Minima Dramatica: Theater As White Supremacy

Eva Perón.

This fall, both North Shore Music Theatre and San Diego Rep staged productions of Evita featuring an all-white cast. This event was brought to the attention of the Latinx theatre community through the Latinx Theatre Commons. In it, a lively debate was held, most notoriously, on the “whiteness” of Argentines and how pointless a debate about Evita really was. Though this debate never made it out of the Commons, it followed the same pattern as the other examples that have come up recently about whitewashing. Nevertheless, a couple of points: Yes, Evita is the production of two white Englishmen mostly based on a long-discredited book (The Woman with the Whip); yes, Eva Perón was white and Argentine; and yes, whiteness in Argentina is itself the product of a brand of white supremacy. However, this is a production of Evita taking place in the United States, a country whose privileging of whiteness is woven into the first paragraph of the Constitution, and which, since 1790s Naturalization Act, has made it very clear that the standard for citizenship is white, which only changed legally in 1952 with the Immigrant and Nationality Act. It is for that matter that we should talk for a second of what we really mean about whitewashing in the theater of this country. –actor, composer, director and producer JULIÁN J. MESRI

Check out the rest of the blog by Julián J. Mesri in CultureBot, which addresses the casting choices of recent productions of the Andrew Lloyd Webber-Tim Rice musical Evita, by clicking here.

2017 HOLA Performer's Choice Awards Recipients Announced – Otra historia & Toc toc toc

The recipients of the 2017 HOLA Performer's Choice Awards were announced at the 2017 HOLA Awards on Monday, October 16, 2017 at the Flamboyán Theater in New York City. The general public voted online for Outstanding Production and Outstanding Solo Production, respectively, in the New York City Latino theater season between July 1, 2016 and July 2, 2017. About 1200 votes (for over 128 productions) were cast, and the finalists (top four or five vote-getters) were announced shortly before the awards ceremony. The recipients of the award would be the playwright, director, actor(s) and producer(s) of the producer(s). The finalists are listed below in alphabetical order by title.

Outstanding Production
• Implications of Cohabitation (Sudaca Theater)
• La lechuga (Coquí Theater)
• Luz negra (Group of the Arts)
• Mirandolina/La posadera (Teatro Experimental Blue Amigos)
• Otra historia (Group of the Arts)

Outstanding Solo Production
• La bruta bruja Bruna (Group of the Arts)
• Marlene Goes To Hollywood (The ONE Festival)
• Me voy porque puedo (Vieira Productions)
• Toc toc toc (Monologando - Contando Ando Festival)

J. Edgar Mozoub.

With about 32% of the vote, the 2017 HOLA Performer's Choice Award recipient for Outstanding Production is Otra historia (Group of the Arts). Receiving the award was producer-director-actor J. Edgar Mozoub*; actors César Augusto Cova, Víctor Alfonso Echavarría (see below), Gabriel García, Luis Alberto García*, Mayté Hernández*, 2017 HOLA Awards recipient Damiana Reyes, and Mario Saldaña. Also receiving a 2017 HOLA Performer's Choice Award for the production are producer Arberto Fernández and playwright Pedro Monge Rafuls. (Names marked with an asterisk indicate an HOLA member or a Friend of HOLA.)

Víctor Alfonso Echavarría 
accepting his 2017 HOLA
Performer's Choice Award.

With over 37% of the vote, the 2017 HOLA Performer's Choice Award recipient for Outstanding Solo Production is Toc toc toc (Monologando Contando Ando Festival). Receiving the award was actor Víctor Alfonso Echavarría (see above); director Martha Villada, and producer J.J. Franco. (Names marked with an asterisk indicate an HOLA member or a Friend of HOLA.)

Congratulations to all of the 2017 HOLA Performer's Choice Award recipients!!

Finalists Announced for the 2017 HOLA Performer's Choice Awards

The finalists for the 2017 HOLA Performer's Choice Award - Outstanding Production are the following (listed in alphabetical order by title).

• Implications of Cohabitation (Sudaca Theater)
• La lechuga (Coquí Theater)
• Luz negra (Group of the Arts)
• Mirandolina/La posadera (Teatro Experimental Blue Amigos)
• Otra historia (Group of the Arts)


The finalists for the 2017 HOLA Performer's Choice Award - Outstanding Solo Production are the following (listed in alphabetical order by title).

• La bruta bruja Bruna (Group of the Arts)
• Marlene Goes To Hollywood (The ONE Festival)
• Me voy porque puedo (Vieira Productions)
• Toc toc toc (Monologando - Contando Ando Festival)


The winners of the 2017 HOLA Performer's Choice Awards will be announced during the 2017 HOLA Awards ceremony, scheduled to take place on Monday, October 16, 2017 at the Flamboyán Theater/The Clemente Soto Vélez Cultural and Educational Center, located at 107 Suffolk Street in Manhattan's Loísaida neighborhood. For more information, click HERE.

Prime Latino Media Salón (October 2017) - Celebrating Hispanic Heritage: It Takes A Village

           

             

NYC monthly series for independent Latino multimedia-makers,
actors & musicians

@ The Green Room in New World Stages 

Join us at

PRIME LATINO MEDIA Salón

Wednesday, October 4, 2017 • 7-10:30pm

“A support network to advocate, promote & advance independent mainstream & bilingual Latino projects in English & Spanish”

CELEBRATING HISPANIC HERITAGE: It Takes A Village

More than ever we need to get together as we support from Puerto Rico to Mexico. This defines us as a community of Latino multimedia-makers, actors & musicians. This is the year of “Latinos Unidos!” And these interviews embody individuals doing for our Latino community: whether it’s self-funding a film festival, pioneering theater from the Bronx to Manhattan and investing in the musical education of our youth. Join us as we feature proven & inspirational storytellers and partake in networking, conversation and drinks within our community in 2017 of “Latinos Unidos!”

7-8pm: Networking

8-9pm: TÍO LOUIE Reporta: Interviews Filmmaker & Artistic Theater Director

9-9:30pm: Musical Interview & live performance, “Salón Unplugged”

9:30-10:30pm: Networking

•   Moderator: TIO LOUIE/Louis E. Perego Moreno, Founder/Executive Producer of PRIME LATINO MEDIA Salón & President, Skyline Features

•      Interview #1/Multimedia-maker: Danny Hastings, filmmaker in his own right, Producer in NY of Official Latino Short Film Festival, Oct. 6-8, 2017.

•      Interview #2/Actor: Rosalba Rolón; actor, director, and playwright. Founder of Pregones Theater newly merged with Puerto Rican Traveling Theater.

•      Interview #3/Music: Arturo O’Farrill, born in Mexico & raised in NYC, he is a Grammy award-winning Afro Latin jazz pianist, composer and educator.

FREE ADMISSION & CASH BAR – RSVP: https://latinovillage.eventbrite.com

Location:  Green Room, New World Stages, 340 W. 50th Street (bet. 8th & 9th aves.), NYC

PRIME LATINO MEDIA Salón November 2017 with NY Women in Film & TV

Interview #1: MULTIMEDIA-MAKER

Danny Hastings @dannyhastings & @officiallatino

Born in Sacramento to Panamanian and Mexican parents, he is director, editor, photographer, actor, writer with over 20 years experience. Hastings has directed major label artists’ music videos, experiencing over 1 billion YouTube hits and shooting over 150 album covers. He directed, wrote, produced and acted in the comedy, The Love Potion. Danny founded The Official Latino Short Film Festival, showcasing over 128 short films written, directed and produced by U.S. Latino filmmakers from all over the USA, eight international films and 10 from the US Diverse Community. This year’s theme is Guerrilla Filmmaking, taking place from 10/06-08^th at LATEA Theater. Interview: http://tinyurl.com/gryblal.

Info: info@officiallatino.com & Hastings@atomicusfilms.com

Interview #2: THEATER PRODUCER & ACTOR

Rosalba Rolón    @rosalbarolon &        @pregonesprttArtistic Director of Pregones /Puerto Rican Traveling Theater, with venues in the Bronx and the Broadway District. She is a seasoned actor, director, and dramaturg specializing in adaptations through ensemble work for musical theater and plays. Some of her work includes Dancing In My Cockroach Killers, The Red Rose, Flybabies and Harlem Hellfigthers On A Latin Beat. National collaborations include Betsy-with Appalshop’s Roadside Theater/KY and Brides-with fellow actors in Belgium and the Slovak Republic. Recently showcased an explosive production of, I Like It Like That – A Musical to raving reviews. She is an appointed member of the NYC Dept. of Cultural Affairs Advisory Committee, working towards the 2017 NYC Cultural Plan.  www.pregonesprtt.org

Interview #3: MUSICIAN

Arturo O’Farrill

A five-time Grammy award-winner, he is a pianist, composer, and educator. He began with the Carla Bley Big Band then went on to develop as a solo performer with artists ranging from Dizzy Gillespie to Wynton Marsalis. He directed the band that preserved his father’s music, the Chico O’Farrill Afro Cuban Jazz Orchestra and traveled with them to Cuba, returning his father’s musicians to his homeland for performances at the Havana International Jazz Festival. Arturo’s Afro Latin Jazz Orchestra continues the tradition every Sunday night at Birdland. He founded the Afro Latin Jazz Alliance, a not-for-profit devoted to performance, education & preservation of Afro Latin music. http://www.afrolatinjazz.org

Host/Moderator: PRIME LATINO MEDIA Salón

Louis E. Perego Moreno/@TioLouie

Founder & Executive Producer of PRIME LATINO MEDIA, the largest network on the East Coast of independent Latino multimedia-makers, actors and musicians in bilingual Latino and mainstream media, digital and entertainment. A Social Impact Producer and Educator who for 36 years owns Skyline Features, a bilingual (English/Spanish) multimedia and educational production company developing documentaries, television programming and advertising commercials.

YouTube channel: PRIME LATINO MEDIA

FACEBOOK Group: Prime Latino Media

Twitter: @PLMSalon

Instagram: PRIME_LATINO_MEDIA

Vimeo: TioLouie

LinkedIn: http://www.LinkedIn.com/in/louisperegomoreno

Join the following Professional Networking Group:

·      Hispanic Organization of Latin Actors (HOLA) www.hellohola.org

Vote for the 2017 HOLA Performer's Choice Awards at the 2017 HOLA Awards

The Hispanic Organization of Latin Actors (HOLA), as part of the 2017 HOLA Awards, will present the HOLA Performer's Choice Awards. The HOLA Performer's Choice Awards will honor Outstanding Production (of a cast larger than one person) and Outstanding Solo Production.

Eligible productions this year had their premiere between July 1, 2016 and July 2, 2017. To vote for the HOLA Performer's Choice Awards, visit the HOLA Performer's Choice page by clicking HERE.

Voting for the HOLA Performer's Choice Awards closes at 6pm New York time on Friday, October 13, 2017. Winners will be announced on the night of the awards gala. 

2017 HOLA Awards Press Release

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Contact: HOLA (212) 253-1015 holagram@hellohola.org

OLGA MEREDIZ To Receive the 2017

HOLA Excellence in Television Award

Also honored this year:
Repertorio Español, Ángel Gil Orrios,
Luis Felipe Rodríguez, Jesús Del Orden
And the 2017 HOLA Awards Recipients for Excellence in New York Latino Theater

 The 2017 HOLA Awards will take place on Monday, October 16, 2017

at the Flamboyán Theater at The Clemente Soto Vélez

Cultural and Educational Center in NYC

Monday, October 2, 2017 (New York, New York)– The Hispanic Organization of Latin Actors (HOLA), the nation's longest running active arts advocacy organization for Latino actors, has announced its latest class of HOLA Awards honorees for 2017, the awards ceremony 18th year.

The HOLA Awards will take place on Monday, October 16, 2017 at 6pm at the Flamboyán Theater, at the Clemente Soto Vélez Cultural and Educational Center, located at 107 Suffolk Street, between Rivington and Delancey streets, in lower Manhattan. Tickets are $100.

Olga Merediz.

Star of stage and screen Olga Merediz will receive the HOLA Excellence in Television Award for her work  in the television series "Shades of Blue" (NBC) and "Orange is the New Black" (Netflix). 

The HOLA Raúl Juliá Founders Award will be given to actor, director, designer and producer of Thalía Hispanic Theater, Ángel Gil Orrios.

The HOLA Elizabeth Peña Breakthrough Award will go to director and producer Luis Felipe Rodríguez, for his work with the Teatro de Planta de Comisionado Domincano de Cultura en EEUU in New York.

The HOLA Emerging Artist Award will go to Jesús Del Orden, who can currently be seen on Broadway playing Young Lola.

In addition, Repertorio Español will receive the HOLA Excellence in Theater Award for 50 years of producing the best in Spanish and Latin American theater.

HOLA will also continue its annual tradition of honoring the best of Latino theater in New York with noncompetitive awards encompassing multiple winners in each category. HOLA is at the forefront in recognizing the high caliber work being offered across New York’s growing and thriving Latino theatrical stages. For this year's HOLA Awards, the theater season began on July 1, 2016 and ended July 2, 2017. The full list of awardees and honorees can be seen below.

Plus, once again, HOLA will present the HOLA Performer's Choice Awards. The HOLA Performer's Choice Awards will honor Outstanding Production (of a cast larger than one person) and Outstanding Solo Production. To vote for the HOLA Performer's Choice Awards, visit the HOLA Performer's Choice link at www.hellohola.org. Voting for the HOLA Performer's Choice Awards closes at 6pm New York time on Friday, October 13, 2017. Winners will be announced on the night of the awards gala.

Tickets are $100. Seating is limited. Tickets can be purchased in advance by calling HOLA at (212) 253-1015.

The Hispanic Organization of Latin Actors (HOLA) is an arts service/advocacy organization dedicated to expanding the presence of Hispanic artists in entertainment and media through the cultivation, education and recognition of emerging artists. HOLA strives for an accurate, informed and non-stereotyped portrayal of the full spectrum of Latino culture and heritage in the entertainment and media industries. 

2017 HOLA Awards Honorees

HOLA Excellence in Television Award

OLGA MEREDIZ

HOLA Raúl Juliá Founders Award
ÁNGEL GIL ORRIOS

HOLA Elizabeth Peña Breakthrough Award
LUIS FELIPE RODRÍGUEZ

HOLA Emerging Artist Award
JESÚS DEL ORDEN

HOLA Excellence in Theater Award
REPERTORIO ESPAÑOL

~~~~

2017 HOLA Awards Recipients
Excellence in New York Latino Theater

OUTSTANDING PERFORMANCE BY A MALE ACTOR
Rafael Beato, La canción (Repertorio Español)

Sandor Juan, Seis (Corezón/FUERZAfest)

Daniel Ojeda, El pez gordo (Primordial Jam Productions)

Anthony Ruiz, Implications of Cohabitation (Sudaca Theater)

OUTSTANDING PERFORMANCE BY A FEMALE ACTOR
Rosie Berrido, Olvidadas (Teatro Círculo)

Zulema Clares, En el nombre de Salomé (Repertorio Español)

María Fontanals, Seis (Corezón/FUERZAfest)

Aileene Pérez, Mirandolina (Teatro Experimental Blue Amigos/CoDoCul)

OUTSTANDING PERFORMANCE BY A FEATURED MALE ACTOR
Edward Azcorra, Allá en Monte Calvo (FenixUSANY)

Jorge Luis Figueroa, Mirandolina (Teatro Experimental Blue Amigos/CoDoCul)
Juan Manuel Sanábria, La lechuga (Coquí Theater/CoDoCul)

Claudio Weisz, El uso de la palabra (Corezón/Microtheater NY/SEA)

OUTSTANDING PERFORMANCE BY A FEATURED FEMALE ACTOR

Natalia Martelo, La lechuga (Coquí Theater/CoDoCul)
Noëlle Mauri, Olvidadas (Teatro Círculo)

Erika Reyes, ¡Los enredos de la Señorita Ivonne!, (Coquí Theater)

Jeannie Sol, The 3 Pigettes and the Big Bad Lady Wolf (SEA)

OUTSTANDING PERFORMANCE BY A VISITING MALE ACTOR
Francisco Gattorno, La fiaca (Repertorio Español)

David Ponce, La orgía (Havanafama/CoDoCul)

Daniel Romero, 10 millones (Repertorio Español)

OUTSTANDING PERFORMANCE BY A VISITING FEMALE ACTOR

Gretell Barreiro, Huelga de sexo a las mujeres
(ArtSpoken Performing Arts/Thalía Hispanic Theatre)

Daysy Fontao, Gas en los poros (Artefactus Cultural Project/CoDoCul)

Belkis Proenza, Gas en los poros (Artefactus Cultural Project/CoDoCul)

OUTSTANDING SOLO PERFORMANCE

Mario Golden, Father God Mother Death (Downtown Urban Arts Festival)
Barbra Herr, Trans-Mission (Teatro Círculo Callback Series)

Modesto Flako Jiménez, ¡Oye, For My Dear Brooklyn! (Brooklyn Gypsies)

Alfonso Rey, #Popular (Monologando Contando Ando)

OUTSTANDING PERFORMANCE BY AN ENSEMBLE CAST
Maité Bonilla, Zulema Clares, Dalia Davi, Darlenis Durán,
Hannia Guillén, Jesús E. Martínez, Francis Mateo, Diana Pou,
Johary Ramos, Jerry Soto, Fermín Suárez, En el nombre de Salomé
(Repertorio Español)

Alejandro Gil, Carlos Gudiel, Christian Ocón, Tamara Melián,
David Ponce, Steven Salgado, La orgía (Havanafama/CoDoCul)

Marina Catalán, Alicia Cerón, Idalia Limón, Julissa Román,
Nanas (LaMicro Theater)

OUTSTANDING ACHIEVEMENT IN TECHNICAL PRODUCTION/DESIGN
Juan Roca, for his costume, scenic, and lighting design; and Lisandra Neiley Molina, for her properties design, of La orgía (Havanafama/CoDoCul)

Katiuska Flores, for her makeup design; and Damiana Reyes, for her costume design, of Mirandolina (Teatro Experimental Blue Amigos/CoDoCul)

OUTSTANDING ACHIEVEMENT IN PLAYWRITING

Leonardo González, Nanas (LaMicro Theater)
Marco Antonio Rodríguez, En el nombre de Salomé (Repertorio Español)

OUTSTANDING ACHIEVEMENT IN DIRECTING
Pablo Andrade, Seis (Corezón/FUERZAfest)

Diego Chiri, Olvidadas (Teatro Círculo)

Leyma López, La fiaca (Repertorio Español)

Héctor Luis Rivera, Mirandolina (Teatro Experimental Blue Amigos/CoDoCul)

SPECIAL RECOGNITION

Aurora Castellanos, for her contribution to Latin American theater

Caridad De La Luz and Chachi Del Valle, for their performances in
I Like It Like That (I Like It Like That, LLC/Pregones-PRTT)

Lucio Fernández, for his continuous support of the arts

Pablo García Gámez, for his achievements in playwriting this season

Andrea Navedo, for her performance in Other People’s Money
(NicAva Entertainment/Chelsea Repertory Company)

Aníbal Nobel, for his performance in Luz negra (Group of the Arts/CoDoCul)

 HOLA PERFORMER’S CHOICE AWARD – OUTSTANDING PRODUCTION

HOLA PERFORMER’S CHOICE AWARD – OUTSTANDING SOLO PRODUCTION

 OUTSTANDING VISITING PRODUCTION

Gas en los poros (Artefactus Cultural Project)

La orgía (Havanafama)

Secretos prohibidos (¡A La Porra!)

GILBERTO ZALDÍVAR HOLA AWARD FOR OUTSTANDING MUSICAL

La canción (Repertorio Español)

Huelga de sexo de las mujeres (ArtSpoken Performing Arts)
The 3 Pigettes and the Big Bad Lady Wolf (SEA)

TANGOmenaje/La cumparsita 100 años (Thalía Spanish Theatre)

GILBERTO ZALDÍVAR HOLA AWARD FOR OUTSTANDING PLAY

Blind Spot (Repertorio Español)

En el nombre de Salomé (Repertorio Español)

Cinco hijas feas (Teatro Del Aire/CoDoCul)

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