“Broadway’s Latino Invasion…”
By Cris Franco
Whether you’re a NewYorican visiting the homeland or a Mexifornian in a New York state of mind, we’re happy to report that the city that never sleeps currently offers turistas plenty of reasons to stay awake by way of its world-class theatrical offerings; many featuring our ever-growing talent pool now gracing Broadway’s legendary stages. Here’s What to see in NYC: Summer of 2015!
Photo by Joan Marcus
No show currently running better demonstrates Broadway’s Latino invasion than On the Town which counts among its cast members the impressive talents of (Billy Elliot Tony Winner) David Alvarez, Paloma Garcia-Lee, Kristine Covillo, Michael Rosen and Ricky Ubeda. All the aforementioned Broadway babies helped this dynamic production earn four Tony Award nominations, including Best Musical Revival. This colorful re-imagining of Leonard Bernstein’s all-American score exuberantly recounts the story of three World War II sailors trying to cram a year’s worth of fun into one 24-hour leave. During which time they sing and dance themselves into a whirlwind tour of La Manzana Grande. Starring top-notch triple-threat Tony nominee, Tony Yazbeck, the eye-popping sets, costumes and lighting, plus exciting choreography, will make you understand why the entire world travels to see a musical on Broadway.
Steven Boyer in a scene from Robert Askins’ “Hand To God” on Broadway. (Photo by Joan Marcus)
If you’re Catholic (and what Latino isn’t?), seeing the shockingly brilliant new serio-comedy Hand to God will give you a reason to go to confession. Penned by bartender/playwright Robert Askins and nominated for 5 Tony Awards (including Best Play!) this devilishly good dramedy could be described as the evil spawn of Avenue Q and The Exorcist. A riotous smash-hit, it explores what happens when a puppet in the Christian Puppet Ministry gets possessed by Satan, as in El Diablo from the Loteria cards. Set in the devout bible-belt border state of Texas, this audacious new entertainment takes its audience from the profound to the profane as it explores the fragile nature of faith by way of live on-stage, hard-core, hand puppet sex. (We’re talking full puppet penetration, amigos.) The multi-Tony nominated cast, LYAO dialogue and WTF?! plot will keep you roaring and cringing simultaneously. See it. It would be a sin to miss Hand to God.
Kelli O’Hara (Anna), Ken Watanabe (King of Siam), and the cast of ‘The King and I.’ Photo by Paul Kolnik.
The opulent 1956 Oscar Award winning film version of The King and I cast Latinos Rita Moreno (Tuptim) and Carlos Rivas (LunTha) as the Siamese star-crossed lovers. Both actors rose to the Technicolor occasion by virtue of their wide-screen talents aided by a little skin bronzer make-up. The Lincoln Center’s glorious new production of this Rogers and Hammerstein classic demonstrates how sometimes ethnically correct casting can be the magic element in turning something familiar into something fresh and fantastic. Japanese film star, Ken Watanabe as the “King” and Filipina Ruthie Ann Miles as “Lady Thiang” (both Tony nominees) head a sterling cast of Broadway’s finest Asian-American and Pacific-Islander talent. A welcome sight, indeed, as this new King and I brings authenticity to this tale of “Anna Leonowens,” a British schoolteacher (played by six-time Tony nominee Kelli O’Hara) and her unexpected relationship with the imperious King of Siam. Garnering nine Tony nominations including Best Musical Revival, Best Choreography, Costume, Lighting and Scenic Design, one is hard-pressed to find a more satisfying musical on the Great White Way than the great The King and I.
What has 10 Tony nominations and 10 thousand laughs? Broadway’s newest musical comedy smash, Something Rotten! And what’s so funny? Well… everything. Set in 1590’s England, Nick Bottom (Tony nominee Brian d’Arcy James) is desperate for a box-office bonanza, but his productions are always overshadowed by that Renaissance rock star, “Shakespeare” (Tony nominee Christian Borle). In his effort to create a show to best The Bard, Bottom accidentally/on-purpose creates the first musical! This laugh-a-second celebration in song and satire is a blast from our Renaissance past and is the rightful successor to Spamalot and The Producers. But Something Rotten! brings us a rarity in today’s Broadway: a completely original musical comedy. With LOL performances by the brilliant Brad Oscar and the sublime Brooks Ashmanskas, if you’ve got two heads and you wanna laugh one off, then get ye to the funnery at the Saint James Theater to see the outrageous Something Rotten!
If you’re looking for a night of beauty and elegance set in the magical world of La Belle Époque Paris, where fashion, glamour and passion prevail, Lerner and Loewe’s celebrated musical romantic comedy Gigi is your cup of tea. This dazzling production follows one young woman’s journey to find her true self — and her true love. Latina/Filipina?Vanessa Hudgens (Disney’s High School Musical) is a sparkling revelation as the budding young “Gigi”. She leads a gifted all-singing, all-dancing cast including Jeffrey C. Sousa, Karla Puno Garcia and Tanairi Sade Vazquez in this Tony and Academy Award-winning musical. This glistening production shimmers like a flute of the bubbly with sumptuous sets, glorious gowns and dancing, dancing, dancing! Broadway’s new Gigi is the perfect date play, as it will get every couple thinking about the power and magic of love! It’s a true miracle of a musical — thank heaven for Gigi!
Roberta Colindrez and Joel Perez and the cast of “Fun Home” . Photo: (c) Joan Marcus
With 12 Tony Award nominations and a cast of only nine actors, Fun Home is the biggest little musical on Broadway counting among its principal cast members the talented Roberta Conlindrez and Joel Perez. Intelligent and inventive, this is tale of a lesbian daughter’s memories upon realization that her now deceased father was a closeted gay man. Her tender recollections lead us into an unexpected musical journey where the very original score by Tony nominees Jeanine Tesori (music) and Lisa Kron (lyrics) guides the audience to understand that families are about shared connections – experiential, emotional and spiritual. This reviewer was brought to tears of joy by its groundbreaking and heartbreaking story. Fun Home will be forever be considered as a bold step forward in the evolution of the American musical. Anyone wanting to see the musical of tomorrow, today — must witness the delightful and daring Fun Home.
Finding Neverland (c) Carol Rosegg Matthew Morrison (center) and Kelsey Grammer (Captain Hook, front right) with the ensemble of Finding Neverland
The 2004 Academy Award-winning film, Finding Neverland, gave us the true and touching back-story behind literature’s greatest children’s story, Peter Pan. This new spell-bindingly-beautiful musical of the same name follows how playwright J.M Barrie (Glee’s Matthew Morrison) finds the inspiration and courage to create Neverland through the fanciful musings of a lovely widow’s four young fatherless boys. And in doing so learns that when you believe in yourself and your dreams – you can fly! This exciting new musical, co-starring Kelsey Grammar, (Frasier) in a dual role as “Captain Hook” and Barrie’s tenacious theater producer “Charles Frohman,” is sheer stage magic. With supporting players Carolee Carmello, Julius Anthony Rubio and Jamie Verazin, Finding Neverland sparkles throughout — with an Act 1 finale you’ll never forget. If you’re longing for theatrical thrills, fly to see Finding Neverland.
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