Nueva Escena Presents HARDWARE DREAMS for Borimix Fest., 11/18-11/21

Hardware Dreams takes us on an inspiring journey back to 1980s Santurce, Puerto Rico, where a girl's unconventional childhood working at a local hardware store, "the family business," accompanied by her parents, three siblings, four dogs, and an aunt turn out to be the heartbeat that helped her become an entertainer in New York City. Join award-winning boricua, Sunilda Caraballo, in her hilarious and inspiring story. Filled with music, dance and Latin flavor, with 100% laughter guaranteed.

Modesto Lacén is the producing director. Venus Gitana Delmar is the production stage manager.

HARDWARE DREAMS plays the following performances:
Thursday, November 18th and Friday, November 19th at 8pm
Saturday, November 20th and Sunday, November 21st at 3pm & 8pm

Tickets are $18 and are now available online at www.BrownPaperTikets.com or by calling 1-800-838-3006. Tickets may also be purchased at Theater for the New City box office two hours prior to show time.

Running time: 60 minutes, no intermission

For more information visit www.NuevaEscenaNY.com

BIOGRAPHIES
SUNILDA CARABALLO (Writer, Performer) is a native of Santurce, Puerto Rico. This multitalented performer, now a proud mother, began her career in the performing arts as a dancer. She started her training with Ballet Teatro Municipal de San Juan and later on with the School for the Performing Arts. Dance credits include: Ballet Hispanico, The Metropolitan Opera Ballet The Magic Flute directed by Julie Taymor, The New York City Opera La Traviata, Thomas/Ortiz Dance Company, Radio City Music Hall, MTVTr3s, Telemundo, Olga Tanon, Jerry Rivera, among others. Theatre credits: Off Broadway and tour company of Celia, based on the life and music of Celia Cruz, where she got rave reviews for her multiple roles, including the role of Tia Ana; Repertorio Español and the Puerto Rican Traveling Theatre. She has also performed her own writing material as a Stand-up comedian at Carolines on Broadway, Nuyorican Poets Café, and the Triad Theatre. Her one-woman show Hardware Dreams, has had successful runs at the People Improve Theatre, La Tea's One Festival, and the Midtown International Theatre Festival. Sunilda is the recipient of the 2009 NBC Improv Diversity Scholarship, as well as the 2009 and 2010 "Best Choreography" HOLA Award. She holds a B.A. in Communications, with a minor in theatre and dance from the University of Puerto Rico.

JOE RICCI (Director) is pleased and excited to be working with Sunilda on Hardware Dreams. Along with his work on this show, Joe is the writer and co-host of the ongoing hit Vintage Variety at the Triad theatre. He is also in pre-production as the director of a new play, Anywhere, Anywhere, due to have its premiere in early 2011. He directed the critically acclaimed Tricia Brouk Dining Alone. An amazing experience where he not only had his first foray into directing a dance play, but, he ended up marrying the star, Tricia Brouk. As an actor, Joe recently made his Broadway debut as Mike in the hit A View from the Bridge starring Liev Schreiber and Scarlett Johansson. He spent a better part of the last 10 years in and out of the off-Broadway hit, I Love You, You're Perfect, Now Change.

MODESTO LACÉN (Producer) is a native of Loíza, Puerto Rico, relocating in 2006 to New York City where he choreographed and starred as "Jose Razzano" in the award-winning Off Broadway show ...Gardel, praised by The New York Times. His work on the silver screen took a higher flight when he worked alongside Academy Award Nominee Terrence Howard and Ving Rhames in "Animal" and "Dirty Dancing 2: Havanna Nights". One of Modesto's career highlights, was his star turn in the smash Off Broadway musical Celia: The Life and Music of Celia Cruz in ‘07. He played "Pedro Knight" aka "Cabecita de Algodon," husband of the legendary singer whose extraordinarily colorful life serves as the inspiration for the play. The Asociación de Cronistas de Espectáculos de Nueva York (ACE) and the Hispanic Organization of Latin Actors (HOLA) nominated him for the Best Actor Award. In 2008 he toured with the musical Celia in Miami and Canary Islands, garnishing rave reviews. ACE recognized him again for his excellent work as the ‘santero Bebo La Reposa' in Réquiem por Yarini with a nomination as Best Supporting Actor. Nonetheless, HOLA awarded him as Oustanding Performance by a Male Featured Actor for this role. 2009 left an inerasable mark on Modesto's career for his work with two important theater companies in New York; the Public Theater and Pregones. He was one of out 12 actors chosen amongst 700 applicants to participate in the prestigious Public Theater's Shakespeare Lab; a two month intensive training with top notch teachers on the work on one of the best playwrights of all time. Pregones, a 30 year old company based in the Bronx invited Modesto to participate in the award winning play Las Facultades and co-produced the revival of one of his favorite and more intimate works, Salsa Gorda. Also he received a third ACE Award nomination for his work in Captain Pantoja and the special service as Lieutenant Bacacorzo, which opened in October and it's currently playing at Repertorio Español. Nonetheless, 2010 has been a trascendental year on his career, since he's now working with a new team, Alexander Management Company. Modesto holds a B.A. from the University of Puerto Rico. www.ModestoLacen.com.

NUEVA ESCENA INC is a multidisciplinary company based in NYC that creates profound and provocative artistic work in theater, dance, music, film and literature that presents modern and universal themes from the perspective of Hispanics/Latinos in a global society and use arts as a tool to empower our community through workshops and lectures. Past projects include, Salsa Gorda by José L. Ramos Escobar, and Kids Beyond Broadway, a collaboration with R.Evolución Latina, where 30 students from the ages of 13- 17 went to see the Tony Award Winning show FELA! Followed by a Q& A with the cast, and follow up sessions with their teachers. www.NuevaEscenaNY.com

BORIMIX FESTIVAL The Society of the Educational Arts, Inc. (SEA) is proud to present the BORIMIX: Puerto Rico Fest. In its fifth edition this year, the festival celebrates and honors Puerto Rican Heritage, Arts and Culture by showcasing the best in Puerto Rican fim, theatre, poetry, visual arts and music. SEA is working with more than 10 institutions committed to Puerto Rican Arts and Culture, and thanks to their collaboration, we will be presenting events throughout New York City.

This year's celebration commemorates the life and work of Pura Belpré, Puerto Rican author, puppeteer and storyteller. SEA will present this year's "BORIMIX Award" recognizing and honoring Puerto Rican artists who have made a significant contribution to the arts, as well as politicians and community leaders who have supported and actively advocated for Puerto Rican Arts and Culture in New York City. Past awardees include: Puerto Rican Actress and Producer Miriam Colón, the late Puerto Rican Painter, Rafael Tufiño, Council Members Alan J. Gerson and Rosie Mendez, Puerto Rican Director Jacobo Morales, and TONY Award Winner, Quiara Alegria Hudes.

The recipients of the 2010 BORIMIX Award are- Assembly member: Peter Rivera, Council Member: Maria del Carmen Arroyo, Founder of Ballet Hispanico: Tina Ramirez, Puerto Rican Actress: Rosie Perez, Actress: Miriam Cruz, Visual Artist: Maria Dominguez, Journalist and Poet: Caridad de la Luz, Music Director: Roberta Singer, and Journalist Carmen Dolores Hernandez.

Theatre, symposiums, film, poetry, visual arts, and children's performances, among other events, will make this year's festival unforgettable.