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WELCOME INDEED. ELISE MADE HER DEBUT AS DOROTHY IN THE WIZARD OF OZ, DIRECTED BY RENOWNED ACTOR, JOSE FERRER AND PREMIERING AT THE TAPIA THEATRE IN SAN JUAN, PUERTO RICO. SHE TOURED EUROPE/ASIA AS A BACKGROUND SINGER FOR DAVID BOWIE, JULIO IGLESIAS, JERMAINE JACKSON, AMONG OTHERS. SHE HAS PERFORMED IN VARIED VENUES FROM A PRINCIPAL SINGER WITH DANNY KAYE'S UNICEF IN AFRICA TOUR TO PERFORMING AS A PRINCIPAL DANCER IN A HIP HOP PRESENTATION OF POET MARTIN ESPADA'S WORK ENTITLED IMAGINE THE ANGELS OF BREAD PREMIERED AT THE 2ND ANNUAL NYC HIP HOP ARTS FESTIVAL. BROADWAY CREDITS: MAN OF LA MANCHA STARRING RAUL JULIA; PAUL SIMON'S THE CAPEMAN STARRING RUBEN BLADES AND MARC ANTHONY; THE ADVENTURES OF TOM SAWYER DIRECTED BY SCOTT ELLIS. NATIONAL/RESIDENT COMPANIES INCLUDE A CHORUS LINE STARRING BEBE NEUWIRTH AND MAN OF LA MANCHA STARRING HOWARD KEEL/JOHN CULLUM. OFFBROADWAY: THE RED ROSE (PREGONES THEATRE, STARRING PUERTO RICAN SINGING LEGEND DANNY RIVERA)-NOMINATED FOR 2005 ACE AWARD FOR BEST ACTRESS IN A MUSICAL AND CAST RECORDING AVAILABLE (JUST CLICK MIGENTE BOX BELOW FOR RECORD SAMPLINGS); BETSY (PREGONES THEATRE); YO SOY LATINA (CROSSROADS THEATRE/LINCOLN CENTER; TITLE ROLES IN ZORAIDA (INTAR THEATRE) AND GHOST DANCE WOMAN (JOHN HOUSMAN THEATRE)AMONG OTHERS. IN ADDITION TO EXTENSIVE VOICE OVER AND COMMERCIAL WORK, ELISE IS A PUBLISHED POET, AN ACTIVIST FOR AMNESTY INTERNATIONAL AND A TEACHING ARTIST FOR MANHATTAN THEATRE CLUB AND THEATRE DEVELOPMENT FUND IN PLAYWRITING RESIDENCIES. ELISE HAS BEEN A FACULTY MEMBER IN VOICE/DICTION FOR THE PROFESSIONAL PERFORMING ARTS HIGH SCHOOL IN MANHATTAN-HAS ALSO BEEN A FACULTY MEMBER AT THE HENRY STREET SETTLEMENT ARTS CENTER CREATING CLASSES IN ADVANCED ACTING FOR TEENS, MUSICAL THEATRE DANCE FOR TEEN BEGINNERS AS WELL AS CO-DIRECTING AND COACHING IN VOICE/DICTION FOR AN ORIGINAL HIP HOP VERSION OF THE MINOTAUR PERFORMED BY HENRY STREET'S URBAN YOUTH THEATRE COMPANY. SHE RECENTLY DIRECTED ONE WOMAN SHOWS FOR MELISSA MAXWELL'S "FEVER" (NEW PERSPECTIVES THEATRE) AND MARILYN TORRES'S THE LIFE OF ME IN THE ULTIMATE LATINA FESTIVAL PRODUCED BY PLAYWRIGHT/PRODUCER LINDA NIEVES POWELL. SHE IS THE RECIPIENT OF THE CAREER ADVANCEMENT FELLOWSHIP FROM THE FORD FOUNDATION AND IS COMPLETING HER ORIGINAL MUSIC/MONOLOGUES FOR HER NEW SHOW "WOMEN DANCING IN THE DARK".
Elise Hernandez
Listen to My Music
PlayI HAVE 'JUST ARRIVED' MORE TIMES THAN I CARE TO COUNT. I HAVE 'ALWAYS BEEN THERE' AND THAT IS NOT AS COMFORTING AS IT MIGHT SOUND. I AM CONSISTENTLY FRIGHTENED AND I DREAM ANYWAY. WHEN I AM COURAGEOUS, IT IS BASED MOSTLY ON INTUITION AND LESS ON LABORED THOUGHT. I AM A PERPLEXED MOTHER BUT I NEGOTIATE THAT IN SILENCE. I AM AN ARTIST WHEN I AM NOT A WORKING ACTOR. I AM AN ACTIVIST FOR TO WATCH AND DO NOTHING IS TO BE AN ACCOMPLICE. I SOMETIMES CREATE WITH RELUCTANCE AND OTHER TIMES...I CANNOT SLEEP WITHOUT FINISHING A CREATIVE THOUGHT. I AM A BUDDING AND SULLEN POET AND I'M ALWAYS LOOKING FOR A FULL MOON FOR IT DID HEAL ME ONCE.
TAINA...BORICUA EYES WITH CUBAN EYELIDS...BOTH CELIA AND CELINA WERE ALL MINE AND 1385 WASHINGTON AVENUE WAS WHERE I PAID MY DUES AND CLAIMED THE NUYORICAN - VIBRANT, SELF-CREATED AND PROUDLY DISOWNED.
PALE FRECKLED SPANIARDS HOLDING UMBRELLAS TO SHADE FROM THE SUN'S CLOSEST SEAT ON THE EARTH, ANCIENT INDIANS THAT WEAR THEIR FOOTWORK FROM ANOTHER CONTINENT IN THEIR EYES AND NOSES, TRANSPORTED AFRICANS WITH THEIR BABIES CHAINED TO SUGAR CANE, DRUMS MADE BY WORN HAND AND LEATHER TO COAX SPIRITS INTO SPEAKING THEIR FORTUNES, AND THEIR BLACKNESS HIDDEN IN ISLAND MOUNTAIN SHACKS THAT HANG RECKLESSLY OVER THE EDGE- I AM ALSO ALL OF THIS. JUST A FEW OF THE 10,000 WOMEN THAT LIVE IN ME...AND ARE ALWAYS DANCING IN THE DARK.
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