HISTORY
Thalia Spanish Theatre, a nonprofit organization, was established in Sunnyside,
Queens in 1977 by actress and director Silvia Brito, in order to serve the
cultural needs of the boroughís diverse and rapidly growing Hispanic
community, which now numbers nearly 500,000 from every Spanish-speaking
nation in the world. For over 23 years we have been the only Hispanic theater
in Queens. We serve around 10,000 people every year. Our mission is to produce
and present high quality, professional theatrical productions in order to
promote and preserve Spanish and Latin American culture and heritage to
the greater New York community.
We entered the new millennium under new leadership. Our esteemed founder,
Silvia Brito, retired on December 31, 1999 after over two decades of outstanding
service. Her hand-picked successor, noted Spanish director, author and producer
Angel Gil Orrios, assumed leadership on January 1, 2000.
We have produced more than 75 plays, zarzuelas and Folklore Shows, and are
known as an important venue for new plays from Spain, producing a number
of American and World premieres. In 1987 Mr. Gala, then-president of UNESCO,
read his "Message for World Theatre Day" at the opening night
of our production of LA REVOLTOSA.
We are committed to the preservation and promotion of zarzuela, the only
lyrical heritage of the Spanish stage. Zarzuela is a form of Spanish musical
theatre which combines operatic singing with dialogue. We began producing
zarzuelas in 1985. The response was so overwhelming that we have made them
a permanent feature in our yearly season. We have emerged as a leading producer
of this unique genre of Spanish musical. We are the only theatre in New
York, and one of the few in the nation, producing complete zarzuelas regularly.
EL DIARIO/LA PRENSA named us "the cathedral of the zarzuela in our
community."
In 1987 we began presenting Folklore Shows of music and dance from Spain
and Latin America, which require no knowledge of Spanish, in order to increase
the accessibility of our audience and bring new people to our shows. We
are the only venue in New York to produce an annual TANGO show, long before
the current tango craze took hold. In 1995 we inaugurated FESTIVAL DE THALIA
AL AIRE LIBRE/THALIA OUTDOORS, four free outdoor concerts in our local park
every Spring.
In 2000, for the first time, we began to produce our musicals and operettas
with bilingual casts, alternating performances in Spanish and English. Our
first bilingual production will be the World Premiere of EL GUERNICA DE
PICASSO/PICASSO'S GUERNICA, a multi-media fusion of drama, music and dance,
directed by Mr. Gil.
We have won 60 ACE Assocation of Critics of Entertainment) Awards. In 1989
we were one of 50 organizations chosen nationwide for the prestigious
Advancement Grant Program of the National Endowment for the Arts (NEA).
Participants in Advancement, according to the NEA, "stand artistically
among the best in their given fields." We are also a winner of the
1989 and 1997 Encore Awards from the Arts and Business Council. In 1995,
both houses of the New York State Legislature issued a joint Resolution
in honor of our 18th anniversary, and in 1997, we received Proclamations
from the New York City Council and the New York State Senate to commemorate
our 20th anniversary. In 1997 we received the NEW YORK STATE GOVERNOR'S
ARTS AWARD.
-------------------------------------------------------------------------
THALIA SPANISH THEATRE
AWARDS WON
1979 PALMAS DE ORO Awards:
Best Production: ANGELES CAIDOS
Best Actress: OLVIDA LOS TAMBORES
Best Set: ANGELES CAIDOS
1980 ACE Awards:
Best Production: EL DIARIO DE ANA FRANK
Best Actor: EL DIARIO DE ANA FRANK
Best Costume Design: ANGELES CAIDOS
Best Set Design: ANGELES CAIDOS
Best Director: EL DIARIO DE ANA FRANK
Best Supporting Actor: EL DIARIO DE ANA FRANK
Best Supporting Actress: EL DIARIO DE ANA FRANK
1980 PALMAS DE ORO Awards:
Best Actress: LOCURA DE AMOR
Best Actor: MIRANDOLINA
1981 ACE AWARDS:
Best Production: GIGI
Best Director: LOCURA DE AMOR
Best Director: GIGI
Best Actress: LOCURA DE AMOR
Best Set Design: GIGI
Best Costume Design: GIGI
1982 ACE AWARDS:
Best Co-Leading Actress: CORONA DE AMOR Y MUERTE
Best Set Design: LOS BUENOS DIAS PERDIDOS
1983 ACE AWARDS:
Best Co-Leading Actress: PETRA REGALADA
Best Co-Leading Actor: NINETTE Y UN SE-OR DE MURCIA
Best Set: NINETTE Y UN SE-OR DE MURCIA
Best Supporting Actor: LA VIEJA SE-ORITA DEL PARAISO
1984 ACE AWARDS:
Best Production: LA CASA DE LOS SIETE BALCONES
Best Direction: EL CEMENTERIO DE LOS PAJAROS
Best Supporting Actress: LOS TRES ETCETERAS DE DON SIMON
Best Set: LA CASA DE LOS SIETE BALCONES
Best Costumes: LA CASA DE LOS SIETE BALCONES
1985 ACE AWARDS:
Best Production: LA LUZ QUE AGONIZA
Best Director: LA LUZ QUE AGONIZA
Best Actress: LA LUZ QUE AGONIZA
Best Actress: EL BAILE
Best Co-Leading Actor: LA LUZ QUE AGONIZA
Best Costumes: EL BAILE
1986 ACE AWARDS:
Best Musical Production: LA VERBENA DE LA PALOMA
Best Direction: LA VERBENA DE LA PALOMA
Best Actor: LA VERBENA DE LA PALOMA
Best Supporting Actress: LA VERBENA DE LA PALOMA
1987 ACE AWARD:
Best Supporting Actor: LA TERCERA PALABRA
1988 ACE AWARDS:
Best Supporting Actor: LA REVOLTOSA
Best Set Design: MARIBEL Y LA EXTRA-A FAMILIA
1989 ENCORE AWARD from the Arts & Business Council for
"outstanding contributions to New York City through the arts"
1989 ACE AWARD:
Best Production of a Musical: MOLINOS DE VIENTO
1989 APLAUSOS AWARDS:
Best Director: LA DEL MANOJO DE ROSAS
Best Musical Director: LA DEL MANOJO DE ROSAS
1990 ACE AWARD:
Best Production of a Musical: LA DEL MANOJO DE ROSAS
1991 ACE AWARD:
Best Set Design: EL BARBERO DE SEVILLA
1991 PALMAS DE ORO AWARDS:
Best Production: LOS CLAVELES
Best Direction: LOS CLAVELES
Best Singer/Actress: LOS CLAVELES
Best Singer/Actor: LOS CLAVELES
Best Supporting Singer/Actress: LOS CLAVELES
Best Supporting Singer/Actor: LOS CLAVELES
1992 ACE AWARDS:
Best Production of a Musical: LOS CLAVELES
Best Co-Leading Actor: LOS CLAVELES
1992 APLAUSOS AWARDS:
Best Production: CENA PARA DOS
Best Production: LAS LEANDRAS
1993 ACE AWARDS:
Best Production of a Musical: LAS LEANDRAS
Best Supporting Actor: LAS LEANDRAS
Best Supporting Actress: CENA PARA DOS
1995 ACE AWARDS:
Best Production: ENTRE MUJERES
Best Actress: ENTRE MUJERES
Best Co-Leading Actress: ENTRE MUJERES
Best Supporting Actress: ENTRE MUJERES
1996 ACE AWARDS:
Best Production of a Musical: LA DOLOROSA
Best Co-Leading Actress: REFLEJOS CON CENIZAS
1997 ACE AWARDS:
Best Actor in a Musical Comedy: AGUA, AZUCARILLOS Y AGUARDIENTE
Best Actress in a Musical Comedy: AGUA, AZUCARILLOS Y AGUARDIENTE
1997 ENCORE AWARD from the Arts & Business Council to SILVIA BRITO for
"outstanding arts management."
1997 NEW YORK STATE GOVERNOR'S ARTS AWARD
1998 ACE AWARDS:
Best Production of a Musical: LA DEL SOTO DEL PARRAL
Best Actress in a Musical Comedy: LA DEL SOTO DEL PARRAL
Best Actor in a Musical Comedy: LA DEL SOTO DEL PARRAL
1999 ACE AWARDS
Best Production: LOS SOLES TRUNCOS
Best Director: LOS SOLES TRUNCOS
Best Co-Leading Actress: LOS SOLES TRUNCOS
Best Concert: FLAMENCO with ANDREA DEL CONTE DANZA ESPA-A
2000 HOLA AWARDS
Founders Award to Silvia Brito
Outstanding Ensemble Cast and Revival: ENTRE MUJERES
2000 ACE AWARD:
Lifetime Achievement to Silvia Brito