The Raúl Juliá Training Unit, founded in 1969, responds to 1) A need for quality arts education voiced by low-to-moderate income Latino families in New York City; 2) A scarcity of bilingual Spanish/English performing arts training and career orientation services for high-school age youths; 3) An opportunity to inject diversity into the ranks of New York's professional theater; and 4) Provide tangible hope to underserved youth, that a career in the arts is possible and within their grasp if they work hard.The program's leadership also notes a real and growing gap between public education and demographic trends in New York City. Under funded and overenrolled, our schools consistently fail to provide culturally and linguistically accessible arts programs for Latino youth.The program has evolved quietly over three decades through the efforts of a highly dedicated team of artists and educators committed to working with urban youth. Today, the Raúl Juliá Training Unit gives students access to top-notch theater artists and educators, and in this way fosters a genuine ambition for a life-long career in the performing arts. The program's chief objectives are: (1) To provide participants with individualized attention and professional instruction in the performing arts; (2) to heighten awareness of the value and the uses of arts education; (3) to foster the cultivation of personal qualities with emphasis on academic discipline, leadership, teamwork, and communication.The Raúl Juliá Training Unit is an after-school program with a cumulative curriculum that includes classes in acting, dance, singing, speech, and auditioning technique. Students perform in a public showcase at the end of each term and may apply for advanced certification after three years of study. Program faculty consists of 10 professional artists and educators. We pride ourselves in keeping a low student to faculty ratio (1:15), and in holding the interest of a highly qualified staff. Some teachers have been with the Unit for as long as ten years, lending extraordinary continuity of purpose and experience to the program.The Raúl Juliá Training Unit does not charge tuition; a one-time enrollment fee of $150 is administered on a sliding scale. The program serves youths from all five boroughs and is conducted at the Julia de Burgos Cultural Center in El Barrio, Manhattan's historic Puerto Rican neighborhood and now a multicultural residential enclave. We work closely with local leaders and civic institutions which may provide ancillary support services, and actively involve parents, teachers, and friends who can also validate a child's subsequent pursuit of a college degree in the arts.

Raúl Juliá Training Unit - 2008 Teaching Staff

Director

Ricardo Puente

Acting I (English) / Acting II

Petronia Paley

Audition Technique

Mr. Miller Lide
 
Speech

Ms. Lenore G. Harris 

Singing Class / Singing for Musical Theatre

Ricardo Puente/Erich Rausch

Actuación I (S)

Gloria Zelaya
 
Dance (Jazz)

Sunilda Caraballo

ALUMNI PARTICIPATION IN PRTT PRODUCTIONS (a selection)2000

Milena Dávila - Mainstage BLIND ALLEYManuel Herrera - Summer Tour LOS TITINGÓS DE JUAN BOBO

2001

Fulvia Vergel - Mainstage THE HOUSE MUST BE DISMANTLED

2002

Emanuel Loarca - Summer Tour LA POSADERA Fior Marte - Summer Tour LA POSADERA Coco Nuñez - Summer Tour LA POSADERAO svaldo Plasencia - Summer Tour LA POSADERA Pablo Tufiño - Summer Tour LA POSADERA Fulvia Vergel - Ricardo J. Salazar – Summer Tour LA POSADERA.

2003

Jacqueline Duprey - Main/Reading PLEASANT AVENUEEliezer Ortiz - Main/Reading PLEASANT AVENUEOsvaldo Plasencia - Main/Readingm PLEASANT AVENUE Ricardo J. Salazar - Main/Reading PLEASANT AVENUELou Torres - Main/Reading PLEASANT AVENUEFulvia Vergel - Main/Reading PLEASANT AVENUEEmanuel Loarca - Summer Tour LOS MELINDRES DE BELISAPablo Tufiño - Summer Tour LOS MELINDRES DE BELISA Ricardo J. Salazar - Summer Tour LOS MELINDRES DE BELISA

2004

Denia Brache - Mainstage BESSIE, THE BUTCHER OF PALM BEACHEmanuel Loarca - Summer Tour MUJERES EN FARSA PICANTE

2005

Jessica Flori - Summer Tour DON QUIJOTE SU ÚLTIMA AVENTURAEmmanuelle Bordas - Summer Tour DON QUIJOTE SU ÚLTIMA AVENTURAMario Mattei - Summer Tour DON QUIJOTE SU ÚLTIMA AVENTURA

ALUMNI PARTICIPATION AT OTHER THEATERS (a selection)

Miguel Albuquerque
Teatro TEBA, NYC
Círculo Vicioso (Feature Film) José Candelario
Calle 107 (Feature Film) Milena Dávila
Law & Order (TV)
Red Lobster (National Commercial) Alex del Romero
Teatro TEBA, NYC
Theatre for the New City, NYC
Thalia Theatre, Queens, NYCJessica Flori
Upper Manhattan Theatre, NYC
Teatro IATI, NYC
Thalia Theater, Queens, NYC
Upper Manhattan Theater Co., NYElías Jiménez
VISA (National Commercial) Emanuel Loarca
Repertorio Español, NYC
Pregones Theater, The Bronx, NYCLuis López
Teatro TEBA, NYC
Telemundo (TV) Fior Marte
L.E.F.T./Teatro La Tea, NYC
Upper Manhattan Theatre, NYC
Teatro TEBA, NYCKen Mayo
Discovery Channel (TV)
Pregones Theatre, The Bronx, NYCRosa Niño
Teatro La Tea, NYC
Mass Transit Theatre, NYCCoco Nuñez
Repertorio Español, NYC
National Theatre, Dominican RepublicOsvaldo Placencia
Showtime (TV)
Repertorio Español, NYC
Cherry Lane Theatre, NYC
The Public Theatre, NYCLou Torres
Spiderman, Manito (Feature Film) Pablo Tufiño
Repertorio Español, NYC
Teatro La Tea, NYCCarmen Twaits
Thalia Theatre, Queens, NYCFulvia Vergel
Repertorio Español, NYCCaspar Martínez
Carlito's Way - Rise to Power (Feature Film)

Emmanuelle Bordas
Teatro Lírico de Puerto Rico