03.27.2014 | By Mariana Dussan |
This week I had the opportunity to speak with the very talented, Luis Salgado. The actor is part of the cast of “Rocky”: The Musical which recently opened on Broadway at the Winter Garden Theater. He tells me about his experience getting the part and how it is to be the only Latino in the production. Read More
02.5.2014 | By Mariana Dussan |
For more than a decade, actor Shalim Ortiz, who is of Puerto Rican and Dominican heritage, has successfully crisscrossed between the American (“Magic City“) and Latin (“Dama y Obrero“) worlds of film and television — a privilege only a few experience — but his initial mark was made in music. In 2003, Ortiz was actually well known for his second and last album “Cuarto Sin Puerta”, an Emilio Estefan collaboration. Remember “Se Me Olvido Tu Nombre,” the huge hit from 2003? It reached #2 on the Latin Billboard charts, and now 11 years later, he’s toying with the idea of returning music again with “Va a Llover,” a single made just in time for Valentine’s Day. Read More
09.7.2011 | By Jack Rico |
Producer Alicia Keys is proud to announce that Dulé Hill, Mekhi Phifer, Tracie Thoms, Puerto Rican actor Ruben Santiago-Hudson and Condola Rashad will star in the Broadway premiere of STICK FLY, the critically-acclaimed American play by Lydia R. Diamond and directed by Kenny Leon. STICK FLY begins previews on Friday, November 18, 2011 and officially opens on Thursday, December 8, 2011 at the Cort Theatre (138 W. 48th Street). Tickets are now on sale through Telecharge.com.
“My producing partners and I are thrilled to have such a strong and talented ensemble cast assembled,” said Alicia Keys. “Having this incredible group of actors to help bring Lydia’s beautiful play to life is going to take Broadway’s wattage to the next level!”
Returning to the Broadway stage, Emmy Award nominee Dulé Hill (“Psych,” “The West Wing”) will play Kent “Spoon” Levay (a writer), Tracie Thoms (Rent, “Cold Case,” The Devil Wears Prada) will play Taylor (Kent’s fiancée and an entomologist), and Tony Award-winner Ruben Santiago-Hudson (Seven Guitars, Lackawanna Blues) will play Joe Levay (Kent & Flip’s father and a neurosurgeon). Making their Broadway debuts, Mekhi Phifer (“ER,” 8 Mile) will play Flip Levay (a plastic surgeon), and Drama Desk Award nominee Condola Rashad (Ruined) will play Cheryl (a maid). Casting for the role of Kimber, a part-time teacher, will be announced at a later date.
It was supposed to be a relaxing weekend at the family home on Martha’s Vineyard… until the baggage got unpacked. Set at the elegant summer home of the well-to-do LeVay family, STICK FLY begins when two adult sons bring their significant others (one a fiancée, the other a new girlfriend) home to meet their parents for the first time. Soon, secrets are revealed, civilities are dropped and identities are explored in a harsh new light. Race and rivalry, class and family, all come together for an explosive comedy of manners about today’s complex world.
The creative team for STICK FLY includes David Gallo (Scenic Design), Reggie Ray (Costume Design), Beverly Emmons (Lighting Design) and Richard Fitzgerald / Sound Associates (Sound Design).
STICK FLY will be produced on Broadway by Nelle Nugent, Alicia Keys, Samuel Nappi, Reuben Cannon, Sharon A. Carr/Patricia Klausner, Huntington Theatre Company, Dan Frishwasser, Charles Salameno in association with Joseph Sirola & Eric Falkenstein.
STICK FLY was developed in a recent co-production last year between the Huntington Theatre Company in Boston and Arena Stage in Washington D.C. The play had its world premiere at Chicago’s Congo Square Theatre Company in 2006 and was subsequently performed at theatres including the McCarter Theatre in 2007 and the Matrix Theatre Company in Los Angeles in 2009. STICK FLY is the recipient of 2011 Independent Reviewers of New England Awards for Best Play and Best Director of a Drama (Kenny Leon); 2010 LA Drama Critics Circle Awards for Best Production, Best Direction and Best Ensemble Performance; a 2010 LA Garland Award for Playwriting; a 2009 LA Weekly Theatre Award for Playwriting; and, the 2006 Black Theatre Alliance Award for Best New Play. It was also a 2008 Susan Blackburn Prize finalist and a nominee for the 2006 Joseph Jefferson Award for Best New Work.
Tickets are now available by calling Telecharge.com at (212) 239-6200, (800) 432-7250 outside the NY metro area, or online at Telecharge.com.
01.6.2010 | By Jack Rico |
It’s only the second week of January, but already Puerto Rican director Miguel Arteta’s ‘Youth in Revolt’ is my favorite film of the year. The premise is simple – boy meets girl, girl meets boy and boy wrecks two cars and goes to jail for his love. But what is most appealing and absorbing is the sophisticated english dialogue written by Gustin Nash, based on C.D Payne’s – Youth in Revolt: The Journals of Nick Twisp. Michael Cera could not have been more perfectly casted as the intellectual, Frank Sinatra loving, sardonic virgin teen who comes from heavily dysfunctional parents.
The film revolves around the life of Nick Twisp (Michael Cera) – a unique, but affable teen with a taste for the finer things in life. He falls hopelessly in love with the beautiful, free-spirited Sheeni Saunders (Portia Doubleday) while on a family vacation. But family, geography and jealous ex-lovers conspire to keep these two apart. With Sheeni’s encouragement, Nick abandons his dull, predictable life and develops a rebellious alter ego: Francois. With his ascot, his moustache and his cigarette, Francois will stop at nothing to be with Sheeni, and leads Nick on a path of destruction with unpredictable and uproarious consequences.
It is very rare nowadays to see films that dare to challenge young audiences with words through a high level rhetoric. We saw this template used originally by indie director/screenwriter Kevin Smith in ‘Clerks’. A total hit and a great way to pick up the dictionary and see how many ways you can say “let’s have sex” to a girl. This was also part of the success behind the creative strategy that screenwriter Kevin Richardson used for his television series Dawson’s Creek in the late 90’s. I personally love this take on a teen romantic film – ‘Nick and Norah’s Infinite Playlist,’ also with Cera, played with this notion to a degree as well.
The other layer that I thoroughly enjoyed is the worldly and sophisticated tastes that the two protagonists shared in music, film and poetry. Cera loves Sinatra (the first frame opens up with the 1960 album Nice ‘n’ Easy), and he invokes Fellini’s masterpiece ‘La Strada’ in a DVD store as he tries to explain it to a girl he is trying to pick up. Ms. Doubleday loves french standards from Serge Gainsbourg and has an infatuation with New Wave french actor Jean-Paul Belmondo, in particular his breakthrough film ‘Breathless’ from Jean-Luc Godard. It’s this and other highbrow idiosyncrasies that seduced me from the onset.
What didn’t seem to mix well was the roguish alter-ego of Cera’s character Francois, as well as some of the casts contributions. One highlight was that of South African actor Adhir Kalyan, who played Cera’s lascivious friend. Very funny scenes! Does today’s youth really think and act like this today? No, but one hopes it inculcates a desire to explore the arts and culture side of them.
From a Hispanic perspective, it is wonderful to know that a born talent from Puerto Rico directed this film. There is a scarcity of great movies coming from ‘La Isla del Encanto’ these days. Arteta is perhaps more of an American in culture than Puerto Rican, but nevertheless, it is gratifying to hear the sound of a Latino last name next to a good work such as this and his previous (The Good Girl, Star Maps). Actually the last good film I saw come out of Puerto Rico was ‘Maldeamores’ directed by Carlos Ruiz Ruiz. It’s a Woody Allenesque romantic tale with a caribbean twist. A definite DVD rental this weekend.
For those who like teen romantic comedies ‘Youth in Revolt’ is a very enjoyable film peppered with laugh out loud moments. It is rated R so be warned that the sexuality is a bit vulgar and strong.
