Lyric Casts a Seductive Spell with “Kiss of the Spider Woman”

 

By Michele Markarian

 

‘Kiss of the Spider Woman’ – Book by Terrence McNally. Music by John Kander, Lyrics by Fred Ebb.  Based on the novel by Manuel Puig. Directed and Choreographed by Rachel Bertone.  Musical Director, Dan Rodriguez.  Scenic Design by Janie E. Howland. Costume Design by Marian Bertone. Lighting Design by Frank Meissner Jr. Sound Design by Andrew Duncan Will. Presented by Lyric Stage Company of Boston, 140 Clarendon Street, Boston, MA, through October 7.

 

I have to admit, I had little curiosity about this musical. The score is not something you hear a lot, with the exception of “Kiss of the Spider Woman”, and I’d never seen the film – too many of my gay friends had complained about William Hurt’s performance not being authentic enough.  The Lyric Stage’s production is a marvelous revelation, with wonderful acting and a sophisticated score that will leave you wondering why this musical isn’t performed more often.

 

 

 

Molina (Eddy Cavazos) and Valentin (Taavon Gamble) are unlikely cellmates in an Argentine prison.  Molina, who is gay, is imprisoned for attempting to seduce a minor; Valentin, for being part of a Marxist rebellion.  Both men dwell in their illusionary worlds. Molina, whose widowed mother (Johanna Carlisle-Zepeda) was an usher in a movie theater, is fixated on celluloid, in particular, on a screen star named Aurora (Lisa Yuen). All of Aurora’s film roles delight Molina, except for one – the Spider Woman.  Whomever she kisses, dies. Valentin is absorbed in Marxism, which serves as a salve to his impoverished childhood. He is fiercely protective of his comrades-in-arms, refusing, despite being tortured, to inform on his friends. When the Warden (Luis Negron) notices a burgeoning friendship between the two men, he bribes Molina with the promise of freedom to extract information out of Molina, particularly the name of his girlfriend, Marta (Katrina Zofia). Molina, in love with Valentin, won’t deliver, which leads to his downfall.  But as this is a love story, and he chooses willingly and happily.

 

Director Rachel Bertone and her excellent cast deliver a show that’s gritty and believable. Janie E. Howland’s set, augmented by Frankin Meissner Jr’s lighting, depicts such a bleak, dank prison you can almost smell it. Marian Bertone’s costumes are right on the mark, from dingy prison garb to Hollywood glamour. Rachel Bertone’s choreography is fantastic; the male dancers, some big and burly, move with elegance and grace (my favorite was the Orderlies, during the remarkable “Morphine Tango”). Prisoners are not spared any violence; there is even a scene when a visitor from Amnesty International comes to observe and take notes, as he’s heard that prisoners are being tortured (nothing ever happens, though. So caught up was I in the moment that it crossed my mind to up my donation to Amnesty International).

 

 

It’s rare to find a musical where the book is as interesting as the score, allowing the actors some real material to sink their teeth into, but that’s exactly what “Kiss of the Spiderwoman” does.  As Molina, Eddy Cavazos is funny, adorable and heartbreaking. His voice is beautiful and affecting, particularly on “Mama, It’s Me”. Taavon Gamble, one of the more versatile actors working on the Boston stage today, is superb as Valentin. He allows himself to be affected by Molina and we watch, scene by scene, as his character breaks down the protective layer he’s built around himself. Lisa Yuen, as Aurora, is the epitome of femininity and glamour; it is easy to see why the effeminate Molina is so taken with her. Luis Negron plays the Warden with chilling charm.  Katrina Zofia, as Marta, is a wonderful singer, and shines, along with the dulcet-toned Johanna Carlisle-Zapata (Molina’s Mother) in “Dear One”, a gorgeous quartet where the women are joined by Cavazos and Gamble.

 

So whether you’re a fan of the movie or not, you don’t want to miss this remarkable production, where fine acting, singing, dancing and storytelling merge to create an experience that will stay with you long after the applause has faded. For tickets and info, go to: https://www.lyricstage.com/productions/kiss-of-the-spider-woman/