Artes & Shakespeare: It's about Passion!

I’ve been asked more than once… why Shakespeare for Artes de la Rosa? Well the best answer is that Latinos are a passionate people and Shakespeare was a passionate playwright. Placing them together seems like the most obvious of combinations. So I’ve set out to make the Passion of Shakespeare something everyone can understand! You may think you hate Shakespeare. You may say it’s hard to understand and you may even say its boring. I promise you – You won’t be saying that about THIS PRODUCTION of ROMEO AND JULIET!

“All the world’s a stage,” comes the saying from many theatre artists... Their voice proudly professing their passion and love. I believe to truly find that voice, you have to be silent, still, and open to the inspiration that it brings. Your voice comes from your passion and if you don’t know where your passion comes from, you are without a voice; mute. For me, I found it in the dark. In East Texas. On a hot summer night.

The year was 1999 and I was attending the Texas Shakespeare Festival Acting Workshops in Kilgore Texas. I was headed to school to pursue a degree in theatre arts that fall. I had been active in community theatre and high school theatre, but hadn’t really found my voice in the art or love for it. To be honest, I was pursuing the degree because I was good at it; not because I loved it… the Festival that summer had introduced me to wonderful staging’s of The Miser, The Fantasticks, and Antony and Cleopatra but I still didn’t’ feel like I knew where my voice fit and where my love was? The final production that I saw that summer was Two Gentleman of Verona directed by Tom Whitaker.

I remember sitting in the theatre, in awe and wonder at the parts of the whole… the bare raked stage, the 3 piece jazz band, the lounge singer…the sheer romance of the production, the simple details. The images of that show, 14 years later, still glow in my head. The men’s white suits, the bobbed hair of Michele Tauber who’s character name I could never remember, the long white gown of the ‘lounge singer’ (Sarah Hartmann, whom to this day, I still see in my mind’s eye, poised, statuesque, an icon of 1930’s jazz). But what I remember most about that evening is that for two hours, I didn’t breathe.

I just took it in. The design. The words. The actors. The show. It helped remind me what it’s all about, Love. Love is simple. Love is kind. Love is pure. Nothing ostentatious, nothing sly, just the actors, the language and the audience. At the end of the show, when the cast took the stage to sing the finale “Love Is,” I realized…my eyes were wet. To this day I can’t tell you how long I had been crying, but it had come. I looked at the cast, and there was not a dry eye among them. I fell in love with Shakespeare that evening. I fell in love with the magic of the language and the lyrical poetry executed so stunningly by the cast of brilliant actors. But what is even more special is that I know I was sharing it with a production staff, crew, and cast that loved it as much as I would grow to love it. As the cast raised their voice to sing, I found mine. I fell in love with theatre that night and all the passion that a group of people, both performers and audience alike, could share together – simply because a man named William Shakespeare over two hundreds of years earlier had written a play.

14 years later, I am helming my own Shakespeare shows, running Artes de la Rosa artistic future and yet, still recalling the night Shakespeare gave me a voice. In my time at Stephen F. Austin State University, I learned technique, skill, communication, artistry but not heart. I am grateful to say, I learned that before I got to school. I learned that I must touch you, “the audience”, personally as a human being if I am to succeed as an artist. My hope now is to one day direct a piece that is going to make a teenager fall in love with theatre, the way Mr. Whitaker, made me fall in love with Shakespeare that summer night 14 years ago.

That’s why I think Shakespeare is the next perfect step in the continuing artistic journey for Artes de la Rosa. If it can impact me as a teenager while still being the most produced playwright in history, how can we not provide the opportunity to the Artes de la Rosa patrons to experience that kind of passion? With this special new staging of Romeo and Juliet, I hope to impart to the people of North Texas the inspiration and passion that William Shakespeare gave me that summer of 1999.

In hindsight, that was the moment that defined what I hoped to become…the moment Shakespeare put a voice to my love…it was the moment I chose a life as a theatre person. So when someone asks me what I do in the theatre, I do not tell them I’m a playwright, an administrator, or director, but rather I raise my voice and say, “I’m a Theatre Maker.”

- Adam Adolfo, Artistic Director; Artes de la Rosa

SIDE NOTE: Don’t Forget Tickets go on sale tomorrow! We've got a deal that you'll FALL IN LOVE WITH! To celebrate the greatest love story ever told, Artes de la Rosa will be offering a special discount when you buy your tickets on the first day. On that day ONLY, when you use the promo code TRUELOVE you will receive a $5 discount on each ticket purchased including the gala opening night event.

PHOTO CREDIT: Photo's 2,3, & 4 from The 1999 Season production of TWO GENTELMEN OF VERONA at the Texas Shakespeare Festival. Director Tom Whitaker. Artistic Director Raymond Caldwell.

REACHING NEW HEIGHTS: Matt Randsell Jr. talks on dreams realized...

Over the next 6 weeks we will get to know members of the cast of IN THE HEIGHTS which is recieving it's Fort Worth debut this May at the Rose Marine Theatre. Today we spend time blogging with Matt "Superman" Randsell, Jr. who will be starring as Usnavi, the hip hop bodega owner of Washington Heights.

 

"Personally, I feel like there’s a task we all have to do as people before we truly decide what we plan to do with our lives. Since our younger days, people harp on us about “What do you want to be when you grow up?”, they preach to us about setting goals and how to plan, they also encourage us to dream big and to shoot for the stars. However somewhere along the line, we have to decide for ourselves if any of these things are even related or applicable. I mean sure, they all sound positive, and progressive, but how do they work, which ones matter more, and which are even possible. See, some of us are lucky, we have a dream and we’re on a one-way street to that destination with all of the support and encouragement we could ask for, and that’s pretty cool. However, I think most of us, myself, didn’t find it that easy. You see, to me, dreams seemed fictional, they were something to keep my imagination flowing, but not necessarily something to invest much into. I had dreams of spot lights, autograph signings, applause, however when I was asked “What do you want to be?” my answers ranged from lawyers, to teachers, to broadcast journalist. Dreams were unrealistic, and due to an environment that discourages the unrealistic, and encourages the possible, the mediocre, I started applying myself more to my simple goals than to my dreams. Excelling in general courses such as English, history, geography, and athletics, seemed more necessary than taking theatre, art, or music classes seriously. See, I truly believe that my teachers, and parents, they were right in encouraging me to follow the safe path, the secure path. I mean, realistically it’s a lot less scary, and a lot less bumpy of a ride. And for the most part, I stuck with the plan, the goals seemed more obtainable and spoke to me, louder than the dreams did. Dreaming was fun, but it was never clear, it never seemed obtainable. Then there’s this moment, most performers know what I’m talking about, when I say this moment that defines your passion for what you do. Something happens, you see, hear, try something that makes you feel as if you just woke up for the first time, your senses crisper than ever. Some call it, their calling, but as the moment I saw Lin Manuel Miranda rapping at the Tony awards, this whole “dream” of mine, seemed possible. Seemed realistic. Now don’t get me wrong, it wasn’t my intention to put all of my eggs in this basket, however there didn’t seem to be an alternative. Nothing seemed as fulfilling, or rewarding. Performing now, auditioning, traveling, rehearsing, had a different taste to it. It was undeniable. I was officially packed up and on the path, and by then, there was no turning back." - Matt Ransdell Jr. #Usnavi #InTheHeightsFW

 

Matt is a particularly interesting and inspiring young man and no stranger to the Heights having been called back for the role of Usnavi on Broadway, and both National Tours, he is incredibly honored to be officially cast as his dream role for the first time ever in his home state of Texas. Matt's journey on that audition was documented on the online series JOURNEYME. See it below.

 

 

MYSTERIES OF MARIA; Inside Artes de la Rosa's Maria De Buenos Aires - BLOG 5 - Well Prepared Means 120 Pages!

Today we blog with Costume Designer Justin Kailer who's designs have captivated and captured the imagination in beautiful Artes de la Rosa stage productions including Cat on a Hot Tin Roof and Kiss of the Spiderwoman. With a long history of collaboration between Director Adam Adolfo and himself, Justin's designs for Adam Adolfo shows are always crisp, surprising, innovative, with a distinctive eye for detail.

I first met with Adam, regarding this production of Maria de Buenos Aires, in November of last year. We met for coffee at Café Brazil and he hands me packet of information no less than 120 pages long. It was a lot to sift through; a complete synopsis including the libretto, an entire production history with reviews as well as about 100 photos. In no time at all we were discussing his vision for Astor Piazzolla’s “tango operita”.

I took my newly acquired “show bible” home with me that evening and began pouring over it. I firmly believe that a Designer’s work must always start with the script, before any drawings are made. After that comes research. And so, I read the synopsis twice and I must have read the script alone at least 5 times over the next two or three weeks before sketching out preliminary renderings for the principle characters. About the third time through, I began jotting down words that popped out (repeated words), words that I thought of or a certain feeling that the libretto invoked in me. Together with my list and a pencil I started sketching. After another two or three days, I finally had my rough drawings in hand and went back to Adam in late December, early January.

I love working with Director Adam Adolfo simply because he is always well prepared. He is never “not prepared”. He knows exactly what story he wants to tell and how he wants to tell that story. He will often times assemble his production staff to meet this very specific goals. Typically, he tells you that, “this is the way it’s been done, but we will not be doing that—instead we will be doing it this [other] way.” More often than not, the [other] way is drastically different. Adam often challenges me. By encouraging me to try out a new idea, he nurtures my creativity and ingenuity, testing new construction methods or perhaps a delicate fabric. He is always eager and willing to think outside the box, in ways that are not conventional or sometimes even comfortable, often testing limits for actors, production staff and eventual audience members alike.

In my research I was very surprised to learn that awfully little had been done with this particular operita since it was conceived by Piazzola and Librettist Horacio Ferrer almost fifty years ago in the 1960s. Because of this, I basically had free reign and could design the show any way I saw fit, within the constraints of the music and of dance.

The top of the show is extremely colorful and bright, this is when she is first discovering the city. The second Act however will be much darker in terms of costuming and also overall atmosphere. I will often take inspiration from multiple sources for a single production—movies, a piece of art, a shopping trip or even clothes I see a random person wearing on the street. Somehow, in some way, all of these things work together and manage to complement each other every single time. Each costume choice, from beginning to end, is dictated by the progression of the show or what’s happening in a particular scene.

Maria de Buenos Aires; A Tango Opera - The Photographs

"For years, (Shannon Atkinson) and Artes de la Rosa have been head and shoulders above the rest when it comes to publicity photos for performing arts productions. This is why." - Publishing Editor and Co-Founder: Mark Lowry; TheaterJones.com

http://www.theaterjones.com/reviews/20120309055100/2012-03-17/Artes-de-la-Rosa/Electricidad

Well, we hope we have done it again. Today we are proud to present the press photos for the upcoming Regional Premiere of Maria de Buenos Aires, A Tango Operita. The photos feature cast members Grace Neeley, Keith J. Warren, and Wes Cantrell. Images by Shannon Atkinson, Styled by Adam Adolfo.

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Artes de la Rosa Presents
Maria de Buenos Aires
A Tango Operita
Photo by Shannon Atkinson

 Artes de la Rosa’s Adam Adolfo directs with Elise Lavallee choreographing. Joshua Bradford serves as music director and conducts the 7-piece orchestra, who are part of the staging of this production, which has set design by Artes de la Rosa Technical Director Oliver Luke, costume design by Justin Kailer, lighting design by Michael Cole,  and sound design by Adam Adolfo.

 



Feel the Heat of Tango

Maria de Buenos Aires

A Tango Operita

Photo by Shannon Atkinson

Surrender to the Desire of
Maria de Buenos Aires
A Tango Operita
Photo by Shannon Atkinson

TICKET INFORMATION

MARIA DE BUENOS AIRESopens Friday May 11^th and plays Fridays & Saturdays at 7:30 pm and Sunday Matinees at 2:30 pm through Sunday May 27^th. Opening Night Gala Tickets are $25 for which includes Maria’s Midnight Milonga: a Private Gala after Party with the cast, staff, and donors of Artes de la Rosa. General Admission tickets for the rest of the run are $18 for adults and $15 for students and seniors, matinee prices are $15 and $10 respectively. For tickets or more information, call the Rose Marine Theater Box Office at (817) 624-8333. Special ticket prices are available for groups of 10 or more. Tickets can be purchased online at www.artesdelarosa.org.

Artes dela Rosa Announces Principle Castin for the Regional Premiere of the Tango Opera, MARIA DE BUENOA AIRES

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Fort Worth, TX – February 27th – Artes de la Rosa is proud to announce principle casting for the Regional Premiere of Astor Piazolla’s Tango Operita, MARIA DE BUENOS AIRES which is receiving its Regional Premiere this May at Artes de la Rosa’s home The Rose MarineTheater.

Starring as Maria, is Grace Neeley making her Artes de laRosa debut. The actress has been seen through out the North Texas theatre community taking the stage at Circle Theatre (The Great American Trailer Park Musical) and Casa Manana where she played Linda Lou in The Best Little Whorehouse in Texas, starring Ruta Lee & Ed Dixon. “The role requires an epic journey ranging from youthful naïveté, to rambunctious sensuality, to frailty and despair without ever loosing a sense of hope. When we found Grace, we knew we had a woman who could not only embody the role, but truly define tango itself,” says Director Adam Adolfo.

Returning to the Rose Marine stage after glowing reviews for his turn as Valentin in Artes de la Rosa’s critically praised Kiss of the Spiderwoman is Keith J. Warren in the lyric tenor role of Maria’s love interest, El Payador. Most recently Keith was seen in Rags at Lyric Stage, under the supervision of maestro Jay Dias and Broadway composer Charles Strouse. A fixture of musical theatre stages regionally, performing with Casa Mañana, WaterTowerTheater, Garland Summer Musicals, ICT Mainstage, Bass Performance Hall, and The Jefferson Performing Arts Society in Louisiana, Keith rejoins the Artes de la Rosa family for this, his first “little” opera.

Rounding out the principle cast is JP Cano in the role of the Goblin Ghost Storyteller, El Duende. A trained dancer, JP has been seen on the stage at Teatro Dallas in La Máscara que Hablaba, Don Juan, the Vampire, Blue Beach, and last year’s The Maiden of the Used Books. Other stage credits include MBS Productions at Adam and Eve… and Kiss the Boys. TV appearances include the Bravo’s show Most Eligible Dallas, My Style’s Big Rich Texas, and NBC’s Chase. Cano debuted at the ADLR Cultural Center last year as part of the American Classics Theatre Initiative production, A View from the Bridge.

When asked to comment, Maria… star Grace Neeley offered, “"When I heard Piazzolla's score, I knew I just had to be part of this production. The music, the art, the dancing, it's one of those once in a life time opportunities for a performer."

“The production team and I are so excited to bring together three of the most talented individuals in this singular storytelling event. Their poise, passion,and perfection are precisely the traits we so tirelessly searched for in performers. Grace, Keith, and JP are stars, and their performances will be North Texas epics,” offers Artistic Director Adam Adolfo. Production begins May 11th at the Rose Marine Theater in Fort Worth for a strictly limited 3 week engagement through March 25th.



About MARIA DE BUENOS AIRES

Born in the slums, luredby the city, surrendered to the bordellos, Maria's life is the story of the tango. Through song, dance, and poetic narration, Artistic Director Adam Adolfo transforms the historic Rose Marine Theatre into a dark haunted bordello in Argentina. The ill-omened María, born "one day when God was drunk", heads to the center of Buenos Aires, where she is seduced by the music of the tango and becomes a streetwalker. Thieves and brothel keepers, gathered at a black mass resolve her murder. After her death, Maria becomes a wandering ghost, until she is spectacularly reborn through the power survival, freedom, and above all things, love.



Artes de la Rosa’s Adam Adolfo directs with Elise Lavallee choreographing. Joshua Bradford serves as music director and conducts the 7-piece orchestra, who are part of the staging of this production, which has set design by Artes de la Rosa Technical Director Oliver Luke, costume design by Justin Kailer, lighting design by Michael Cole, and sound design by Adam Adolfo.



TICKET INFORMATION

MARIA DE BUENOS AIRES opens Friday May 11th and plays Fridays & Saturdays at 7:30 pm and Sunday Matinees at 2:30 pm through Sunday May 27th. Opening Night Gala Tickets are $25 for which includes Maria’s Midnight Milonga: a Private Gala after Party with the cast, staff, and donors of Artes de la Rosa. General Admission tickets for the rest of the run are $18 for adults and $15 for students and seniors, matinee prices are $15 and $10 respectively. For tickets or more information, call the Rose Marine Theater Box Office at (817) 624-8333. Special ticket prices are available for groups of 10 or more. Tickets can be purchased online at www.artesdelarosa.org.

ELECTRICIDAD's DANIELLE REBOLI KNOWS HOW TO GO FOR IT

Today we blog with a favorite among the Artes de la Rosa actress's. Danielle Reboli who has been seen in the past in shows at the Rose Marine Theatre including Cat on a Hot Tin Roof and Kiss of the Spiderwoman.

Friends have asked me, why “Electricidad”, why a Greek play, why now? Well that’s like asking me, why a Shakespeare, why a musical, why jazz and why gothic rock? They are all my passions. They are all big, larger than life, soulful, spiritual, dramatic, and have something to say, if you’re willing to listen. I never embraced video, perhaps, because while you play it “real”, the real was always too small for me.

Some of my closest friends know my aka is Athena. I was fortunate enough to play her during a Greek production while studying at Baylor. The actor playing ‘Zeus’, and I had to learn to walk on 3’ painter stilts for the opening and closing scenes. The effect was awesome but, have you ever tried to spin around, dance like, on 3’ stilts?! We wore them as often as possible while in the theater building, for a couple of weeks. Yes, that included other classes too, crazy fun.

While playing Athena, I dug into the myth and history of her and love that she’s a brilliant woman, always wanting to solve conflict with reason and negotiation, but if it comes down to it, she can kick some ass if she needs too! I challenge myself to keep that mantra in my professional and personal life, and it has served me well. Inspiring me to “go for it” and picking me up on a sad day.

When I’m not acting (and while I am), I’m a belly dancer as well. I Co-Direct ‘Brazen Bellies’, where my dance name is, you guessed it, Athena. www.brazenbellies.com

I challenge you to think of someone real, fictional, or mythological who inspires you to live big. Even if you’re not an actor with the opportunity to be in a Greek Tragedy, discover your own passions, and live them.

*Photo by Shannon Atkinson

26 MILES - ON THE JOURNEY; And now a word from our token gringa...

And now a word from our token gringa..

When Artes De La Rosa announced their 2011-2012 season, I wanted to know what the December play was all about! I had read A View From The Bridge before, being an Arthur Miller fan. But I had only heard a little bit about Quiara Alegria Hudes’ play, 26 Miles. Not being a latina, I usually throw the chance of being in another ADLR show, to the back of my mind. I've always enjoyed the way ADLR takes pride in their culture, in beautiful and classic plays (Cat on a Hot Tin Roof, View From The Bridge, The V-Monologues). Give the audience something they don't expect! But I'll tell you one thing.. It’s hard to find a theatre company that takes pride in Black Dutch/Cherokee Indian heritage!

Being a dance instructor for ADLR, 26 Miles kept my interest, seeing the season announcement on every brochure, poster, program, etc.. Something was calling me to read the script, and audition.

My best friend, who also works for ADLR, Rob Bosquez gave me a copy of the script one night at Stage West (A theatre also in Fort Worth). We also both work at SW in the Ol Vic’ Cafe. I sat down immediately, during my shift, and read the first few pages. I sipped on my ice cold diet dr pepper, snacked on veggie straws, in a dimly lit dinning area, and got lost in Hudes’ beautifully written piece. As my eyes traveled to the pages, the sentence that stuck with me, was the first in the script. It was a character description of Olivia. It read, OLIVIA: 15, looks white. Looks WHITE?! Did I read that right?! Well, I just might have a chance here..

Months later, I find myself at auditions, after reading the script dozens of times again. I read for Olivia, with a few ladies reading for the mother, Beatriz. A few days later, I read the email Adam sent offering me the role of Olivia, and all I could think was.. Well, they don’t call me the token gringa at ADLR, for NOTHING!

Half of the script, of 26 Miles, has to do with culture. It's important that the audience connects each character with where each character grew up. They all share different traditions, types of speech, manners.. And it all comes from their culture. I understand why Hudes' emphasizes why Olivia must look white, in the character description. She describes Beatriz as "Cuban, Dark Skin". It's very specifically written for each character's race.

It really is an honor to work with Adam Adolfo once again on the Rose Marine Stage. ADLR is great to work for, and they have never seriously offended me. Except for that one time the staff said my show proposition, "Cupcake; The Musical", wouldn't be a success. No hurt feelings, though.


-Georgia Marshelle Phillips
The Black Dutch, Cherokee, Gringa.

A View of A VIEW FROM THE BRIDGE: Preshow Actor Rituals and Superstitions!

Ever wonder what goes through an actor's head before they go on stage? Well wonder no more! Today the cast of A View From The Bridge, now open at Artes de la Rosa takes us through their preshow rituals and superstitions.

Alyssa Maldonado – “Before a show I like to do a lot of little stretching exercises! And i usually pray either on my way there or backstage like 15 minutes before the show. While I'm doing hair & makeup i like to just clear my mind of everything & just think about the show & each one of my scenes...Oh & breathing exercises help me stay calm too. ”

Fredy Edward Quiroga – “I usually workout before a show and then meditate…”

Laura L Watson – “I pray on the drive there- about 30 minutes worth- for everyone and everything. Once at the theatre, I do my hair and make up. Then I do my warm up on the stage- a mixture of dance stretches, pilates, and Linklater vocal work. It takes about 45 minutes. Once I'm warmed up, the house is open and I am banished to backstage where I finish dressing and review my entire script. I am often asked to lead a group warm up and energizer, which is always fun. Right before the SM calls places, it's breath mints, breath mints, breath mints! I am a creature of habit- it comfort and calms. I have no superstitions per se, but I respect and participate in any others have.”

Stephanie Cleghorn – “Prayer and lucky underwear.”

Eddie Zertuche – “Health first. Make sure I am fed and rested. Early in the day, I will scan my script for reinforcement of lines, blocking, direction, notes, etc... There is usually prayer/meditation all day long....basically trying to let my will go and put in the hands of something greater. This prevents any unnecessary thinking from occurring lol. The thinking is inevitable sometimes though. Warm ups prior to the show are helpful... stretching, breathing, vocals, etc. I do my best to welcome in the nerves. I treat it like its a normal, good thing because it is. No superstitions. Right before the show starts, I will find a quiet place, all to myself, and I will snap my fingers in comfortable rhythm and chant the words "It's gonna be right" over and over again. Smell the roses. Blow out the candle.”

Jacqui Rash - “This is my first play so I will pray for a wonderful show and that everyone will be happy with their performance. No stressful work, "Well, take it easy."

Jp Cano – “A lit bit of everything... some pray to God/Universe and some stretching/vocalization. I always have that Love/hate feeling for opening night that is amazing...I always feel like I need to go to the bathroom just before my first entrance to the stage, so I do go to the bathroom hehe!! No superstitions at all... life is acting... acting is life!! Oh something else...just before we start I really like to express to my cast members "break a leg" or "mierda" (I know, disgusting, but that's a Spanish ritual word)."

Carlos Iruegas – “I spend time with family and friends and make sure I laugh, so i remember to have fun and not take myself to seriously.”

Yvonne Duque – “I burn sage and face the four directions…”


Cole Spivey – “I used to be afraid of the color purple. I am no longer afraid of the color purple because I was overloaded with so much purple during this show that I became cured. On the other hand, I'll never say The Scottish Play cursed name anywhere near a stage. It starts with Mc. . .”

A View From The Bridge - TEASER TRAILER

Art & Heart: Finding Valentin

Today, Artes de la Rosa sits down with actor/singer and leading man, Keith J. Warren to discuss the very personal journey he's taking starring as Valentin in our production of Kander and Ebb's KISS OF THE SPIDERWOMAN.

As an actor, it’s been my personal experience that several pieces have stuck with me for a long time. I think Kiss of the Spider Woman has been one of those stories where I’ve seen many different sides of the spectrum in terms of love, life, relationships, and self awareness.


I first became familiar with the story after seeing the 1985 film starring William Hurt and Raul Julia. Both of which are actors whom I admire a great deal for their versatile abilities. The film was indeed a favorite of mine and upon my discovery of the musical version, I was very intrigued at how the piece was lavishly reborn in musical form. Even before I had seen the show actually produced on stage, I was able to see the story colorfully brought to life in my mind through the musical album, as performed by its original stars, Chita Rivera, Brent Carver, and Anthony Crivello.

The story itself is a love story a lot like that of the classic French faerie tale, Beauty and the Beast, where we have Valentin, a man who seems trapped inside himself with a deeper and tenderer soul than Molina experiences in the beginning of their relationship. The two of them discover, not only the unseen beauty within each other, but even more so within themselves, which they eventually embrace and, in turn, grow closer together as men, friends, and lovers.

Valentin has faced a lot of hardship in his life, but I think what makes his character the most interesting is that his heart is more open than the story lets on to begin with. This is a quality that I feel a lot of male actors tend to discard when playing similar roles, such as Billy Bigelow in Carousel. Another role I’ve portrayed and have come to love for a great deal of the same reasons. These are men who are given the guises of bellowing, arrogant jerks who seem to find pleasure in grunting about as the “alpha leading man”, as it were. But these men, particularly Valentin, have so much heart and endearment to them that just cannot be ignored. And very well shouldn’t be, otherwise they’re very shallow men, to say the least.

I think Valentin’s passion for his political cause, as well as his personal relationships, give his story an inspirational turn that most people don’t expect at first. The music constantly stirs me emotionally and even in the darker numbers, there are glimmers of hope, which leaves me wondering where Valentine and Molina’s story will go from there.

I feel that this show is not only a beautiful piece, but a great artistic challenge that allows you to bring a great story to life. What these men learn about each other and themselves, I feel, will really open people’s eyes in many ways. This is definitely not a show for those that have trouble with open minded ideals or willingness of acceptance. So, perhaps we can tell a story that will open some eyes and leave people with broadened perspectives of ideals that may not always be easy to embrace, but will have a positive outcome in the end.

FIRST LOOK AT KISS OF THE SPIDERWOMAN

Here's your first look at KISS OF THE SPIDERWOMAN The Musical that opens March 31st at the Rose Marine Theater. Tickets now on Sale!


FEEL HER KISS - This Spring at the Rose Marine Theater
Kiss of the Spiderwoman: (Left tor Right; Emily Kate Hardy (The Spiderwoman), Keith J. Warren (Valentin), Jason Robert Villarreal (Molina).

Directed by Adam Adolfo
Photo by Shannon Atkinson