The Latino Cultural Festival ends it fifth year run at New York's Queens Theatre in the Park. The festival which celebrates Latino culture through dance, music, theatre, art, film, and panel discussions began July 25 at Flushing Meadows Corona Park.

Among the many artists and cultures represented are Spain's Teatro del Temple, Colombia's Tola y Maruja and two New York groups: NY Artists Unlimited and Instituto de Arte Teatral Internacional (IATI). And for the whole family, the Festival also features David Gonzalez's musical production Sofrito!.

Teatro del Temple will present the American premiere of Buñuel, Lorca and Dalí. The show focuses on the friendship between the three Spanish 20th century icons, film director Luis Buñuel, poet Federico García-Lorca and artist Salvador Dalí.

In Siameses Show, Colombia's top comedy duo Tola y Maruja present their modern twist on the style of Abbott and Costello, Martin and Lewis and the Smothers Brothers. The all-new show made its premiere at the Festival.

NY Artists Unlimited boast their production, Song of the Simple Truth - El Canto de Julia de Burgos Aug. 12. This theatrical dramatization of the poems of Julia de Burgos are features original songs as performed with live guitar, zampoña (a type of panflute), percussion and Latin dance. Instituto de Arte Teatral Internacional (International Institute of Theatre Arts) hosts ¡A Contar Cuentos...! (Let's Tell Stories...!). The piece is an adaptation of four of Cuban writer José Martí's children stories by Pablo García-Gámez.

¡Sofrito! by David Gonzalez features Larry Harlow and the Latin Legends Band with special guest Yomo Toro. A combination of storytelling and music from Puerto Rico, The Dominican Republic, Cuba and the Bronx also played.

For scheduling, times and more of the many events occurring at the Latino Cultural Festival in QTIP's Corona Park venue, call (718) 760-0064 or visit them on the web at www.queenstheatre.org.

— by Ernio Hernandez