Georgina Pontaza

Georgina Pontaza (born 1974) is a Guatemalan actress, singer, choreographer, theater director and producer. She has done work on television and radio in addition to live theater and serves as the artistic director of both the Teatro Abril and Teatro Fantasía IRTRA in Guatemala City.

In this Spanish name, the first or paternal surname is Pontaza and the second or maternal family name is Ávila.
Georgina Pontaza
Born
Karla Georgina Pontaza Ávila

(1974-01-15)15 January 1974
Guatemala
NationalityGuatemalan
Occupationactress
Years active1981-present

Biography
The Pontaza Sisters collage

Karla[1] Georgina Pontaza Ávila[2] was born 15 January 1974 in Guatemala.[3] At a very young age, she was encouraged to entertain in a children's choir founded by her grandmother, soprano Carmen Morales Ávila. From age 5, she performed and by age 9, Pontaza and her sister Silvia, who was 8-years-old, formed a singing and dancing duo, known as the "Pontaza Sisters". They performed with the Kodaly Group under the direction of Alma Monsanto in the production of Little Orphan Annie,[4] in 1985,[2] followed by "José el Soñador", "La Novicia Rebelde" (The Sound of Music), "Gatos" (Cats), "Brillantina" Glitter, "El Violinista en el Tejado" (Fiddler on the Roof), Evita, and many others.[4]

She has a degree in both Advertising and Dramatic Arts,[4] having graduated with the latter designation in 2009.[1] Since the mid 1990s,[2] she has taught children's theater. In addition to teaching, she has recorded many voices for both television and radio, and was the Artistic Director of "TV Chiquirrines Club".[4]

Pontaza had her directorial debut in 1994, in the work "El reino de Bom Bom" (The Kingdom of Bom Bom), with the Argentine singer Luis Aguilé. In 1995 she started choreographing and directing children's theater and in the early 2000s[2] she began directing with the producer Pedro Luis Soto at the Teatro Abril.[4] By 2006 as artistic director, Pontaza had staged many classic children's theatrical performances.[5][6] In 2012, she became the artistic director of the newly opened Teatro Fantasía (Fantasy Theater) at the Instituto de Recreación de los Trabajadores (IRTRA) (Institute of Worker's Recreation) in Guatemala City.[7]

Georgina Pontaza and Rey Leon in "Beauty and the Beast"

Though best known for children's performances,[4] Pontaza has also worked with classic productions like "Entremeses de Cervantes" by Miguel de Cervantes and "Cuadros de Costumbres" by Guatemalan José Milla y Vidaurre.[8]

Awards

1994, Lifetime Achievement for Children's Theater, from the Magazine of the Nation for the Sociedad Dante Aliguieri[2]

Productions

Acting
  • Peter Pan (1994, 1997, 2000)[9]
  • Pinocchio[4]
  • The Diary of Anne Frank[10]
  • The Wizard of Oz[4]

Directing[4]
  • The Little Mermaid
  • The Beauty and the Beast
  • Snow White
  • Aladdin
  • Fuenteovejuna
  • Los árboles mueren de pie
  • Leyendas de Guatemala

References
  1. "Los Genios de las Artes en Guatemala, Ahora Son Licenciados" (in Spanish). Guatemala: CGN Buenas Noticias de Guatemala. 25 September 2009. Archived from the original on 23 December 2014. Retrieved 9 June 2015.
  2. Lemus, Juan Carlos, ed. (2002–2004). "Diccionario de Artistas Guatemaltecos". Prensa Libre (in Spanish). Guatemala City, Guatemala: Prensa Libre. Retrieved 9 June 2015.
  3. "Georgina Pontaza". Guatemalte Cosilustres (in Spanish). Guatemala: Guatemalte Cosilustres. Archived from the original on 11 December 2014. Retrieved 9 June 2015.
  4. "Georgina Pontaza" (in Spanish). Guatemala: PCS International. 2007. Archived from the original on 11 December 2014. Retrieved 9 June 2015.
  5. "El escenario es un aula". Revista D (in Spanish). Guatemala City, Guatemala: Semanario de Prensa Libre (112). 27 August 2006. Archived from the original on 9 June 2015. Retrieved 9 June 2015.
  6. Luther, Mare. "El moribundo Teatro Abril". Musica Guatemalteca (in Spanish). Guatemala City, Guatemala: Arte de Guatemala. Retrieved 9 June 2015.
  7. Vásquez, Claudia (31 January 2012). "El jueves se inaugurará teatro del Irtra Petapa" (in Spanish). Guatemala City, Guatemala: Siglo 21. Archived from the original on 9 June 2015. Retrieved 9 June 2015.
  8. "Entremés de Cervantes/Cuadros de Costumbres". Teatro Abril (in Spanish). Guatemala City, Guatemala: Teatro Abril. 2015. Retrieved 9 June 2015.
  9. Díaz, Doriam (25 March 2000). "Vuelve Peter Pan" (in Spanish). San José, Costa Rica: La Nación. Retrieved 9 June 2015.
  10. Melgar, Jorge (21 August 2008). "Homenaje Hermanas Pontaza". YouTube (in Spanish). Guatemala City, Guatemala. Retrieved 9 June 2015.
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