WELCOME NEW AND RETURNING MEMBERS - SEPTEMBER AND OCTOBER 2011

Below is a list of new (and returning) HOLA members who joined between September 1, 2011 and October 31, 2011. (Note that "returning members" refer those members who have returned to HOLA after having their memberships expire for some time and do not include renewing members.)

(Top row, left to right): Aída Álvarez, Jessica Álvarez; (second row, left to right): Mahammatt Baba, Maité Bonilla; (third row, left to right): Luis Bordoy, Venuz Delmar; (fourth row, left to right): Gina Díaz, Alejandro Fumero Gil; (fifth row, left to right): Juliet Gómez, Joel Luna; (sixth row, left to right): Francis Mateo, Roger Ortega; (seventh row, left to right): Ashton Pina, Johanna Ramírez; (eighth row, left to right): Laura Riveros, Rodney Roldán; (bottom row, left to right): José Sánchez, Ura Yoana Sánchez.

Not pictured: María Elena Chafardet.

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.

Repertorio Español is presenting El color del deseo. The new play by Nilo Cruz will be directed by Michel Hausmann and is scheduled for a November and December run in Repertorio's namesake theater in the Rose Hill district of Manhattan. The cast includes Maggie Bofill, Raúl Durán, Hannia Guillén, Ana Margarita Martínez Casado, Frank Rodríguez, Jerry Nelson Soto, Ed Trucco and Tatiana Vecino. For more information, click here.

Wayne López was in an episode of "House" (Fox).

Ashton Pina is directing the music video "Round and Round" (off of the album The Love Rocker Project) by music artist Solomon.

There will be a celebration for the publication of Teatro Puertorriqueño en Estados Unidos. The anthology of stage plays (published by Instituto de Cultura Puertorriqueña) translated from English to Spanish was edited by Dr. Rosalina Perales. As part of the celebration, actors read excerpts of the plays Marisol by José Rivera (translation by Aurora Lauzardo and Waldemar Burgos), Miriam's Flowers/Las flores de Míriam by Migdalia Cruz (translation by Roberto Irizarry and Rosalina Perales) and Unmerciful Good Fortune/Despiadada fortuna by Edwin Sánchez (translation by Analola Santana). The performers included Rosie Berrido, Howard Collado, Míriam Cruz, Caridad Del Valle, Kisha Tikina Burgos, Felipe Javier Gorostiza, A.B. Lugo, Gy Mirano, Malena Ramírez and Jeannie Sol. The celebration is to take place on October 28, 2011 at Los Kabayitos Theater in the Clemente Soto Vélez Cultural and Educational Center (home to HOLA) in Manhattan's Loísaida neighborhood. [Berrido, Cruz, Del Valle and Lugo, shown above, clockwise from top left, all received the gig through HOLA referrals.]

Jazz at Lincoln Center (JALC) is presenting Impulse at 50: A Celebration of Impulse Records. The celebration honors the jazz record label (for which John Coltrane was its most notable artist). Coltrane's bassist Reggie Workman honors his legacy with his own African-American Legacy Project, conducted by Charles Tolliver and featuring pianist Stanley Cowell, in a re-creation of the legendary album Africa Brass complete with a full jazz orchestra and 16-member chorus (the latter of which includes Marcelino Feliciano). For more information on the concert, which is part of JALC's Jazz Jam series, click here.

Teatro SEA is presenting Las leyendas del cofre encantado/The Legends of the Enchanted Treasure. Based on indigenous tales from the Americas collected and retold by Cayetano Coll y Toste, Ricardo Alegría, Pura Belpré, Jane Ann Volkner, Genevieve Barlow and Robert Hall, the bilingual show is written by Manuel Morán and Richard Marino, with original music by Manuel Calzada and directed and produced by Morán. The show is scheduled for a November run at Teatro SEA's space in the Clemente Soto Vélez Cultural and Educational Center (home to HOLA) in Manhattan's Loísaida neighborhood and features Ana Campos, Daisy Payero, Héctor Palacios, Miron Gusso, Johanna Rodríguez, Enrique Suárez Olmos and Flor Bromley 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?

Report on the 2011 HOLA Awards

The twelfth annual HOLA Awards Gala presented by Delta Air Lines was held on Monday, October 17th, 2011 at the beautiful Battery Gardens located inside Manhattan’s scenic Battery Park. It was a magical night of clear skies and sweeping panoramic views of The Statue of Liberty and Ellis Island shining brightly within New York Harbor.

Guests that evening enjoyed a lavish, open bar cocktail reception in the Battery Gardens’ ground floor restaurant that led out into an outdoor patio brightly lit with festive, floating lanterns.

The delectable hors d’oeuvres passed around by the restaurant's staff included baby lamb chops, duck pâté with apricots, seafood risotto cakes, chicken satay, shrimp ceviche and caviar potatoes. In addition, guests enjoyed scrumptious offerings at the stationary international cheese and fruit, carved salmon teriyaki, Mediterranean and Spanish paella food stations. Guests also delighted in a souvenir photo booth that allowed them to take home a little piece of the evening.

The red carpet played host to the evening’s awardees representing the very best of Latino theatre as well as the evening’s special honorees that included film and television star Luis Guzmán, singer-actor-humanitarian Rubén Blades; broadcast journalist Natalie Morales of “The Today Show” and Teresa Yenque who was recognized for her over 40 years in acting. The New York International Latino Film Festival and Heineken were also recognized that evening for their individual endeavors in helping to promote Latino entertainment.

Celebrity attendees also included Broadway star Daphne Rubin-Vega, who also served as a presenter that evening, author Sandra Guzmán and actor José Yenque, son of Teresa.

Also present on the red carpet were members of the City-As-School teen reporting team who conducted interviews and covered the red carpet alongside professional members of the press corps.

Attendees then proceeded upstairs for dinner and the awards program. Musical entertainment for the gala was brought to them by Grammy Award winning pianist and bandleader, Oscar Hernández, and his band (which included members of the Spanish Harlem Orchestra) that evening consisting of Mitch Frohman on saxophone, George Delgado on congas, Willie Martínez on drums and Rubén Rodríguez on bass. The band was joined by singers Natalie Toro, Eliseo Román and Henry Gaínza, also the evening’s Director of Entertainment, who brought to life song selections that brought attendees to their dancing feet.

Masters of ceremonies for the awards ceremony were Jorge Ramos and Odalys Molina of Telemundo and Sandra O'Neill of Univision.

A major surprise came at the beginning of the ceremony when New York City Mayor Michael R. Bloomberg arrived at the Battery Gardens and regaled those in attendance with his Spanish speaking skills. The Mayor spoke on the importance of HOLA and all organizations that help promote Latino entertainment in the city.

Memorable speeches included one by “Law and Order: Special Victims Unit” star Danny Pino, who was unable to attend due to his filming schedule but gave his thanks via a recorded video that also featured his adorable son. Other highlights included moving acceptance speeches by Teresa Yenque, Ismael Cruz Córdova, Arisleyda Lombert and Inma Heredia.

Manolo García Oliva, President of HOLA’s Board of Directors, thanked the evening’s sponsors which included Delta Air Lines as well as silver level sponsors Heineken and NBCUniversal.

The evening’s major highlight included a musical tribute to Rubén Blades featuring song selections carefully chosen to represent Blades's many musical accomplishments. Blades was then presented the Raúl Juliá HOLA Founders Award award by Merel Juliá, widow of Blades’s personal friend, Raúl Juliá, for whom the award is named. Blades’s acceptance speech offered a humorous recollection of his departed friend as well as an inspirational anecdote that moved many in the audience.

The evening came to a close with a final musical number of Noel Estrada's classic song “En Mi Viejo San Juan” and guests left with a gift bag filled with Sandra Guzmán’s The New Latina’s Bible, styling gel from Ouidad, a stylish scarf from American Apparel and the latest issue of Latin Trends Magazine, a media sponsor of the event.

The highly successful gala was the embodiment of HOLA’s commitment to celebrating the very best in Latino entertainment and media. The evening’s lively music, star power and surprise visit by the city’s Mayor helped to showcase HOLA’s premier standing as one of the nation’s leading cultural institution’s and the country’s longest running arts advocacy organization.

[PHOTO CREDITS: All photographs in this article by ARuiz Photography.]

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.

Caridad De La Luz, also known by her nom de poésie La Bruja, shown at left, was selected by Comité Noviembre/Mes de La Herencia Puertorriqueña received the Lo Mejor de Nuestra Comunidad/Best of Our Community Award. The award honors Puerto Ricans whose pride in their heritage and strength of character have empowered themselves and inspired others to make a significant impact on the community. Other recipients include Humberto Cintrón, David Galarza, Esperanza Martell, Carmen Alustiza-Mondesire, José Ortiz, Candy Warixi Soto and Dr. Anderson Torres. The awards ceremony will take place at El Museo Del Barrio, on Manhattan's Museum Mile on Wednesday, October 26, 2011. For more information, click here.

MultiStages is producing the world premiere of Temple of the Souls. A musical drama with a libretto by Anita Vélez-Mitchell and music by Dean Landon and Anika Paris, the show is musical directed by Bruce Baumer,and directed and developed by Lorca Peress. Scheduled for a December run, at the West End Theatre in Manhattan's West Side, the show features lighting design by Alex Moore, scenic design by Yanko Bakulic, choreography by Milteri Tucker and a cast that includes Jen Anaya, Kenneth Kyle Martínez, Robmariel Olea, Ricardo Puente, Patricio Witis, Theresa Burns, Víctor Cervantes, Raquel Faria, Giselle Gastell and Laura Riveros. [Olea and Riveros, shown above at right, booked roles through an HOLA casting notice.]

Ura Yoana Sánchez just produced and directed her self-penned film short Finding Home. A tribute to victims of child abuse, the cast included Pietro González and Camille Jones. Lisandra Sánchez Rivera Payán served as a production assistant and animal trainer for Coco, a Shih Poo (Shih Tzu-poodle mix) who deftly played an injured puppy. [González, shown at left, booked the role due to an HOLA referral.]

Ashton Pina is producing Hanging in the Paint. The film, which is also written by, directed by and co-starring him, features Jimmie Williams, Jared DeWese, Sandy Tejada and Jason Torres in the cast and will hit the film festival circuit in 2012.

Mel Nieves is one of the participating playwrights in Madness. Produced by New York Madness, the evening consists of a series of short plays all with a common theme and written over the course of a week. The playwrights turn in their plays to the directors and actors 24 hours before presenting them in front of an audience. This evening also featured guest artistic producing playwright J. Holtham and will take place on November 7, 2011 at IATI Theater in Manhattan's East Village.

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?

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.

Laura Riveros is amongst the cast of Persona Performa. A site-specific performances, the show was created by Ming Wong, co-presented with Performa for the Performa 11 biennial and is set to perform in November in the Museum of the Moving Image in the Astoria neighborhood of Queens. For more information, click here.

Caridad De La Luz (also known by her nom de poésie La Bruja) is scheduled to be a featured poet (along with Víctor Thirstin Howl DeJesús) at the True Sound Lounge poetry series in November. The event is curated by Christopher Chilo Vargas, hosted by John Chance Acevedo, with sounds by DJ Mystro and takes place at True's lounge located in the Mott Haven section of the South Bronx. For more information, click here.

Iván Camilo, Maité Bonilla and Rosie Berrido appear in the film Under My Nails. The film will be screened in November at the Baruch Performing Arts Center in Manhattan's Gramercy district as part of Teatro SEA's Borimix Puerto Rico Festival. For more information, click here. In addition, it is an official selection of the Festival de Cine de La Habana/Festival Internacional del Nuevo Cine Latinoamericano, to take place in December in Havana, Cuba. The film is written by Kisha Tikina Burgos, directed by Ari Maniel Cruz and also features Burgos, Marilú Acosta, Dolores Pedro, Enrique Juliá, Miranda Purcell and Antonio Pantojas in the cast. For more information on that screening, click here.

Teatro Coronado is presenting Liberados de sus redes. Written by Dinorah Coronado and directed by Héctor Palacios, the show is scheduled for an October run at the Comisionado Dominicano de Cultura en los Estados Unidos in Manhattan's Washington Heights neighborhood and features Coronado, Edison Carrera, Olga Fernández, Digna Carvajal and Enrique Suárez Olmos 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?

Colorblind Casting or Color-Consciousness?

Check out this blog by Dominique Morisseau in the Public Theater (New York) blog about so-called colorblind casting by clicking here.

Where the Hispanic Viewers Are (Not Just on Univision)

Check out this article in Advertising Age by Dave Morgan about the viewing habits of U.S. Hispanics by clicking here.

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.

Dennis Brito can be seen in the new Jim Boyett play Poisoned. Directed by Kathryn McConnell and produced by Squeaky Bicycle Productions, the play will have a November and December run at the Mint Theater's Theater Three in the theater district of midtown Manhattan.

Caridad De La Luz (also known by her nom de poésie La Bruja) will emcee the 2011 Ray of Hope Benefit Concert on Saturday, October 22, 2011 at the Lovinger Theater at Lehman College in the Bedford Park section of the Bronx. The concert will benefit The Ray of Hope Initiative, the international women's human rights organization MADRE and Eat Cake NYC and was sponsored by the Omega Phi Beta Sorority, Inc. For more information (including how to donate and/or buy tickets for the event), click here.

E3Outlaws Productions is presenting Abniel Marat's play El olor de las hembras. Produced and directed by Enmanuel García, the play will star Diana Pou and Xiomara Rodríguez and have an October run at the Sala Don Iván García Guerra (also known as the Up Broadway Theater) in the Washington Heights neighborhood of Manhattan. the play will take place as part of the second Festival de Teatro Hispano del Comisionado at the Comisionado Dominicano de Cultura en los Estados Unidos in the Washington Heights area of Manhattan.

Rodney Roldán e-mailed us to let us know that he booked a co-starring role on the CBS series "A Gifted Man."

The Show Goes On Productions has announced casting for Robert L. Hecker's world premiere political drama, Ghost Dancer, to be presented at The Mint Space's Theatre Three in the theater district of midtown Manhattan. Joshua A. Kashinsky will direct the production, which will have a November and December run. The cast will feature Jorge Acosta, Arturo Castro, Rosie Lani Fiedelman, Leajato Amara Robinson, Luis Salgado, Reza Salazar, and Lilia Vassileva.
The design team will include Duane Pagano (set), Candice Knox (costumes), Peter Hoerburger (lighting), Ien DeNio (sound), and Amy Klewitz (choreography). For tickets and more information, click here.

Marco Antonio Rodríguez, a 2011 HOLA Award winner for his play La luz de un cigarrillo, has just been published in an anthology of plays by Dominican writers residing in the U.S., entitled Máscaras errantes. Compiled by Dinorah Coronado, the launching was October 9, 2011 at Boricua College in Manhattan's Harlem/Washington Heights area and sponsored by the Ministry Of Culture in the Dominican Republic.

Ayanery Reyes is acting in Cathal Gallagher and Fred Martínez's Viva Cristo Rey. Presented by the G.K. Chesterton Company, the play was directed by Ángel Durán and is scheduled for an October run in the Miles Memorial Playhouse in Santa Monica, California. For more information, click here.

John Leguizamo announced via his personal Twitter page that he will be touring his self-penned solo show Ghetto Klown (directed by Fisher Stevens) in Texas in February 2012. Stops in the Lone Star State include Austin, Houston, Dallas, McAllen, Corpus Christi and El Paso.

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?

Photos from the 2011 HOLA Awards

Check out the 2011 HOLA Awards in Theatermania by clicking here. One can also see Getty Images of the event by clicking here. To see photos of the event by ARuiz Photography, click here.

The Race to Put a Latino-Based Series on Network Television Heats Up

There is a very strong possibility that there will be three U.S. network series based around Latino families hitting the airwaves in 2012. There are plans to have new series created by Ligia Villalobos and Kenny Ortega (for NBC), Silvio Horta and Jennifer López (for Fox), and Rob Schneider (for CBS). For more, information, click here.

2011 HOLA Awards Press Release

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

LUIS GUZMÁN, RUBÉN BLADES,
DANNY PINO AND NATALIE MORALES

TO BE HONORED AT 2011 HOLA AWARDS

NY INT'L LATINO FILM FESTIVAL
AND HEINEKEN TO RECEIVE HONORS

Delta Airlines is the Presenting Sponsor of the 2011 HOLA Awards

2011 HOLA Awards to take place Monday, October 17, 2011
at The Battery Gardens in scenic Battery Park, NYC

August 4, 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 pleased to announce that it will honor film and television star Luis Guzmán, singer-actor-humanitarian Rubén Blades and broadcast journalist Natalie Morales of “The Today Show” as Delta Airlines presents its Twelfth Annual HOLA Awards Gala and Benefit, sponsored in part by NBCUniversal. The Awards Gala and Benefit will take place on Monday, October 17, 2011 at 6:30pm at The Battery Gardens on the waterfront in New York’s scenic Battery Park (opposite 17 State Street). Sponsorships slots are still available and range from $10,000 for a silver sponsorship to $50,000 for the Presenting Sponsor. A limited number of individual tickets are available at $150.

Luis Guzmán will be honored with the organization’s inaugural HOLA Excellence in Film Award. Guzmán currently stars in the HBO program “How To Make It in America,” and was most recently seen on the big screen in Arthur starring Russell Brand. Guzmán’s distinguished career spans decades across the small and big screen.

Rubén Blades will receive the Raúl Juliá HOLA Founders Award. Blades’ career across the disciplines of music, politics and acting make him one of the Latino community’s most compelling and iconic figures. In addition to the wide breadth of his artistic accomplishments, HOLA is singling out for recognition his many accomplishments and contributions resulting from his humanitarian efforts.

Danny Pino, the most recent addition to the cast of NBC's "Law & Order: Special Victims Unit," will receive the José Ferrer HOLA Tespis Award. Danny's past work across film and television has served to propel him into his new role on "Law and Order: SVU," one that places him squarely in the ranks of the much beloved current and past actors who have left indelible marks on this hit TV franchise, and the television landscape as a whole.

Natalie Morales of NBC’s “The Today Show” will receive the HOLA Excellence in Media Award. On May 9, 2011 NBCUniversal announced that she would permanently replace Ann Curry as news anchor for "Today." Ms. Morales prominent new position is a true accomplishment and one that HOLA is proud to recognize and applaud.

HOLA will also honor the New York International Latino Film Festival (NYILFF) with a Special Recognition Award for their remarkable achievements in promoting the work of Latino filmmakers and actors throughout their distinguished history as the premier urban Latino film event in the country.

The HOLA Awards Committee has also chosen Heineken as the inaugural recipient of the HOLA Award for Distinction in Corporate Arts Philanthropy. This award honors those corporations whose philanthropic endeavors serve to further and promote Latino arts and artists. HOLA is happy to laud and highlight Heineken's efforts to create opportunities for Latino actors, in particular through its Voces Grant held in conjunction with the Tribeca Film Institute. "As an arts advocacy organization we are deeply cognizant of and appreciate the wonderful opportunities that the Heineken Voces Grant represents for Latino actors and we find it fitting to honor Heineken in recognition of that impact," said HOLA Executive Director Manny Alfaro.

In addition to the aforementioned awards HOLA will also continue its yearly 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 thriving Latino theatrical stages and, in that same spirit, is recognizing entertainment veteran Teresa Yenque with a Special Recognition Award for her over 40 years of excellence in the entertainment industry. A list of the 2010-2011 theater awardees is shown below (click on each photo to see it larger).

Delta Airlines presents The Twelfth Annual HOLA Awards will take place on Monday, October 17, 2011 at 6:30pm at The Battery Gardens in scenic Battery Park (opposite 17 State Street) located in New York. Individual tickets are $150 and can be purchased in advance by calling (212) 253-1015 or by going to www.hellohola.org. Table sponsorships are also available and can be purchased by calling María F. Nieto at 212-253-1015 or by e-mailing her at MariaFNieto@HelloHola.org.

2011 HOLA Awards for Excellence in Theater

OUTSTANDING PERFORMANCE BY A MALE ACTOR
Alfredo Huereca, Cayendo con Victoriano
(World View Productions)
Francisco Reyes, Way To Heaven (Himmelweg)
(Repertorio Español)

OUTSTANDING PERFORMANCE BY A FEMALE ACTOR
Vanessa Aspíllaga, underneathmybed
(Rattlestick Playwrights Theater)
Susanna Guzmán, La luz de un cigarrillo
(Teatro LATEA)

OUTSTANDING PERFORMANCE BY A FEATURED MALE ACTOR
Ismael Cruz Córdova, La luz de un cigarrillo (Teatro LATEA)
Israel Ruiz, La Strada
(Compañía La Strada/Teatro IATI)

OUTSTANDING PERFORMANCE BY A FEATURED FEMALE ACTOR
Arisleyda Lombert, La luz de un cigarrillo
(Teatro LATEA)
Eva Cristina Vásquez, Sabina y Lucrecia
(Teatro Círculo)

OUTSTANDING SOLO PERFORMANCE
Inma Heredia, My Audition for Almodóvar
(IATI Theater)
Lauren Vélez, They Call Me La Lupe
(Teatro LATEA/Dura Vida Productions)

OUTSTANDING PERFORMANCE BY AN ENSEMBLE CAST
Iván Camilo, Sunilda Caraballo, Juan Carlos Díaz,
Mateo Gómez, Modesto Lacén, Graciany Miranda,
Manny Pérez, Ruperto Vanderpool,
La barbería (David Maldonado and Juan Toro/New World Stages)

Rosie Berrido, Zulema Clares, Dalia Davi, María Helan, Flor de Liz Pérez,Teresa Pérez-Frangie, Fermín Suárez, En el tiempo de las mariposas (Repertorio Español)

OUTSTANDING ACHIEVEMENT IN TECHNICAL PRODUCTION
Raúl Ábrego, for his scenic design of La barbería
(David Maldonado and Juan Toro/New World Stages)
Yanko Bakulic, for his scenic design of La luz de un cigarrillo (Teatro LATEA)

OUTSTANDING ACHIEVEMENT IN PLAYWRITING
Florencia Lozano, underneathmybed
(Rattlestick Playwrights Theater)
Marco Antonio Rodríguez, La luz de un cigarrillo (Teatro LATEA)

OUTSTANDING ACHIEVEMENT IN DIRECTION
Aminta De Lara, Aviones de papel (Paper Airplanes)
(Teatro LATEA/ Zer0Compañía)
René Buch and Jorge B. Merced, La Strada (Compañía La Strada/Teatro IATI)

SPECIAL RECOGNITION
Teresa Yenque, for over 40 years of excellence
in theater, film and television

GILBERTO ZALDÍVAR HOLA AWARD
FOR OUTSTANDING PRODUCTION
Aviones de papel (Paper Airplanes)
(Teatro LATEA)
De Fuente Ovejuna a Ciudad Juárez
(Thalía Spanish Theatre/The Cross Border Project)

The Hispanic Organization of Latin Actors (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.