrounded by loving people. To me religion and spirituality are two separate things. Don’t get me wrong, to a specific person who is in a particular stage in life that may be lost, a religious organization helps them find themselves. The point is that my upbringing was very spiritual. Whether religion or not, people need something that helps them. Religion and politics are a whole different thing, especially when it comes to controlling people... I don’t want to go there.

TL: You have a superb voice that is obviously classically trained as you did a rendition of an Italian operatic aria in your show that blew the audience away. Tell me about your training?

MV: I am a lyric coloratura from when I was studying at the Manhattan School of Music. I studied there for four years and for two years in the master's program there. I remember hearing Maria Callas as a college student, which is why I had to put it in my one-woman show.

TL: You are a remarkable comedic actress, where do you tap into to channel these great women from comedic history?

MV: Watching, observing, researching. You then have to put yourself in the moment. That’s when real magic happens. Can you get nervous in executing this? Yes, but it’s about being spontaneous. I meditate beforehand and stretch so I can be limber and free. I do my prayers and deep breathing and affirm things that keep me feeling good– to stay happy and be good. My best teachers have told me to be in the moment and really listen within and trusting that that force will take you… just surrender and have fun. Trust in the now that magic can happen on a comedic or dramatic level. My teachers would say, Listen to the silence or your partner.

TL: What are your $0.10 worth of advice [originally 

2¢, but increased by Tío Louie for inflation] for comedic actors when it comes to the challenging task of character impersonation? 

MV: Listen carefully. Observe their mannerisms, their sound, speech, rhythmic pacing and timbre that they are known for possessing. You have to listen and work with someone who is an expert with that person and bounce off them to refine the character. Pick people that you can do an impression of easily. There are certain characters that you can try to do an impression, but my voice lends itself to do Eartha Kitt and Gracie Allen who I did in my one-woman show. Observe a lot and work with someone who has a keen ear for that person.

TL: What’s next?

MV: I want to continue writing and continue developing this show, and taking it out there and trust that what comes to me is going to be very good. I am believing that God is supporting me to write and develop my show. I want to continue being me and being true to myself. I would love to have a show on Comedy Central, something like Carol Burnett, Tracey Ullman– just a really great show. I love sketch comedy so I can invite my great comedian friends and form a great ensemble. I loved In Living Color– I love Jim Carrey.

For more information about Marlene Villafañe, click here.

Louis Perego Moreno (Tío Louie)
Founder & Executive Producer of PRIME LATINO MEDIA, the largest East Coast network of Latino multimedia-makers, actors and musicians in bilingual Latino and mainstream media, digital and entertainment. An interactive Content/Impact Producer and Educator who for the past 34 years has owned Skyline Features, a bilingual multimedia and educational production company developing documentaries, television programming and advertising commercials featuring Latinos, Blacks, Women, Urban Youth and LGBT.

Facebook (personal page): Louis E. Perego Moreno

Fan page: Tio Louie

Facebook Group: Prime Latino Media

Twitter: @TioLouie

Twitter: @PLMSalon

Instagram: PRIME_LATINO_MEDIA

Instagram: ElTioLouie
Vimeo: TioLouie
LinkedIn: http://www.LinkedIn.com/in/louisperegomoreno

HOLA Member Bochinche

Bochinche refers to “gossip”. In this sense, we use it to mention HOLA members or Friends of HOLA who are getting acting, performance or similarly artistic gigs and/or recognition in the media. The names of HOLA members and Friends of HOLA are listed below in boldface. To see what other HOLA members are doing currently, click here.

2016 HOLA Performer's Choice Awards recipient Elizardi Castro, shown above right, will be performing his self-penned, self-directed solo show ¡Jíbaro Soy! Subtitled "my life in three parts", the show is an amalgam of three of his self-penned solo shows (Law & DISorder, ¡Capicú!, and the 2016 HOLA Performer's Choice award-winning Made In Puerto Rico) featuring special guest Milteri Tucker (shown above right) and Bombazo Dance Company. Produced by 2016 HOLA Performer's Choice Awards recipient Mike Oquendo (shown at right) of Mike Oquendo Events, the evening is a benefit for Casita María Center for Arts & Education, taking place on December 15, 2016 at Casita María, located in the Morrisania section of the Bronx. For more information, click here.

2016 HOLA Awards recipient Pablo Andrade, shown at left, will be speaking on a panel at the Mesas Redondas Creativas event. Titled "Ideas sobre cómo monetizar tu talento", it will take place on Monday, November 28, 2016 at Trasnocho Lounge at Caracas, Miranda, Venezuela. For more information, check out this article in the Venezuelan daily newspaper Últimas Noticias (note that the website is in Spanish), where Andrade is prominently featured, by clicking here.

Marlene Villafañe, shown at right, will be singing with Javier Luis and José Adeliz in the cabaret show Por amor. Subtitled "Tres voces– una noche de romance", the event will take place on Saturday, February 11, 2017 at the legendary S.O.B.'s, located in Manhattan's SoHo neighborhood.

Mónica Delgado, shown at left, is performing with Pajarillo Pinta'o Dance Company (featuring the choreography of artistic director and 2016 HOLA Awards recipient Daniel Fetecua), who are headlining at Encuentro NYC, the 13th annual Colombian Music Festival, which will take place at (le) Poisson Rouge in Manhattan's Greenwich Village. For more information, click here.

If you are an HOLA member or a Friend of HOLA and want to submit a bochinche item, send us an e-mail. If you live in the New York metropolitan area and want to be an HOLA member, why not join? If you live outside the New York metropolitan area and want to be an HOLA member, you can find out more information on how to do so, by clicking here. If you are not a Friend of HOLA, why not become one?