July to October 2006

Andrés López, the 'Matador for Sadness' who made Colombians remember and showed foreigners the strength they, the Colombians, carry in their blood.

Expect nothing but loads of laughs in the faces of so many Colombians and people from other countries during the 4 to 3 hours Andres Lopez's show every time he presented it. It is important to note some wonderful issues raised from this tour. First, the great effort Colombians living abroad made to attend. The acceptance and admiration shown by non-Colombians people. The wonderful professionalism showed by the local agent's team. The important coverage published by the local media. Andres' inclusion, improvisation and additional content made to his masterpiece and, of course, the wild group of fans present at the theatre! The text of this international tour summary is based on the numerous messages received by Andres in his web page www.lapelotadeletras.com, . It includes his agent's real life experiences, technicians at the theatre, promoters, the media and the very own from Andres, the author. Some of the spectators at the show drove their cars for long distances during the whole day, just to be on time for his presentation and then get back by night so they would be able to carry on with their job, studies, their offices the next morning. To attend the show in Toronto people came from Montreal, London, Halifax and Detroit. At the Houston's show a large percentage of people came from Dallas and San Antonio. In New York, others came from Washington and New Jersey. To Greenville and Atlanta they came from Tampa, Orlando, Miami and Charlotte. At the Los Angeles' show they came from all down California further, even from Las Vegas and Phoenix. To the show in Madrid attended not just from the many Spanish provinces, but people coming from eight other European countries. During the journey back home the work's plot was recalled again and again so they keep giggling all the way back. A permanent smile is the brand distinction of Andres' fans. This is Andrés greatest satisfaction for a well-done job. The myth to reach the 'American Dream' for so many is just utopia. They blindly believe that discrimination and language difference make impossible to achieve success and it is hard, but according to Andres this is not impossible. Most of the people attending the show thanked Andres Lopez for his countryman encouragement. Something Colombians need to be proud of their country and be able to push forward. They also see how valuable is to show, during Andres' great performance, non-Colombians how Colombians really are, why they are such a special people. Many foreigners wrote to this web page in recognition and appreciation for the great life experience of attending his show. Although, many did not understand parts of the work and sometimes it was hard to accept his views, they see Andres as the best Colombian comedian and also the current best by his presentations in Canada, the United States of America, Spain, Ecuador and Panama. There was great expectancy among the spectators in respect to the content of the live international new DVD. Some wanted it exactly the same as the original, some others the great majority, wanted it as a continuation of the first. But within the entertaining industry standards, Andrés had to comply with the DVD version during the International tour, likewise so many celebrities in the world of comedy and musical performance. However, Andrés went further away from the norm. Based on the same generation's structure of his work he performed a novel version created in-situ using the people reactions to his new material. He improvised during those occasional moments where the sound fails and encouraged the audience to participate when he needed to explain factually some typical folklore expressions from Colombia. He addressed the English speaking audience using his own functional 'Lopez's English' and in Castillean Spanish to the 40% Spanish audience attending. He made a picture of the Colombian immigrant when landing in their new country and included more material to describe situations in the context of the Latin American living abroad. In his Madrid's visit, Andres used his knowledge about the Spanish culture, the same he learnt during his school days at the Liceo Navarra, which has Spanish teachers with great academic skills. Andres paid respect to his Mother's Country, Spain, for his importance in the world. He made the Spanish audience to get back in the past to remember the country where 'The Maya Bee' TV series was born. He sang a-capella with them the theme 'In a multicolour country there was a bee' Andres also studied the Canadian culture, when he lived in Toronto at the end of the 90's. His proximity to the Canadian Embassy in Colombia during the 'Terry Fox' campaign and his sharing view with his numerous Canadians friends. All this information, inbreeded in his undisputed geniality, helps him to visualise the real issues involving both Canadians and Colombians. Andres has had friends and family immigrants in The United States, Panama, Ecuador, Spain and the UK whom had helped him to get to know those countries better. He also has travelled extensively making great friends in many countries. Andres is not only using Colombian inland speech forms but also from different other regions in the country. He often uses many Antioquian expressions, and from Cali and the Caribbean coasts. Many times he replaces his popular 'deje asi' - 'leave it' in the UK or 'let it go' in the USA - for his typical fatherland expression from Medellin 'no le hace'. Equally he use many other idioms from Venezuela, Mexico, Ecuador, Puerto Rico, Peru and Costa Rica, all of which the audience enjoyed very much. All this time, Andres has been a 'wholehands' as he defines himself. By knowing the cultures from abroad he used the opportunity of this his international tour to express this new material. So far, his web page has been flooded with messages from fans asking on how to get the diverse DVDs versions of his shows in Miami, Toronto, Madrid, etc. The original DVD 'La Pelota de Letras' 'The Ball of Letters' is available at www.lapelotadeletras.com 'DVD' At the end of each show Andrés was so emotional and happy by the people's reception to his work that he proceeded to hug everyone, his team and his fans. A crowd of his fans managed to get pictures with him at the stars' room of the theatre so to send them to his web page and get them there. In every city and in every occasion Andrés got what he very much wished: a near encounter with his fans, he learnt about the conditions Colombians live abroad. He signed souvenirs on everything conceived, T-shirts with his picture (in Panama) rubber balls, DVDs, on everything. He also let them take pictures with him at the hotel, the street. But the best happened during the actual performance of the artist, the constant people's acceptance, the energy that the people irradiate to Andres and, at the end of the show the non-stop standing round of applause in the middle of great noise and cheering. During the long intercontinental flights, lasting from 6 to 14 hours, although within natural limitations, Andres used the available resources to continue his contact with fans via internet, reading their messages, answering their requests in an effort to carry on his especial personal contact with his fans. Andres issued several podcasts reporting his life-experiences in each location. Some audiotapes files are available at www.glfventure.com/audio.htm At the end of the show in Miami, Andrés accepted from the Colombian Vice-consul an appreciation certificate that acknowledges his work of spreading the Colombian culture abroad. The International Scientology Celebrities Centre in Los Angeles presented him with a plaque in acknowledgement for his contribution to expand the 'Way to Happiness' in Colombia. But his public delivers the greatest acknowledgement for his work by filling all the available seats in theatres. They run out of tickets for each show weeks before the actual presentation. Attendance in Quito was 1820, in Houston 1155, in Greenville 1240, in Orlando 1267, in Panama 2000, in Miami 4400 (the highest ever so far). The longest in time was Toronto with 1214 people attending. In New York 1490, in Madrid 2000 July 2006. Five shows in September of 700. In Madrid the historic theatre La Gran Via rarely presented Latin American events, but La Pelota de Letras was the utmost magnificent, the audience responded in big numbers. Already Andres was there at the Palace of Congresses for the national day of Colombia, the 20th of July, 2000 people attended, then under the auspices of the Colombian Embassy in Spain and Ms Noemi Sanin. The Spaniards commented 'But, who is that guy that everyone wants to watch, come on!' After knowing Andres' live experience, his Colombian team, agents, supporters, promoters, and fans the obvious conclusion is Andres will come back in 2007 with some more works. Also he will come to visit some other location he could not visit before in his quick tour. Numerous fans are waiting for him in Caracas, Venezuela, Barcelona, Chicago, Boston, Montreal, London, Paris, Australia and many other places. To contract or request your site for the show please contact www.lapelotadeletras.com Contact In every location the outstanding organisation of the event was extraordinary, not just the companies and their officials notoriously responded by the greater number of spectators. Further information available to promoters and agents by visiting www.lapelotadeletras.com 'Tour'. Press bulletins in several Latin media contributed greatly. Besides, the local media was interested in knowing more about La Pelota de Letras and Andres Lopez and his work, his power to move positivism into crowds, for the nice recollections of past times in a community far away from their home country. Andres reminded Colombians living abroad what is alive in their hearts, the great memory of a long ago gone childhood, friends and family that stayed at home. Andres believes in Colombians to never leave their country, nor their people, because what s/he left behind is not just friends and family but the essence of what s/he is made of. Andres says 'In spite of all pains wherever we Colombians are there is a great reason to be happy' and in respect to other nationals he says 'It's a great emotion to feel that in spite of enormous cultural differences we have so much in common'. To every Colombian living abroad supporting Andres, making Colombia greater in the world! To all Latin Americans who accepted Andres as their own icon. To all other nationals who in spite of the different languages, idioms or speeches enjoyed the show. To the Mayors of several cities, Consuls, Ambassadors and personalities that supported the event and enjoyed the show. To the technical team travelling with Andres and his team in Colombia. To Supporters and Media who reported the show in great fashion and admiration. To all Agents in each city who worked with great professionalism and effectively.
Further reports and comments in www.lapelotadeletras.com Articles.
Olga Gould, GLF Venture Inc Due appreciation and thanks for colaborating on this bulletin and pictures to fans at My Space, www.colombiaencanada.ca , www.ColombiaenLondon.com and to John Alex Rojas.