Thursday, September 29, 2011

2011 HOLAfestival and Re-Imaginings exhibit (Official Event of 2011 NYC Latin Media & Entertainment Week)

HOLAfestival
Abrazo Interno Gallery
Clemente Soto Vélez Cultural and Educational Center
107 Suffolk Street, Second Floor
(between Rivington and Delancey streets), NYC

AN OFFICIAL EVENT OF THE
2011 NYC LATIN MEDIA & ENTERTAINMENT WEEK
(OCTOBER 3-9, 2011).

FREE ADMISSION, BUT RESERVATIONS RECOMMENDED

ALL READINGS AT 7:30pm
FOR MORE INFO OR TO RSVP, CALL (212) 253-1015

SCHEDULE OF STAGED PLAY READINGS

(Photos of HOLA member-playwrights shown at right.)

Monday, October 3, 2011
Carmen’s Pearl

Written by Lina Gallegos
Directed by José A. Esquea


A look at the Salinas family from the “free state” of Galveston (in South Texas) in the 1940s, as told through adolescent Marisa and matriarch Carmen.

Tuesday, October 4, 2011

Mentiras Bellas (Beautiful Lies)
Written by Mel Nieves
Directed by Paula Pizzi

In a community in the South Bronx, a family struggles to reconcile with their
only son, a former gang member trying to go straight. A mother in prison prays that her damaged lifestyle hasn't ruined her daughter's chance for a healthy life and a young man fights to keep his balance between two worlds, trying to find in which one he truly belongs.

Wednesday, October 5, 2011
Snake Island

Written by Tere Martínez
Directed by José A. Esquea


A vacation getaway on Puerto Rico’s Culebra Island becomes a catalyst for two women as they learn more about themselves… and each other.

Thursday, October 6, 2011

The Money Honey, or Yolandanomics

Written and directed by Anthony Ruiz

Three losers feel their luck is about to change when one wins a radio contest. However, when the contest rules complicate matters, in comes Cuban dominatrix Yolanda to the rescue.

Friday, October 7, 2011
Field of Blood

Written by A.B. Lugo

Directed by Arian Blanco


A young mother’s journey to reclaim her stillborn child’s body leads to an odyssey of bureaucracy and red tape. But a mother's love will not be denied.

Saturday, October 8, 2011
The Last of Bernarda

Written by Oscar A. Colón
Directed by Sturgis Warner


What happened to the Alba family after the events of The House of Bernarda Alba
? Find out what came after the silence.

[PHOTO CREDITS: Photos of Gallego and Nieves provided by playwright. Photos of Martínez, Ruiz, Lugo and Colón taken by Anthony Ruiz/ARuizPhotography.com.]


Abrazo Interno Gallery Hours: 3:30pm-10pm DAILY

Re-Imaginings Photo Art Exhibit
Curated by Hispanic Organization of Latin Actors (HOLA),
María F. Nieto and Luis Carle

Photography by Luis Carle
Concept and Styling by María F. Nieto
Makeup by Ura Yoana Sánchez and Ashton Pina

Opening Reception: Monday, October 3, 2011 at 6pm

Re-Imaginings is a photographic art exhibit with the unifying theme of visualizing a world where Latinos were already more fully integrated into the mainstream entertainment culture. The photographic art exhibit would take iconic television cast images and "re-imagine" them, showing Latinos as part of the re-imagined cast. The photos would strike a visual chord of familiarity while also showing how seamlessly a Latino actor could be integrated into the shows' universal themes of the human experience.

Behind the scenes photos (shown below) by A.B. Lugo
(click on each to make larger)


HOLA Member Bochinche

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.

Antonio García, Jr. is performing in The Derek Jeter Plays. Billed as "six plays and one song" devoted to the famed New York Yankee shortstop, the writers include David Javerbaum, Adam Schlesinger, Bo Wilson, Robin Rothstein, Susan Barsky, Paul Buzinsky, Mike Folie and Tony Sportiello; the directors include Debra Henri, Julie Kramer, Myles Kenyon Rowland, Merry Beamer, Debra Whitfield and Tony Sportiello. The production is scheduled for a September and October run and is produced by and will take place at the Algonquin Seaport Theater at Manhattan's South Street Seaport. For more information, click here.

Thalía Spanish Theatre and Mestizo Dance Company presenting Colombia in Salsa/Colombia en su salsa. Produced by Ángel Gil Orrios, the music and dance spectacle will be directed and choreographed by Armando Moreno and Wilson Fernando Mesa. The musical director, pianist and arranger Harold Gutiérrez leads an orchestra of five and singer Anissa Gathers leads a company of eighteen. The production will run in September and October in Thalía's eponymous theater in the Sunnyside neighborhood of Queens.

Elaine Del Valle will be teaming up with Latino Flavored Productions to do a tour of colleges and universities across the United States of her self-penned solo show Brownsville Bred (directed by Pamela Moller Kareman). For more information, click here or here. In addition, she was interviewed on CNN en Español as NotiMujer's "Woman of the Week."

Back to Basics, a web series written and directed by Cyril Mahé had its premiere screening recently at Parlor NYC in Manhattan's SoHo neighborhood. The webseries stars Ziad Tayeh and Yanelba Ferreira in the cast.

Mauricio Alexander will be interviewed tonight (as of this writing) on the web radio program "The Wild Kat Show" on Rock The Flow. He will talk about his film Departure, which he wrote, directed and starred, and which is also hitting the film festival circuit. For more information about the film, click here.

Suni Reyes
booked a television commercial voiceover for "text4baby."

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?

About HOLA (Becoming HOLA members and/or Friends 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). HOLA is also on YouTube. 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.

To become a Friend of HOLA, click here.

We like to think of HOLA as "la comunidad del actor latino." We would love for you to be part of that community.

Become an HOLA member.
Become a Friend of HOLA.

Wednesday, September 28, 2011

About the curators of the Re-Imaginings Photographic Art Exhibit

Re-Imaginings
Photographic Art Exhibit


Photography by Luis Carle
Concept and Styling by María F. Nieto
Makeup by Ura Yoana Sánchez and Ashton Pina

Official Event of 2011 NYC Latin Media &
En
tertainment Week (October 3-9, 2011)

Abrazo Interno Gallery
Clemente Soto Vélez Cultural and Educational Center
107 Suffolk Street, Second Floor
(between Rivington and Delancey), NYC
Gallery Hours: 3:30pm-7pm daily

Opening Reception: Monday, October 3, 2011 at 6pm
Curated by HOLA, María F. Nieto and Luis Carle


Re-Imaginings is a photographic exhibit that takes iconic television cast images and "re-imagines" them showing Latino actors from HOLA’s ranks as part of the re-imagined cast. The exhibit’s u
nifying theme is that of visualizing a world where Latino actors were already more fully integrated into the mainstream entertainment culture, as they have been into the nation’s population. The duplication of iconic cast images for such shows as “Seinfeld,” “Friends,” “All in the Family,” and “Policewoman,” among others, strikes a visual chord of familiarity while also serving to show how seamlessly a Latino actor could be integrated into the various shows' universal themes of the human experience. "Re-imaginings" was conceived by multi-media writer and producer María Nieto and is jointly curated by Ms. Nieto along with the exhibit’s photographer Luis Carle and HOLA.

ABOUT LUIS CARLE: New York based artist-photographer Luis Carle, born in San Juan, Puerto Rico, studied photography at Parsons School of Design and worked as artist and photographer’s assistant to various well-known photographers. In 1992 Carle invited a group of highly gifted Puerto Rican artists and friends to form O.P. Art, Inc. (Organization of Puerto Rican Artists, Inc.) The not-for-profit, run by artists collective, supports the work and vision of emerging artists.

ABOUT MARÍA NIETO: María Nieto is a Colombian-American writer and event & multi-media producer based in New York City. Her digital media work includes being the co-founder of www.LatinosInEntertainment.com and serving as a producer on the web based comedy series "Days of Joy with Gene Moonfeather." Her film production credits include the short film Lousy in Love and the feature film A Song and A Prayer as well as its accompanying soundtrack of original gospel music. She is the Executive Producer of the 2011 HOLA Awards Gala and Benefit.

ABOUT HOLA: HOLA is an arts service and 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 all entertainment and media industries.

Models for the Re-Imaginings photographic art exhibit include HOLA members Nanda Abella; Mauricio Alexander; Manny Alfaro; Jorge Álvarez; Débora Balardini; Freia Canals; Míriam Cruz; Mónica Delgado; Soledad del Río; Caridad Del Valle; Haydée Díaz; Taleen Dersdepanian; Yanelba Ferreira; Rafael Fuentes; A.B. Lugo; Joselyn Martínez; Carlos Navedo; Robmariel Olea; Ashton Pina; Yvette Quintero; Laura Riveros; José Roldán, Jr.; Ángel Salas; Ura Yoana Sánchez; Tom Schubert.

Tuesday, September 27, 2011

About the playwrights of the 2011 HOLAfestival


OSCAR A. COLÓN's plays include Short End of the Bridge, Soldiers of the 117th, Welcome to Margaret’s World, Siempre en Mi Corazón, Reina, Alice Down the Hole, Becoming Bernarda (a prequel), La Reina’s Last Album, Fornicating With The Devil, The Last of Bernarda (a sequel), Listenings: A Morning with María Irene Fornes, El Señor Presidente and his Biographer and The Mad Journey of Wilhemina Davis. He was commissioned by INTAR to translate and adapt René Marqués’ María o el alba. In addition, he wrote the book and lyrics for the musicals Don Benito, L’Extraordinaire and Coquí. His play Siempre en Mi Corazón was published by Mentor/Penguin, as part of the anthology Nuestro New York. The Last of Bernarda was published by El Archivo Nacional del Ateneo Puertorriqueño. He is a member of SAG, AFTRA and The Dramatists Guild.

LINA GALLEGOS is a native Texan. She received her B.A. summa cum laude and her M.A. from the University of Houston and started her career in education. She moved to Los Angeles in 1989 where she taught while developing her career as an actress and writer. She has acted in theatre (including Anna in the Tropics, The House of Bernarda Alba, Hamlet), in television (including “The Shield,” “The Guardian,” “Reyes y Rey”), and in film (including Coyotes, Seventeen and Under, Peace of Heart). She has just had the pleasure of working with Houses on the Moon Theatre Company on the powerful docudrama De Novo. As a writer, her plays Maggie’s Madness, Latino Lunacy, Damn Joe, Yellow Tulips, Is It Hot In Here Or Is It Me? and her musical Paloma (currently being developed as a film) all had world premieres in Hollywood. In 2008 she moved east and started a new life there. In 2009 she wrote a comedy, Wild in Wichita, and submitted it to MetLife Foundation’s Nuestras Voces national playwriting contest and was overjoyed at first to be a finalist and later to be the winner. The Spanish translation (Locuras en Wíchita) premiered in June 2011 at the Repertorio Español and is still running. Carmen’s Pearl, a true labor of love, was inspired by the women in her family and her new goal is to have it produced in New York City. She is thrilled that it is a part of HOLAfestival. “Thank you so much José Esquea, for embracing my play and giving me this opportunity to introduce it to New York audiences.”

A.B. LUGO is an actor, writer, director and producer. As a playwright, his works include Banjee, Branches, Geneva, Stardumb, Ramble, Cater Waiters, The Valley is Green, Manchild Machismo and Field of Blood. As an actor, he has appeared in numerous plays, films and TV shows. As a poet, he has performed all over the NYC metropolitan area, North Carolina and in Puerto Rico. His work has been published in the literary journals 99% More Free, Roots and Culture (published by Columbia University), The Smokin’ Word (Issue 5), Suspect Thoughts: A Journal of Subversive Writing (Issue 19), and, most recently in the poetry anthology Me No Habla With Acento (edited by Emanuel Xavier) published by El Museo Del Barrio and Rebel Satori Press. TSTQ

TERE MARTÍNEZ is a Puerto Rican playwright and educator who lives in New York City. Her theatrical adaptation of Esmeralda Santiago’s When I Was Puerto Rican has toured both the U.S. and Puerto Rico for the past 15 years. In 2008, she presented the piece as part of Festival Latino at the Oregon Shakespeare Festival. Her two one-act plays, For Mi Chichí and My Last Night with Rubén Blades, were produced by Pregones Theater in New York in 2001, and since then have toured the country. For Mi Chichí was also produced by Teatro del Pueblo, in St. Paul, Minnesota. In 2002, two plays, Departure and Return, received workshop productions at Pregones. In 2004, a staged reading of Agria…tierra…dulce was produced by IATI Theater in New York. The play was published by the Ateneo Puertorriqueño in 2005. Also in 2005, she was commissioned to write the piece …and there’s always the stars…, a play about mental disorders affecting teenagers today. In 2007, Hostos Repertory Company produced Borinquen Lives in El Barrio, her play about three generations of Puerto Ricans living in the U.S. The play was subsequently chosen to be part of TeatroStageFest 2008, toured with City Parks Theater, and in 2009 was produced by the Puerto Rican Travelling Theatre. Also in 2009, she was commissioned by SHARE to write an educational dramatic print series for Latina women on the importance of early breast-cancer detection. In 2010, IATI Theater commissioned I Want You By My Side, which is now touring New York and tri-state area high schools and colleges. Currently, she is developing an educational theater project, entitled The Antonia Pantoja Project, which will be presented this fall at Hostos Rep. She is a member of the Dramatists Guild of America.

MEL NIEVES was born and raised in New York City. Graduate of the William Esper Studios and a member of the LAByrinth Theatre Company since 1993. As an actor his work includes Pulitzer Prize finalist Elliot, A Soldier’s Fugue at Luna Stage; SANGRE, a contemporary retelling of Federico García Lorca’s Blood Wedding written by Mando Alvarado as part of City Parks Foundation SummerStage. As a playwright his work has been presented by the Downtown Urban Theatre Festival (2005-2008), Repertorio Español (2006-2007), LAByrinth Theatre Company’s Summer Intensive Workshops at The Saratoga Performing Arts Center (2001-2003) & Bennington College (2005-2008) and Bard College (2009-2011). His plays include Tours Of Duty (co-winner, best short play 2005 Downtown Urban theatre Festival), directed by fellow LAByrinth Company member Padraic Lillis; Midnight Mass (2006 Metlife Foundation Nuestras Voces National Playwrights award); W.A.C. Iraq (2008 world premiere, Santa Ana, California, presented by Breath of Fire Latina Theatre Ensemble); Night Train (2008 LAByrinth Barn Series Festival at The Public Theater), directed by fellow LAByrinth Theatre Company member Félix Solís, By The Dawn’s Early Light: Los Embrujados & Midnight Mass, presented by The Apple Core Theatre Company on Theatre Row. For more info, go to www.MelNieves.com.

ANTHONY RUIZ was born in Manhattan and in the last five years he lived in Brooklyn. During that time, not being on his native soil, he did not write. [FACT: Dracula needs to rest in the native soil of his homeland, to survive.] In January 2011, he moved back to Manhattan and the writing began. Yolandanomics is his first play on his native soil since moving back. Other projects that he has written while on the island include Bottoms Up!, a comedy about space aliens from a planet a little to the left of Uranus; Breakdown, a comedy about starving actors (is there any other kind?); TEOTWAWKI, a short film about the end of the world (it’s also a comedy with a great ending). Soon he plans to start filming Smile, a short comedy starring his (plug coming up) wife, Susanna Guzmán (2011 HOLA Award winner for Outstanding Performance by a Female Actor). His next play will be How I Became an International Spy, a true story based on his own life experiences! When asked, “What is Yolandanomics about?,” he recounts this story: J.P. Morgan, the famous banker, was strolling down a crowded street in New York with a friend when he was jostled by a pickpocket. “Watch out,” warned his friend, “That fella’s trying to steal your silk handkerchief.” “So what,” said Morgan with a shrug, “We all started small.”


HOLAfestival
Abrazo Interno Gallery
Clemente Soto Vélez Cultural and Educational Center
107 Suffolk Street, Second Floor
(between Rivington and Delancey streets), NYC

AN OFFICIAL EVENT OF THE
2011 NYC LATIN MEDIA & ENTERTAINMENT WEEK
(OCTOBER 3-9, 2011).

FREE ADMISSION, BUT RESERVATIONS RECOMMENDED
ALL READINGS AT 7:30pm
FOR MORE INFO OR TO RSVP, CALL (212) 253-1015

HOLA Member Bochinche

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.

This year marks the 75th anniversary of the writing of Federico García Lorca's classic play The House of Bernarda Alba. As a result, two productions of the play will be produced this autumn in New York.

• E3Outlaws Productions is set to present the play with an all-male cast (the playwright's original intention). Produced and directed by Enmanuel García, he will also step into the title role, leading a cast that includes Edward Azcorra, José A. Bonilla, Mairobin Caraballo, Absalón Montano, Kevin Pérez, Héctor Luis Rivera, Raúl Rivera, Pastor Torres and Marcel Weisz. The production is set the open the Segundo Festival de Teatro del Comisionado de Cultura Dominicano en Nueva York on November 10, 2011 at the Sala Andrés Francisco Requena in the Washington Heights neighborhood in Manhattan. It will then transfer for a December run to the Sala Don Iván García Guerra (also known as The Up-Broadway Theatre also in the Washington Heights neighborhood in Manhattan. For more information, click here.

• Teatro Círculo will present the production (produced by José Cheo Oliveras and to be helmed by Dean Zayas) at its space in Manhattan's East Village for a November run. Lydia Echavarria leads the cast, which also includes Isabel Arraiza, Diana Chery Ramírez, Beatriz Córdoba, Bertha De La Cruz, Edna Lee Figueroa, Jessica Florí, Iliana García, María Eugenia Mercado, Gisele Torres and Eva Cristina Vásquez. For more information, click here.

Suni Reyes, shown at left, is doing a new standup set at Caroline's on Broadway in Times Square on Monday, October 3, 2o11. It marks her return to standup after a two-year hiatus, whereupon she became a mother and acted in an off-Broadway play for six months. After her standup gig, she and Stewart Villilo, shown at right, will star in The Chalkboard Trilogy. Written by Nancy Nevárez and directed by Mino Lora, the play is being produced by The Up Theater Company (in association with People's Theatre Project) for an October and November run at the Broadway Templein Manhattan's Washington Heights area. The cast also includes Jennyfer Almanzar; Craig Anthony Bannister; Lori Brown; Edwin Matos, Jr.; Nikaury Rodríguez; and Medina Senghore. [Ms. Reyes and Mr. Villilo heard about the production from the casting notice announcement the producers sent HOLA that HOLA, in turn, sent to its members.]

Susana Pérez booked a principal role in "Blue Bloods" (CBS).

Amanda Gaviria e-mailed us to say that he will be appearing in an episode of "Person of Interest" (CBS). This year, she will also be running in the ING New York City Marathon (her first) on November 6, 2011. She is running for charity as part of the American Cancer Society DetermiNation Team. Interested parties may support her and make a donation (a minimum of U.S.$5) by clicking 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?

Monday, September 26, 2011

More Info About the 2011 HOLAfestival & Re-Imaginings Photo Art Exhibit

HOLAfestival
Abrazo Interno Gallery
Clemente Soto Vélez Cultural and Educational Center
107 Suffolk Street, Second Floor
(between Rivington and Delancey streets), NYC

AN OFFICIAL EVENT OF THE
2011 NYC LATIN MEDIA & ENTERTAINMENT WEEK
(OCTOBER 3-9, 2011).

FREE ADMISSION, BUT RESERVATIONS RECOMMENDED

ALL READINGS AT 7:30pm
FOR MORE INFO OR TO RSVP, CALL (212) 253-1015

SCHEDULE OF STAGED PLAY READINGS

(Photos of HOLA member-playwrights shown at right.)

Monday, October 3, 2011
Carmen’s Pearl

Written by Lina Gallegos
Directed by José A. Esquea


A look at the Salinas family from the “free state” of Galveston (in South Texas) in the 1940s, as told through adolescent Marisa and matriarch Carmen.

Tuesday, October 4, 2011
Mentiras Bellas (Beautiful Lies)
Written by Mel Nieves
Directed by Paula Pizzi

In a community in the South Bronx, a family struggles to reconcile with their
only son, a former gang member trying to go straight. A mother in prison prays that her damaged lifestyle hasn't ruined her daughter's chance for a healthy life and a young man fights to keep his balance between two worlds, trying to find in which one he truly belongs.

Wednesday, October 5, 2011
Snake Island

Written by Tere Martínez
Directed by José A. Esquea


A vacation getaway on Puerto Rico’s Culebra Island becomes a catalyst for two women as they learn more about themselves… and each other.

Thursday, October 6, 2011

The Money Honey, or Yolandanomics

Written and directed by Anthony Ruiz

Three losers feel their luck is about to change when one wins a radio contest. However, when the contest rules complicate matters, in comes Cuban dominatrix Yolanda to the rescue.

Friday, October 7, 2011
Field of Blood

Written by A.B. Lugo

Directed by Arian Blanco


A young mother’s journey to reclaim her stillborn child’s body leads to an odyssey of bureaucracy and red tape. But a mother's love will not be denied.

Saturday, October 8, 2011
The Last of Bernarda

Written by Oscar A. Colón
Directed by Sturgis Warner


What happened to the Alba family after the events of The House of Bernarda Alba
? Find out what came after the silence.



Abrazo Interno Gallery Hours: 3:30pm-10pm DAILY

Re-Imaginings Photo Art Exhibit
Curated by Hispanic Organization of Latin Actors (HOLA),
María F. Nieto and Luis Carle

Photography by Luis Carle
Concept and Styling by María F. Nieto
Makeup by Ura Yoana Sánchez and Ashton Pina

Opening Reception: Monday, October 3, 2011 at 6pm

Re-Imaginings is a photographic art exhibit with the unifying theme of visualizing a world where Latinos were already more fully integrated into the mainstream entertainment culture. The photographic art exhibit would take iconic television cast images and "re-imagine" them, showing Latinos as part of the re-imagined cast. The photos would strike a visual chord of familiarity while also showing how seamlessly a Latino actor could be integrated into the shows' universal themes of the human experience.

Behind the scenes photos (shown below) by A.B. Lugo
(click on each to make larger)


Friday, September 23, 2011

HOLA Member Bochinche

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.

East 3rd Productions is presenting Verse Chorus Verse. Written by Randall Colburn and directed by Ricardo Riethmüller, the show is having its New York premiere during October and November at the Cherry Lane Theater in the West Village of Manhattan and features Josh Coomer, Daniel Graff, Michael Bryan Hill, Michael Mallard and Lorraine Rodríguez in the cast.

Theater for the New City (TNC) is presenting a workshop production of The Boxer's Son. Written by Mario Golden and directed by Andreas Robertz, the show is set for an October run in TNC's Cabaret Theater in Manhattan's East Village and stars Teodorina Bello, Elle De Amor, Golden, Jonathan Lara, Alban Merdani, Carlos Navedo and Yvette Quintero.

Marco Antonio Rodríguez booked a national radio commercial for T-Mobile.

Marisol Carrere e-mailed us to that I Am Julia, the film she co-produced (with Gloria Zelaya), co-starred in and wrote, will have its film festival premiere at the Big Apple Film Festival on November 5, 2011. The film is directed by David Capurso and stars Leidi Salazar, Carolina Ravassa, Carrere, Doua Moua, Tationna Bosier, Brenda Gómez, Zahaira Curiel and Tamara Turner. For more information, click here.

José Yenque, whose film Happy New Year was recently screened at the 17th annual Temecula Valley International Film Festival, is set to host the San Diego County Hispanic Chamber of Commerce’s Iluminada luncheon (with the theme of "Arte y Cultura") on September 23, 2011 at The Prado in Balboa Park.

Two short films directed by Arian Blanco are official selections of the Fourth Annual NoHu (North Hudson County) International Short Film Festival. They are Mo(u)rning: An Excerpt (written by Adrián Rodríguez) and Winter Guayabera (also written by Blanco). The film shorts will screen at The William Musto Cultural Center in Union City, New Jersey on September 29, 2011 and star Ileana Canal, Loren Escandón and Iván Goris; and Liche Ariza and Omar Hernández in the respective casts.

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?

Tuesday, September 20, 2011

HOLAfestival and "Re-imaginings" photographic art exhibit as part of 2011 NYC Latin Media & Entertainment Week

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Contact: A.B. Lugo (212) 253-1015 ablugo@hellohola.org

HISPANIC ORGANIZATION OF LATIN ACTORS (HOLA) to present “Re-Imaginings” Photo Art Exhibit in conjunction with the HOLAfestival of Staged Play Readings as official event of the NYC Latin Media & Entertainment Week

September 21, 2011 (New York, New York) — The Hispanic Organization of Latin Actors (HOLA), the nation’s longest running active arts advocacy organization for Latino actors, is proud to present "Re-imaginings," a photographic art exhibit, in conjunction with the HOLAfestival series of staged play readings. Both the photographic exhibit and the staged play readings feature and showcase the talent of HOLA members and both will take place at the Abrazo Interno Gallery located at the Clemente Soto Vélez Cultural and Educational Center, 107 Suffolk Street (between Rivington and Delancey streets) in Manhattan’s Lower East Side. "Re-imaginings" in conjunction with the HOLAfestival is an official event of the NYC Latin Media & Entertainment Week (October 3-9, 2011).

The opening reception for the photo exhibit and staged play readings will take place on Monday, October 3, 2011 at 6pm. The gallery is open to the public from 3:30 pm to 10pm daily and admission to both the photo exhibit and staged readings is free, although reservations for the staged readings are preferred. For more information, or to RSVP, call HOLA at (212) 253-1015 or go to www.hellohola.org. The HOLAfestival was originally created in 1983 and ran until 1990 as a series of theatrical productions and musical evenings featuring HOLA members. In 2011, HOLA decided to revive the HOLAfestival as a series of staged play readings by HOLA member-playwrights and featuring HOLA members in each cast. The playwrights for the 2011 HOLAfestival, curated by HOLA Associate Director A.B. Lugo, include Lina Gallegos, Mel Nieves, Tere Martínez, Anthony Ruiz, A.B. Lugo and Oscar A. Colón. A full schedule of the readings is attached.

"Re-imaginings" is a photographic exhibit that takes iconic television cast images and "re-imagines" them showing Latino actors from HOLA’s ranks as part of the re-imagined cast. The exhibit’s unifying theme is that of visualizing a world where Latino actors were already more fully integrated into the mainstream entertainment culture, as they have been into the nation’s population. The duplication of iconic cast images for such shows as “Seinfeld,” “Friends,” “All in the Family,” and “Sex and the City,” among others, strikes a visual chord of familiarity while also serving to show how seamlessly a Latino actor could be integrated into the various shows' universal themes of the human experience. "Re-imaginings" was conceived by multi-media writer and producer María Nieto and is jointly curated by Ms. Nieto along with the exhibit’s photographer Luis Carle and HOLA.

ABOUT LUIS CARLE: New York based artist-photographer Luis Carle, born in San Juan, Puerto Rico, studied photography at Parsons School of Design and worked as artist and photographer’s assistant to various well-known photographers. In 1992 Carle invited a group of highly gifted Puerto Rican artists and friends to form O.P. Art, Inc. (Organization of Puerto Rican Artists, Inc.) The not-for-profit, run by artists collective, supports the work and vision of emerging artists.

ABOUT HOLA: HOLA is an arts service and 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 all entertainment and media industries.

ABOUT A.B. LUGO: A.B. Lugo is the Associate Director of HOLA. He is also an actor, writer, director and producer. As a playwright, his works include Banjee, Branches, Geneva, Stardumb, Ramble, Cater Waiters, The Valley is Green, Manchild Machismo and Field of Blood. As an actor, he has appeared in numerous plays, films and TV shows. As a poet, he has performed all over the NYC metropolitan area, North Carolina and in Puerto Rico. His work has been published in various literary journals and, most recently, in the poetry anthology Me No Habla With Acento (edited by Emanuel Xavier) published by El Museo Del Barrio and Rebel Satori Press.

ABOUT MARÍA NIETO: María Nieto is a Colombian-American writer and event & multi-media producer based in New York City. Her digital media work includes being the co-founder of www.LatinosInEntertainment.com and serving as a producer on the web based comedy series "Days of Joy with Gene Moonfeather." Her film production credits include the short film Lousy in Love and the feature film A Song and A Prayer as well as its accompanying soundtrack of original gospel music. She is the Executive Producer of the 2011 HOLA Awards Gala and Benefit.

HOLAfestival
SCHEDULE OF STAGED READINGS

Abrazo Interno Gallery, 107 Suffolk Street, 2nd Floor, NYC
All readings are at 7:30pm
Free admission, but reservations highly recommended
Info and reservations: (212) 253-1015

Monday, October 3, 2011 Carmen’s Pearl

Written by Lina Gallegos and directed by José A. Esquea

Tuesday, October 4, 2011 Mentiras Bellas (Beautiful Lies)

Written by Mel Nieves and directed by Paula Pizzi

Wednesday, October 5, 2011 Snake Island

Written by Tere Martínez and directed by José A. Esquea

Thursday, October 6, 2011 The Money Honey, or Yolandanomics

Written and directed by Anthony Ruiz


Friday, October 7, 2011 Field of Blood

Written by A.B. Lugo and directed by Arian Blanco


Saturday, October 8, 2011 The Last of Bernarda

Written by Oscar A. Colón and directed by Sturgis Warner


# # # #

HOLA Member Bochinche

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.

Débora Balardini and Duke York are pleased to welcome their beautiful co-production, their son Gustavo Ulysses York. This GUY (his initials) made his world premiere on August 9, 2011 at 7:44am. He weighed 8 lbs. 6 oz. (3.75 kg) and was 18" (45 cm) long. He has already booked his first gig-- being the model for a recent photo showing by photographer Joseph Silva (whose photo of Gustavo is shown at right). Before his world premiere, he had a preview performance with his mother as she danced with Pantheatre Company in Chile this past January.

Yanelba Ferreira continues her U.S. college tour of Yo Soy Latina. The play, written and directed by Linda Nieves-Powell, also features Flor Bromley and Elizabeth South in the cast and will perform in September and October at Syracuse University (Syracuse, New York), Florida State University (Tallahassee, Florida), Abraham Baldwin Agricultural College (Tifton, Georgia), Quinnipiac University (Hamden, Connecticut), Salem State University (Salem, Massachusetts) and St. Peter's College (Jersey City, New Jersey). For more information, including scheduling, click here.

William J. Vila can be seen in the musical Destinations. A favorite at the New York International Fringe Festival, the musical, with book by Dawn Eaton; music, lyrics and musical direction by R.S. Rodkin; and directed by Gregory Fletcher, will have an additional performance on September 26, 2011 at Carroll Music, located near Manhattan's Columbus Circle area.

Repertorio Español is presenting Juan Ruiz de Alarcón's comedy La verdad sospechosa. Directed by Pedro Salazar, the production will have an October and November run at Repertorio's namesake theater in the Rose Hill section of Manhattan and feature Jerry Soto, Pep Muñoz, Ignacio García Bustelo, Fermín Suárez, Gerardo Gudiño, Mario Mattei, Alfredo Tauste, Soraya Padrao, Robmariel Olea, Mariana Buoninconti, Julián Mesri and Israel Hernández in the cast.

Balm in Gilead won the 2010 New York Innovative Theater (IT) Award for Best Production of a Play. The play, written by Lanford Wilson, directed by Peter Jensen and produced by T. Schreiber Studio featured Dennis Brito, Lowell Byers and Stewart Villilo 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?

Friday, September 16, 2011

HOLA Member Bochinche

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.

Marisol Carrere, shown at right in the photo at left, and Manny Alfaro, shown holding the camera at right, can be seen in the current AARP print campaign. (Ms. Carrere received the audition through a direct casting referral.)

Gilbert Cruz booked an on-camera Kit Kat commercial.

Lina Gallegos and Mauricio Leyton are acting in De Novo. The docudrama was written and directed by Jeffrey Solomon. Produced by Passage Theater Company and the Houses on the Moon Theater Company, the production is having a September run at the Mill Hill Playhouse in downtown Trenton, New Jersey. The cast also includes José Aranda and Emily Weiner. In addition, the production is having a special presentation in New York City on September 19, 2011 at the Jackson Heights Library in Queens. For more information for the show in Trenton, click here. For information on the presentation in New York City, call (718) 899-2500.

Alfredo Huereca will be performing in Chicago Boys. Written by Kathleen Tolan and directed by Ann Filmer, the play is scheduled for an October and November run at the renowned Goodman Theatre, located at The Loop area in Chicago, Illinois.

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?