Tuesday, December 15, 2015

Report on the 2015 HOLAfestival: Homage to Oscar A. Colón

On Monday, December 14, 2015, the Hispanic Organization of Latin Actors (HOLA) hosted its 2015 HOLAfestival, a showcase for HOLA members who were also writers. This year, the HOLAfestival was a special edition, an homage to the late actor-writer Oscar A. Colón (who passed away on November 1, 2015). Colón was featured in the 2011 edition of the HOLAfestival, and was one of the first two recipients (the other being Pablo García Gámez) of the HOLA Award for playwriting.

HOLA presented Colón's first play Siempre en Mi Corazón (Always in My Heart), which was directed by his widow, actress and HOLA founding member Miriam Cruz. The reading was held at Teatro LATEA at the Clemente Soto Vélez Cultural and Educational Center (home to HOLA) in Manhattan's Loísaida neighborhood.

The actors reading the play were Denia Brache, Alicia Kaplan, Irma-Estel LaGuerre, A.B. Lugo, Feiga Martínez, Frank Robles, Adriana Sananes, and Bersaida Vega. The reading was well received, with an HOLA member remarking that "it was magic... not a weak actor on that stage." Immediately after the reading, there was a toast to the life and work and Colón, led by Cruz.

HOLA would like to thank Teatro LATEA, Nelson Landrieu, Marta García, Anthony Ruiz, Pablo ZingerOscar de la Fe Colón, Miriam Carnase, Miriam Cruz, the actors who performed at the reading, and all those in attendance. 

In the words of the poet-actor-singer (and HOLA member) Caridad de la Luz (also known as La Bruja), "you never died, because I carry you all inside".

[Photos in this blog by Pablo Zinger. To see more photographs, click here.]


RIP / QEPD Oscar A. Colón
Siempre estarás en nuestros corazones

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