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.

Raquel Almazán, shown at right, will guest star on an episode of "The Blacklist" (NBC).

The short film Lobo: An Orisha Tale (written and directed by Lina Sarrello) is an official selection of the International Puerto Rican Heritage Film Festival, which will occur in November in New York City. The film stars Sarrello, Gloria Zelaya, Paola Poucel, Juan Chaves, Isabella Barrett and Skyy Blue. For more information on the film festival, click here.

Jorge Pupo will be seen in the upcoming film Dean. Written and directed by Demetri Martin (who also stars as the titular character), the feature film also stars Kevin Klein, Gillian Jacobs and Mary Steenburgen and is currently in post-production for a 2015 release. For more information, click here.

David Zayas appeared as himself in a webisode of the webseries "Improv Imagination" (Vanity Fair's channel The Scene) where he opined on the fates of the major characters of the Showtime series "Dexter" on the occasion of the one-year anniversary of its season finale (including a dead character and his character, Ángel Batista). To see what he thinks, click here. (Zayas can currently be seen playing Salvatore "The Boss" Maroni in the Fox series "Gotham".)

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?

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.

Monte Bezell, shown at right, is one of the stars of the upcoming series titled "Sangre Nueva". For more information, click here or here.

Teresa Yenque is guest-starring on an episode of "Power" (Starz).

Francisco Ramos is the star of The Hardest Love (written and directed by Henry B. Roa). The feature film is an official selection of the International Puerto Rican Heritage Film Festival, scheduled to take place in November in Manhattan's El Barrio neighborhood. For more information, click here.

The award-winning short film You're Dead To Me (written by Adelina Anthony and directed by Wu Tsang) continues its run on the film festival circuit. The film starring Laura Patalano and Harmony Rose Santana will be screened at the Reel Sisters of the Diaspora Film Festival and Lecture Series in Brooklyn, New York. For more information, click here or 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?

HOLAwave: Hispanic Heritage Month... eh, ¿qué?

HOLAwave represents a series of guest blogs by industry insiders giving informative and educational tidbits for the Latino performer. They can range from acting and auditioning advice, tech tips, legal advice, marketing, producing tips, and so on. Get caught up in the wave– the HOLAwave.]

What is Hispanic Heritage Month? Seriously, I'm Colombian and I have no idea. I don't remember it being a big deal in school. I can't recall seeing commercials on TV reminding me about the celebration of my heritage during mid-September through mid-October. (Honestly, who chose those dates?)

According to HispanicHeritageMonth.org, this "month" is where "we recognize the important contributions made by the presence of Hispanics and Latino Americans to the United States". That sounds awesome! So, where and when does this happen? Is there a Facebook invite I missed? A hashtag I'm supposed to be using? If there is a celebration, it must not be about Latinos. Trust me, we celebrate anything– my family turns a 5 year old's birthday party into a 4am dancing and drinking fest.

Something feels odd, I'm not sure what it is. Maybe it's the fact that although Hispanics make up the second largest ethnic group and 17% of the total U.S. population, it still feels like we're hidden in the kitchens and cleaning rooms of America. Never mind that Latinos/Hispanics have the highest movie attendance average among other races/ethnic groups. According to the theatrical market statistics report released by the Motion Picture Association of America (MPAA), Hispanics continue to be the largest growing percentage of moviegoers and more likely than any other ethnic group to go to the movies. In contrast, Caucasian moviegoers have declined to less than half of what it had been and other ethnic groups have remained stable since 2009. 

Now pair this with the study done by the the Annenberg School for Communication and Journalism at University of Southern California showing that out of all the characters in the top grossing films from 2007-2013, only 4.9% were Hispanic/Latino characters. So what does this say about America? The facts are there, one ethnic group continues to grow, yet remains under-represented within the country in which it lives.

It's not just movies. Hispanics lag behind other racial and ethnic groups in college enrollment. In politics, although there's been an increase in Latinos serving in elected office, only 3.3% of nationally elected seats are held by Latinos. Make no mistake about it though, once election season comes around, everyone will be running around speaking Spanish and talking immigration trying to dip their hands in the 25.2 million Hispanic voters in 2014.

It feels like we're the unwanted child. How am I supposed to feel proud celebrating my heritage in a country whose actions have done the opposite in accepting me as a member of society? How can I truly feel proud of what my people have done for the history of America when I had to change my name from Hernando to Josh to rent an apartment? Or why I had to start including my picture when submitting job applications because of fear I was getting pushed aside for my name? 

There was a glimmer of hope. Last year, PBS released a six-hour documentary called "Latino Americans", highlighting the stories and history of Latinos and Hispanics in America. I guess I should settle for yearly replays of a documentary that I didn't hear about until after it aired. Besides that, what reason do I have to celebrate? Why should I be excited? It's not like there's some bug event that has a heave Hispanic influence and seen nationwide by everyone. It's not like the past two years, the Major League Baseball (MLB) Most Valuable Player Award in the American League has gone to the same player, a Venezuelan native. Makes me wonder how exciting the MLB postseason would be without Hispanics, especially since the MLB postseason coincides with Hispanic Heritage Month.

Hernando Caicedo moved to the United States from Colombia with his family and settled in Florida. There he attended the University of South Florida majoring in Mass Communications and Theater. Afterwards he moved to New York where he studied film and television at the New York Conservatory for Dramatic Arts. Upon graduating he had the opportunity to work on several stage productions including Prophet of Borough Park and Transubstantiation (directed by André Glant-Linden). He most recently starred as Romeo in the independent film Romeo and Juliet in Harlem (directed by Aleta Chappelle). 

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.

Joel Pérez, shown at right, is performing in the fall performance of Broken Mime Theater. Titled Topography, the ensemble-devised work will run in September and October in The Wild Project, located in Manhattan's Loísaida neighborhood. For more information, click here or here.

Abdel González shot a commercial for New York Lotto.

Jesús E. Martínez starred in My Superhero, Roberto Clemente. Written by Manuel A. Morán (book, co-lyrics, co-music) and Alejandro Zuleta (co-lyrics, co-music), it was directed by Morán. The show, recipient of two 2014 HOLA Awards for Outstanding Achievement in Technical Production/Design, was presented in September at the Detroit Institute of the Arts in Detroit, Michigan. The play features puppet, set and animation design by 2014 HOLA Awards recipient José López Alemán and choreography by 2014 HOLA Awards recipient Daniel Soto, and also starred Jorge Castilla, Ann Flanigan and Chris Williams in the cast.

Walter Krochmal recorded the Spanish-language audiobook version of Nelson Mandela's autobiography Long Walk To Freedom (El largo camino hacia la libertad). This audiobook version, in addition to being for sale, will be housed in The Library of Congress in Washington, District of Columbia.

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?

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.

David Zayas, shown at right, has signed on to star opposite Kevin Dillon in The Lennon Report. Written by Jeremy Profe and Walter Vincent and to be directed by Profe, the feature film is currently in pre-production. For more information, click here.

Inma Heredia will present a special one-night-only performance of her self-penned solo show Divas de España. Directed by Adolfo Vásquez, the show will take place on Sunday, September 28, 2014 at Centro Español, located in Manhattan's West Village. For more information, click here.

Bianka Gómez, shown at left, was profiled on Dominican blog Enterato, where her career in New York was highlighted. To see the profile (which is in Spanish), click here. 

Group of the Arts (GOTA) will present Rosita. Adapted from texts by Federico García Lorca and directed by J. Edgar Mozoub, the production will be part of the eARTh Theater Festival/Lorca Al Desnudo II, scheduled to take place in November at the Roy Arias Studios and Theaters complex, located in the theater district of midtown Manhattan. The production boasts the talents of Dilcia De Jesús, Anny Gómez de Benítez, Alexandra Manzano, Yvette Quintero, Héctor Luis Rivera, Raúl Rivera, Pedro Vargas and María Vázquez in the cast.

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?

Tío Louie, HOLA and ULP Present PRIME LATINO MEDIA SALÓN (September 2014)

Metropolitan New York’s only monthly series for 

Latino multimedia-makers & actors

Join us at the

Tuesday, September 23, 2014, 6-10pm

A support network to advocate, promote & advance 

mainstream & Latino projects in English & Spanish.

HISPANIC HERITAGE: FLYING HIGH

Everyone wants to soar. Actors yearn for it all: theater, film, television, commercials and voice-overs for animation. Filmmakers want that opening aerial scene that transports the audience. For Hispanic Heritage we celebrate those working and aiming for higher ground. Hear from those that have done it, how they continue to do it and what creative resourcing pays the bills within their artistic realm. Learn how three best friends put their heads and experience together, forging a new company to fill a void and how they’re in demand with new technology delivering top quality for compromised budgets. Join us for some networking, conversations and wine. Because this Hispanic Heritage, it’s not a whine fest, it’s about taking yourself and project to new heights ~ ¡sí se puede!

6-8pm: Networking

8-9pm: TÍO LOUIE Reporta/Chat: Interviews with Actor/Multimedia-maker

9-10pm: Networking

·   Moderator: TÍO LOUIE/Louis E. Perego Moreno, President, Skyline Features

·      Interview #1: Jorge Pupo, actor, guest star on "Boardwalk Empire"

·      Interview #2: Edward Kostakis, producer/Creative Director and Multi-rotor of Xizmo Media (aerial productions with drones)

Save The Date – PRIME LATINO MEDIA FESTIVAL, October 5-12, 2014

1) Showcase: English- & Spanish-language films, TV & Digital Media

2) Conference: workshops, panels & Master Classes

3) Collective: connecting multimedia-makers with funders & distributors

FREE ADMISSION & CASH BAR/FOOD – RSVP at following: http://hispherfly.eventbrite.com

NEW Location: Bar 13, 121 University Place (at East 13th Street near Union Square), NYC. http://www.bar13.com

Jorge Pupo

On September 28, 2014, he will appear alongside Patricia Arquette in HBO's "Boardwalk Empire" playing a bank manager in 1930s Cuba-- all this for someone born in Santiago de Cuba. He was recently cast in a Kevin Kline film, has appeared on the Emmy® Award winning series "The Sopranos" (HBO) and NBC's "Law & Order" (working alongside Jerry Orbach). He’s done commercials from Coca-Cola to McDonald's and Budweiser to Dr. Pepper and Ziploc bags (with television star Dom DeLuise). On "Entre Amigos-Among Friends", he was the host of the TV show interviewing Latinos in media. For independent cinema he has done El Cantante, Piñero, Azúcar amarga and Zooman. As a bilingual theatrical actor he was a member of Repertorio Español and has performed in Dark Habits by Pedro Almódovar, as well as Albert Camus’ The Misunderstanding. His voice has been captured in "Grand Theft Auto: Vice City Stories" and as Papi in "Dora the Explorer". He has recordied literary works in Spanish for The Library of Congress of The United States by such greats as Jorge Luis Borges, Gabriel García Márquez, Paulo Coelho and Umberto Eco. http://www.imdb.me/jorgepupo

Edward Kostakis

After graduating from Queens College having studied media, he and his two closest friends (Pablo Barrera & Carlos Espinel) decided to go into business for themselves opening a full production bilingual company whose mission is to bring high cinematic quality to independent films by using multi-rotor platform (using professional pilots and outstanding aerial videography by remote controlled helicopters) carrying professional grade cameras. Born in Flushing, Queens, he spent most of his youth growing up in Puerto La Cruz, Venezuela. http://www.xizmomedia.com

Louis E. Perego Moreno (Tío Louie)

An interactive content producer and educator who for the past 32 years has owned Skyline Features, a bilingual (English- and Spanish-language) multimedia and educational production company developing documentaries, television programming and advertising commercials featuring Latinos, Blacks, Women, Urban Youth and LGBT. Produced 70 documentary shorts with 1,500 Latino and Black Youth. Producer/Director/Writer of documentary feature, Latina Confessions (2010) and airing on PBS nationally was co-producer on American Dreams Deferred (2012-2014). Executive Producer of PRIME LATINO MEDIA SALÓN, metro-New York's only monthly gathering of Latino multimedia-makers and actors in which over 60 narrative & documentary filmmakers, programmers, casting agents, digital media producers and actors have been interviewed.

Follow the movement....

FACEBOOK Group: Prime Latino Media

Twitter: @PLMSalon

Instagram: PRIME LATINO MEDIA

Vimeo: Prime Latino Media

Join the following Professional Networking Groups:

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

·      United Latino Professionals (ULP) http://www.ulpnetwork.com

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.

Mauricio Pita, shown at right, booked a role in the play Los empeños de una casa (House of Desires). Written by Sor Juana Inés de la Cruz and directed by Hugo Medrano, it will run in February and March 2015 at the Gala Hispanic Theater in Washington, District of Columbia. In addition, he shot a print campaign for Tyte and Lyle. He is currently acting (with Lisann Valentín) in I Like To Be Here: Jackson Heights Revisited, or, This Is A Mango. A series of plays written by Camilo Almonacid; Jenny Lyn Bader; J. Stephen Brantley; Ed Cardona, Jr.; Les Hunter; Melisa Tien; and Joy Tomasko, it is directed by Ari Laura Kreith as part of the Theater: Village Festival of New American Plays, and presented by Theatre 167 at the New Ohio Theatre, located in Manhattan’s West Village. For more information, click here or here. 

Teatro Vanguardia USA is presenting its new season with a pair of short plays. They are Confesiones de Lola (written and directed by Joanna Herrera) and Cuestión de vida o muerte (written by José Martínez Queirolo and directed by Ivan L. Argudo). The plays will be presented in October at the Producers' Club Theaters in the theater district of midtown Manhattan and star Maribella La Bella Garay, Herrera, Ivonne Martínez, Emir Cruz, Carlos Solís, Roberto D Jesús and Thiago Jiménez.

Edison Carrera received a special recognition award from the Universidad Dominicana Organización y Método (O & M) and its Teatro Universitario O & M (based in Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic) for his staging of his solo work Mi vida en el teatro (presented by Carrera's theater company, Teatro Tocando Puertas). The certificate of special recognition can be seen at left.

Jorge Pupo will soon be seen in an episode of "Boardwalk Empire" (CBS).

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?