Lea Garza concert will be a highlight at festival honoring Yucatecan actor ‘Cholo’

Lea Garza, a 16-year-old musical talent whose budding career we have enjoyed following since she was 12, will give a concert as part of the Festival Internacional Héctor Herrera Cholo.

The tribute to the famed Mexican comedian “Cholo”, begins 8 p.m. Thursday, Aug. 22 when Garza will perform at the Armonía-Cenit concert at the Palacio de la Música. Lea is 16 years old and was invited to participate as a result of Héctor Herrera’s philosophy of supporting young talents who are starting out in the arts.

Lea will be accompanied by Los Juglares with guests David Cavazos and Juan Pablo Manzanero. Admission is free. The concert will include songs in four different languages intended to inspire youth to learn languages and to promote the concept of music without borders.

Lea is also nominated for a Cholo de Oro; the award ceremony will be on Aug. 30 at the Modelo University’s auditorium.

Back in the day

When we first met Lea, she beat 50 rivals to win the Concurso El Cantante in Tijuana. More recently, she covered “Born this Way” at Mérida Pride 2024.

Lea’s dad, Javier Garza, is an award-winning mixing engineer from Florida. Her Mom, Giulia, is a psychotherapist specializing in music therapy. The family moved to Mérida in 2017, and Lea has duo citizenship. She also has the ability to belt out American songs like nobody’s business.

More information about Lea on Instagram.

Festival to Honor Yucatecan Actor

Plays, discussions, exhibitions, a concert, and an awards ceremony are all part of the program of activities for the fourth Héctor “Cholo” Herrera Festival, which will take place from Aug. 13 to 30.

Jazmín López Manrique, “Tina Tuyub,” presented the calendar of events that will pay tribute to “Cholo” on the 14th anniversary of the Yucatecan actor’s death.

Héctor Herrera passed away on Aug. 4, 2010, and every year since then, Jazmín López has held an event to honor him. Four years ago, the festival began in his honor, which now lasts a month.

Plays, Discussions, and Exhibitions

On Sundays, Aug. 11 and 18, the play “Yucasina” by El Globo Arte y Cultura, directed by Ana Várguez, will be presented at the Yucatán theater 12 noon. Admission costs MX$220 for general admission, MX$170 for people with Inapam credentials, and $120 for children and students. Tickets can be purchased at tusboletos.mx.

Another play, “Los huiros también lloran” (The Huiros Also Cry), will be presented on Tuesday, Aug. 13 at 8 p.m. at the Cineteca of the Armando Manzanero Theater. Entrance is MX$100.

Ayil, who was present at the Festival announcement, said that the play’s humor and double meanings and puns characterize regional theater, just as “Cholo” conceived it and whose line he follows, since he worked with the actor on several occasions. The show will include Yucatecan jaranas and “bombas.”

At 8 p.m. Wednesday, Aug. 14, the first discussion of the Festival will take place: “Let’s Save a Life” at the Cineteca, free admission. Alicia García Gamboa, president of the program Let’s Save a Life, and psychologists Marilú Ancona Rosas and Alida Treviño Sandoval will participate.

Alicia García stressed the importance of addressing this issue, as the scourge of suicide continues to grow in the State and there have been cases such as that of the 11-year-old boy who took his own life.

She invited the public to attend to learn what to do when someone close to them is going through a situation that could lead them to take their own life.

The program will continue on Tuesday, Aug. 20 with the the play “Proposal for a Hand”, by the company Sombras Escénicas. Juan Carlos Argáez, a member of the group, explained that the piece is a parody of a text by Anton Chekhov. It will be presented at the Armando Manzanero Film Library at 8 p.m. Admission is MX$100.

Music and Awards Ceremony

On Tuesday, Aug. 27, there will be two talks at the Cineteca del Teatro Manzanero, at 6 and 8 pm. The topics will be “Water governance” and “Animal laws and rights.” Admission is free.

The play “El humo de tu boca” will be staged on Wednesday, Aug. 28, at 8:30 pm, at the Cineteca. Entrance is MX$100. Actress Alicia García said that it is an adaptation of the story “La incondicional” by Enrique Serna, about a woman who makes some unexpected revelations to her husband on her deathbed.

On Friday, Aug 30, the Festival will conclude with the presentation of awards at a gala evening in the auditorium of the Universidad Modelo.

Fifteen medals will be awarded to recognize the work of artists from Yucatán or residing in Yucatan in fields such as acting, music, dance, poetry, dramaturgy, and scenography, among others.

Five special trophies will also be awarded in the form of “Cholo.” Two will be for María Medina and Ricardo Abraham Mafud and one for “Tina Tuyub” herself for 50 years of career. The other two have yet to be selected.

The Festival will also include the exhibition “Por quién lloras” by Elena Martínez Bolio and a photographic exhibition of “Cholo” curated by Roy Sobrino.

Learn more on the Festival’s Facebook page.