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Justina Machado Earns Her First-Ever Tony Awards Nomination for “Real Women Have Curves: The Musical”

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Justina Machado has earned a career first…

The 78th annual Tony Awards nominations have been revealed, with the 52-year-old Puerto Rican actress earning her first-ever Tony nod.

Justina Machado, Real Women Have Curves: The Musical

Machado earned a nod in the Actress in a Featured Role (Musical) category for her work in Real Women Have Curves: The Musical.

She originated the role of Carmen Garcia in the Broadway musical production of Real Women Have Curves.

Joy Huerta has earned her first Tony Award nomination…

The 38-year-old Mexican Grammy-winning singer, songwriter and Jesse & Joy duo member is nominated in the Best Original Score category for co-writing the music and lyrics for Real Women Have Curves: The Musical alongside Benjamin Velez.

Marco Ramirez has earned a Tony Award nod in the Best Book of a Musical category.

The Latino television producer, screenwriter and playwright earned the nod for his work on Buena Vista Social Club, which earned 10 Tony Award nominations.

Former Miami City Ballet principal dancer Patricia Delgado has earned a Tony Award nod for Best Choreography.

The 44-year-old Cuban ballet dancer, répétiteur and teacher earned the nomination for her acclaimed work alongside her husband Justin Peck for Buena Vista Social Club. 

Arnulfo Maldonado earned a nod in the Best Scenic Design of a Musical category.

The Latino scenic designer set and costume designer earned the nod for Buena Vista Social Club.

This year’s Tony Awards will return to Radio City Music Hall in New York City.

Hosted by Tony, Emmy and Grammy Award-winner and three-time Oscar nominee Cynthia Erivo,

The American Theatre Wing’s Tony Awards will broadcast live to both coasts on Sunday, June 8 on CBS, and streaming on Paramount+ in the U.S.

Here’s the complete list of Tony Award nominations:

Best Musical
Buena Vista Social Club
Dead Outlaw
Death Becomes Her
Maybe Happy Ending
Operation Mincemeat: A New Musical

Best Play
English
The Hills of California
John Proctor is the Villain
Oh, Mary!
Purpose

Best Musical Revival
Floyd Collins
Gypsy
Pirates! The Penzance Musical
Sunset Blvd.

Best Play Revival
Eureka Day
Romeo + Juliet
Thornton Wilder’s Our Town
Yellow Face

Actor in a Leading Role (Musical)
Darren Criss: Maybe Happy Ending
Andrew Durand: Dead Outlaw
Tom Francis: Sunset Blvd.
Jonathan Groff: Just in Time
James Monroe Iglehart: A Wonderful World: The Louis Armstrong Musical
Jeremy Jordan: Floyd Collins

Actress in a Leading Role (Musical)
Megan Hilty: Death Becomes Her
Audra McDonald: Gypsy
Jasmine Amy Rogers: Boop! The Musical
Nicole Scherzinger: Sunset Blvd.
Jennifer Simard: Death Becomes Her

Actor in a Featured Role (Musical)
Brooks Ashmanskas: Smash
Jeb Brown: Dead Outlaw
Danny Burstein: Gypsy
Jak Malone: Operation Mincemeat: A New Musical
Taylor Trensch: Floyd Collins

Actress in a Featured Role (Musical)
Natalie Venetia Belcon: Buena Vista Social Club
Julia Knitel: Dead Outlaw
Gracie Lawrence: Just in Time
Justina Machado: Real Women Have Curves: The Musical
Joy Woods: Gypsy

Actor in a Leading Role (Play)
George Clooney: Good Night, and Good Luck
Cole Escola: Oh, Mary!
Jon Michael Hill: Purpose
Daniel Dae Kim: Yellow Face
Harry Lennix: Purpose
Louis McCartney: Stranger Things: The First Shadow

Actress in a Leading Role (Play)
Laura Donnelly: The Hills of California
Mia Farrow: The Roommate
LaTanya Richardson Jackson: Purpose
Sadie Sink: John Proctor is the Villain
Sarah Snook: The Picture of Dorian Gray

Actor in a Featured Role (Play)
Glenn Davis: Purpose
Gabriel Ebert: John Proctor is the Villain
Francis Jue: Yellow Face
Bob Odenkirk: Glengarry Glen Ross
Conrad Ricamora: Oh, Mary!

Actress in a Featured Role (Play)
Tala Ashe: English
Jessica Hecht: Eureka Day
Marjan Neshat: English
Fina Strazza: John Proctor is the Villain
Kara Young: Purpose

Best Book of a Musical
Buena Vista Social Club: Marco Ramirez
Dead Outlaw: Itamar Moses
Death Becomes Her: Marco Pennette
Maybe Happy Ending: Will Aronson and Hue Park
Operation Mincemeat: A New Musical: David Cumming, Felix Hagan, Natasha Hodgson and Zoë Roberts

Best Original Score
Dead Outlaw: Music & Lyrics: David Yazbek and Erik Della Penna
Death Becomes Her: Music & Lyrics: Julia Mattison and Noel Carey
Maybe Happy Ending: Music: Will Aronson; Lyrics: Will Aronson and Hue Park
Operation Mincemeat: A New Musical: Music & Lyrics: David Cumming, Felix Hagan, Natasha Hodgson and Zoë Roberts

Real Women Have Curves: The Musical: Music & Lyrics: Joy Huerta and Benjamin Velez

Best Choreography
Joshua Bergasse: Smash
Camille A. Brown: Gypsy
Christopher Gattelli: Death Becomes Her
Jerry Mitchell: Boop! The Musical
Patricia Delgado and Justin Peck: Buena Vista Social Club

Direction (Play)
Knud Adams: English
Sam Mendes: The Hills of California
Sam Pinkleton: Oh, Mary!
Danya Taymor: John Proctor is the Villain
Kip Williams: The Picture of Dorian Gray 

Direction (Musical)
Saheem Ali: Buena Vista Social Club
Michael Arden: Maybe Happy Ending
David Cromer: Dead Outlaw
Christopher Gattelli: Death Becomes Her
Jamie Lloyd: Sunset Blvd.

Best Scenic Design of a Play
Marsha Ginsberg: English
Rob Howell: The Hills of California
Marg Horwell and David Bergman: The Picture of Dorian Gray
Miriam Buether and 59: Stranger Things: The First Shadow
Scott Pask: Good Night, and Good Luck

Best Scenic Design of a Musical
Rachel Hauck: Swept Away (pictured)
Dane Laffrey and George Reeve: Maybe Happy Ending
Arnulfo Maldonado: Buena Vista Social Club
Derek McLane: Death Becomes Her
Derek McLane: Just in Time

Best Costume Design of a Play
Brenda Abbandandolo: Good Night, and Good Luck
Marg Horwell: The Picture of Dorian Gray
Rob Howell: The Hills of California
Holly Pierson: Oh, Mary!
Brigitte Reiffenstuel: Stranger Things: The First Shadow

Best Costume Design of a Musical
Dede Ayite: Buena Vista Social Club
Gregg Barnes: BOOP! The Musical
Clint Ramos: Maybe Happy Ending
Paul Tazewell: Death Becomes Her
Catherine Zuber: Just in Time

Best Lighting Design of a Play
Natasha Chivers: The Hills of California
Jon Clark: Stranger Things: The First Shadow
Heather Gilbert and David Bengali: Good Night, and Good Luck
Natasha Katz and Hannah Wasilesk: John Proctor is the Villain (pictured)
Nick Schlieper: The Picture of Dorian Gray

Best Lighting Design of a Musical
Jack Knowles: Sunset Blvd.
Tyler Micoleau: Buena Vista Social Club
Scott Zielinski and Ruey Horng Sun Floyd Collins
Ben Stanton: Maybe Happy Ending
Justin Townsend: Death Becomes Her

Best Sound Design of a Play
Paul Arditti: Stranger Things: The First Shadow (pictured)
Palmer Hefferan: John Proctor is the Villain
Daniel Kluger: Good Night, and Good Luck
Nick Powell: The Hills of California
Clemence Williams: The Picture of Dorian Gray

Best Sound Design of a Musical
Jonathan Deans: Buena Vista Social Club
Adam Fisher: Sunset Blvd.
Peter Hylenski: Just in Time
Peter Hylenski: Maybe Happy Ending
Dan Moses Schreier: Floyd Collins

Best Orchestrations
Andrew Resnick and Michael Thurber: Just in Time
Will Aronson: Maybe Happy Ending
Bruce Coughlin: Floyd Collins
Marco Paguia: Buena Vista Social Club
David Cullen and Andrew Lloyd Webber: Sunset Blvd.

Gael García Bernal & Diego Luna to Star in Hulu’s Spanish-Language Boxing Series “La Máquina”

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Gael García Bernal and Diego Luna are ringing in a new project…

The 43-year-old Mexican actor and producer and the 42-year-old Mexican actor, singer, director, and producer will star in La Máquina, a Spanish-language boxing series for Hulu.

Gael García Bernal & Diego LunaBernal and Luna, who first worked together on Y Tu Mamá También, will star and produce the series for the streamer.

La Máquina is produced by Searchlight Television, the Disney-owned television arm of Searchlight Pictures and marks its third series for the streamer following The Dropout and History of the World, Part II.

Daredevil’s Marco Ramirez will serve as showrunner and Gabriel Ripstein will direct.

García Bernal and Luna will produce under their La Corriente del Golfo banner along with Gerardo Gatica, Leandro Halperin and Adam Fishbach.

La Máquina follows an aging boxer, played by García Bernal, whose crafty manager, played by Luna, secures him one last shot at a title.  But to make it to fight night, they must navigate a mysterious underworld force.

“We are proud to partner again with Searchlight Television on this forthcoming Hulu Original. Gael, Diego and Marco are world class storytellers and we look forward to bringing audiences their story and experiencing alongside them this last shot their characters get together,” said Craig Erwich, President, Hulu Originals and ABC Entertainment.

“It is a real honor to unite Gael and Diego onscreen again for La Máquina, their friendship and chemistry is a joy to experience,” added Searchlight Presidents Matthew Greenfield and David Greenbaum. “And we’re delighted to be working with Marco, whose unique voice and vision allows us to explore this world in a wholly original way.”

García Bernal recently starred in M. Night Shyamalan’s Old and HBO Max’s Station Eleven, while Luna was one of the voices in animated film DC League of Super Pets alongside Dwayne Johnson and Kevin Hart and stars in the upcoming Disney+ Star Wars series Andor.

 

Angel Manuel Soto to Direct New Paramount “Transformers” Feature

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Angel Manuel Soto is ready for a transformation…

There’s a new Transformers feature is in the works at Paramount, according to Deadline, with the 38-year-old Puerto Rican filmmaker set to direct the project.

Angel Manuel Soto

The new film is said to be separate from the studio’s main Transformer franchise, which includes the five installments directed by Michael Bay, as well as the Bumblebee spin-off.

Soto, who made a splash with his Sundance and HBO Max drama Charm City King, will direct the standalone film based on the popular Hasbro brand.

Marco Ramirez, the former showrunner and co-creator of the Netflix Marvel series The Defenders, will pen the screenplay.  The film is in the early stage of development and no details on the plot were made available at this time.

Tanya Saracho Among Top TV & Film Creators Demanding More Latinx Representation in Hollywood

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Tanya Saracho is calling for more Latinx representation in Hollywood…

The Mexican playwright, screenwriter and actress is among some of the top creators in television and film who are demanding for change when it comes to Latinx representation as Hispanic Heritage Months comes to an end.

Tanya Saracho

In an open letter to Hollywood more than 270 Latinx showrunners, creators, and television and feature writers, including Saracho, Lin-Manuel Miranda, Gloria Calderon-Kellett, Roberto Aguirre-Sacasa, Steven Canals, John Leguizamo, Linda Yvette-Chavez, Carolina Paiz, Marco Ramirez, Javier Grillo-Marxuach and more are calling for systemic change in the entertainment industry.

The letter begins: “As we come to the end of Hispanic Heritage Month in the midst of a global pandemic and continued racial injustice, many of us in the Latinx community have found it difficult to celebrate. Inspired by the activism of the Black and Indigenous communities, many of whom also identify as Latinx, we stand in solidarity with our fellow Black, Native and Indigenous writers, co-signing their WGAW Open Letters and echoing their demands for systemic change in our industry.”

“As Latinx Showrunners, Creators, TV and Feature Writers, we are incensed by the continued lack of Latinx representation in our industry, especially among the Black and Indigenous members of our community,” the letter continues. “Our stories are important, and our erasure onscreen contributes to the persistent prejudice that prevents real change in this country. This prejudice is not as overt as the one that keeps immigrant children in cages and separates families at the border, or as violent as the racism that is killing our Black, Brown, and Indigenous community members at the hands of police.”

“But when we are onscreen, we’re often relegated to stereotypes or villains. And as a recent​ ​New York Times OpEd​ states, ‘White elites cannot muffle a huge, vibrant community for decades and not expect consequences. For Latinos in the Trump era, these consequences are deadly, from Hurricane Maria to the Walmart shooting in El Paso and the pandemic, as well as soaring hate crimes.’”

The letter points out that the Latinx community makes up 18.3% of the U.S. population but it is not reflected in film and TV. There are only 4.7% feature writers and 8.7% TV writers that are Latinx. As Latinx writers move up to Showrunner level, the stats only get more dismal. “By refusing to tell our stories AND by refusing to put us in charge of telling them — Hollywood power brokers are complicit in our exclusion,” the letter remarks.

This is even further supported by a recent study from CAA and Parrot Analytics, which shows that even though television shows are a lot more diverse than they were three years ago, not all racial and ethnic groups were equally well represented in scripted debuts. Latinos and Hispanics remain significantly underrepresented despite being one of the fastest-growing demographics in the country.

While there are shows like One Day At A Time that having managed to get multiple season orders, there have been other Latino-fronted shows in the past years, like The Baker and the Beauty and United We Fall — that have been canceled before getting the chance to find their footing beyond one season.

The letter can be summarized with three words included heavily throughout: “We are tired.”

The open letter does not mince words with the demands and draws out exactly what needs to be done including creating stories for and about the Latinx community by Latinx creators; greenlighting Latinx-fronted projects; respecting all aspects and intersections of the Latinx cultural representation; and hiring Latinx creators for non-Latinx projects.

The letter, which was posted on social channels with the hashtag #EndLatinXclusion, closes with “Stories are powerful. Stories change the world. Let’s get on the right side of history so we can continue to create needed change and tell captivating stories together.”

This initiative was launched by the Untitled Latinx Project (ULP) founded by Saracho. It’s an all-Latina advocacy group formed to increase representation of Latinx created stories for television. The goal of this call to action was uniting the professional community of Latinx writers, creators and showrunners.

Read the letter in full here.

Trujillo Wins Outstanding Choreography Prize at Outer Critics Circle Awards

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Sergio Trujillo is a Critics’ choice…

The Colombian choreographer earned Outstanding Choreography honors at this year’s Outer Critics Circle Awards.

Sergio Trujillo

Trujillo, a Tony Awards nominee this year, earned the recognition for his work on On Your Feet! The Emilio and Gloria Estefan Musical.

Meanwhile, Marco Ramirez won the John Gassner Award, which is presented for an American play, preferably by a new playwright, for penning The Royale.

The Latino playwright/author made his off-Broadway debut with the Lincoln Center Theater opening of the new drama about the early life of the boxer Jack Johnson.

The Outer Critics Circle’s prizes serve as an imperfect bellwether for the Tony Awards, since a number of significant titles in the Tony race – most notably Hamilton – weren’t eligible for the OCCs this year because they were recognized in prior incarnations and in previous years. Another Tony player, Shuffle Along, didn’t open in time to be considered by the OCCs.

OCC winners will receive awards at a May 26 ceremony at Sardi’s.

Here’s the full list of 2015-16 Outer Critics Circle Award winners:

OUTSTANDING NEW BROADWAY PLAY: The Humans
OUTSTANDING NEW BROADWAY MUSICAL: Bright Star
OUTSTANDING NEW OFF-BROADWAY PLAY: The Christians
OUTSTANDING NEW OFF-BROADWAY MUSICAL: Dear Evan Hansen
OUTSTANDING BOOK OF A MUSICAL (Broadway or Off-Broadway): Dear Evan Hansen
OUTSTANDING NEW SCORE (Broadway or Off-Broadway): Bright Star
OUTSTANDING REVIVAL OF A PLAY (Broadway or Off-Broadway): Long Day’s Journey Into Night
OUTSTANDING REVIVAL OF A MUSICAL (Broadway or Off-Broadway): She Loves Me
OUTSTANDING DIRECTOR OF A PLAY: Ivo van Hove, A View From the Bridge
OUTSTANDING DIRECTOR OF A MUSICAL: Michael Arden, Spring Awakening
OUTSTANDING CHOREOGRAPHER: Sergio Trujillo, On Your Feet!
OUTSTANDING SET DESIGN (Play or Musical): David Rockwell, She Loves Me
OUTSTANDING COSTUME DESIGN (Play or Musical): Jeff Mahshie, She Loves Me
OUTSTANDING LIGHTING DESIGN (Play or Musical): Justin Townsend, American Psycho the Musical
OUTSTANDING PROJECTION DESIGN (Play or Musical): Finn Ross, American Psycho the Musical
OUTSTANDING ACTOR IN A PLAY: Frank Langella, The Father
OUTSTANDING ACTRESS IN A PLAY: Jessica Lange, Long Day’s Journey Into Night
OUTSTANDING ACTOR IN A MUSICAL: Danny Burstein , Fiddler on the Roof
OUTSTANDING ACTRESS IN A MUSICAL: Cynthia Erivo, The Color Purple the Musical
OUTSTANDING FEATURED ACTOR IN A PLAY: Michael Shannon, Long Day’s Journey Into Night
OUTSTANDING FEATURED ACTRESS IN A PLAY (TIE VOTE): Pascale Armand, Eclipsed & Judith Light, Thérèse Raquin
OUTSTANDING FEATURED ACTOR IN A MUSICAL: Christopher Fitzgerald, Waitress
OUTSTANDING FEATURED ACTRESS IN A MUSICAL: Jane Krakowski, She Loves Me
OUTSTANDING SOLO PERFORMANCE: James Lecesne, The Absolute Brightness of Leonard Pelkey
JOHN GASSNER AWARD: Marco Ramirez, The Royale
SPECIAL ACHIEVEMENT AWARD: James Houghton, Signature Theatre Company