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.

 

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

 

Reviewed by Tony Annicone

 

Lyric Stage of Boston’s first show of their season is “Kiss of the Spider Woman”, the winner of the 1993 Tony Award. “Kiss of the Spider Woman” recounts a harrowing tale of persecution into a dazzling spectacle that juxtaposes gritty realities with liberating fantasies about two very different cell mates. The cell mates are in a Latin American prison, Valentin is a tough revolutionary journalist undergoing torture and Molina is an “unabashed homosexual” serving eight years for deviant behavior.

Read more “Lyric’s KISS OF THE SPIDER WOMAN a Gritty, Liberating Love Story”