All tagged Maria Conchita Alonso

Broadway Musical Time Machine: Looking Back at Kiss of the Spider Woman

Quite possibly the darkest of all musicals to grace the Broadway stage, but also a musical that is overflowing with hope and courage, Kiss of the Spider Woman opened on Broadway in 1993 and went on to win the Tony Award for Best Musical. The amazing part of this show's journey is rewinding a few years and examining its genesis and uphill climb to reach Broadway. If ever there was a "Little Engine That Could", Kiss of the Spider Woman overcame many odds to reach the Great White Way.

"Where You Are" - Moments of Perfection

Every once in a while you experience a moment in theatre of sheer perfection. Maybe not the entire show, but moments that make your heart skip a beat. In 1993, I made my way to the Broadhurst Theatre to see a musical I had been anticipating with every fiber of my being: Chita Rivera in Kiss of the Spider Woman. To be honest, I had not read the book or seen the film and the only allure the show held for me was my first chance to see Ms. Rivera ignite the footlights. She is unlike any of our other divas. There is a humble way about her. She wears her half-century of service like a badge of honor rather than a diva's crown. She is accessible is ways that some of the other big stars are not. I had loved her from the first minute I put on the original Broadway cast of Bye, Bye, Birdie and heard her expertly navigate her way though "An English Teacher." I was hooked.