Kiss of the Spider Woman - The Musical at the Sanford Meisner Theater

The Vortex Theater Company have announced the cast for their re-working of the musical Kiss of the Spider Woman - The Musical, book by Terrence McNally, with music by John Kander and lyrics by Fred Ebb - based on the novel by Manuel Puig, playing at the Sanford Meisner Theater from 10 Sep - 6 Oct 2007.

Directed by Gisela Cardenas, Kiss of the Spider Woman - The Musical features Liza Baron, Michael Beatty, Gabe Belyeu, Damian deShaun Smith, Max Ferguson, Marc Ginsburg, Harold Lewter, David Macaluso, Kim Shipley, Nikki Van Cassele, Rolfe Winkler and Michael Yeshion.

Kiss of the Spider Woman - The Musical: Luis Alberto Molina, a gay window dresser, is serving his third year of an eight-year-sentence for corrupting a minor. He lives in a fantasy world to flee the prison life, the torture, fear and humiliation. His fantasies turn mostly around movies, especially around a diva, Aurora. He loves her in all roles, but one scares him: This role is the spider woman, who kills with her kiss.

One day, a new man is brought in his cell: Valentin Arregui Paz, a Marxist revolutionary, already in a bad state of health after torture. Molina cares for him and tells him of Aurora. But Valentin can't stand Molina and his theatratical fantasies.

This is the first New York revival of Kiss of the Spider Woman - The Musical since the show premiered on Broadway in 1993 at the Broadhurst Theatre. The show won seven Tony Awards, including Best Musical, Best Score and Best Book.

The press notes describe the prduction as "pairing this traditional musical with a creative team well-versed in experimental theater, the Vortex will create a unique theatrical event that joins political ideology with a cabaret aesthetic. The result will be a provocative new staging of this testament to the power of imagination under the most extreme circumstances."

The design team comprises of Jian Jung (sets), Oana Botez-Ban (costumes), Lucrecia Briceno (lighting) and Marcelo Anez (Sound).