Blankenbuehler-helmed KISS OF THE SPIDER WOMAN in the works? — Page 4

Very good points! I suppose we'll have to wait and see.

My main fear for this production is that it's going to try to open the same season as the Cabaret transfer, and just be absolutely forgotten in the wake of all the star-power and name recognition of Cabaret. As I said in another thread, Cabaret is perhaps my favorite musical, but I worry it will absolutely eclipse Spider Woman (which, I would argue, is a more ambitious show in certain ways).

RippedMan said: "I've never seen Spider Woman, so that peaks my interest. I love Cabaret, but to me how many different ways can you really do that show? I'd still see the revival, but this show is the more interesting, daring choice. But hey, 2 Kander and Ebb shows on Broadway. I'll take it. But that's why this one has to be some talked about show to survive. It can't just be good."

Could be 4 Kander/Ebb shows running simultaneously, assuming both of these shows transfer, Chicago is still running, and New York, New York survives (unlikely, though).

Forgive me if I'm wrong, but Fall and Spring would still have them competing for the same season in terms of Tony awards? The cutoff this year was late April. (EDIT: I realize June is the end of Spring, but I just find it unlikely Cabaret would open so early in the season, as shows that open right after the Tony awards risk being forgotten about for the next season)
I do think it will need more than one name to be financially successful, although I'm not sure I agree Aurora only appears "occasionally". She's onstage quite a bit and gets the show's biggest, flashiest numbers. I would envision this being more of a limited run in the vein of Parade or Into the Woods, though, and gaining critical acclaim as opposed to trying to be a financial blockbuster.

Updated On: 7/5/23 at 04:59 PM

inception said: "I don't know ifWilson Jermaine Heredia is still a big enough star? Rent was a long time ago."

I don't think his name would sell many tickets these days and he's also about 20 years too old for the role.

Molina is Robin De Jesus.

I don't remember who Valentin is.

Oof. If it’s Munoz, hard pass. De Jesus is a bit too on the nose, but not against it.

I can't shake the feeling that Wilson Cruz will somehow be involved. He presented a major award at the Tonys this year, and he hasn't been on Broadway in a bit, so it felt a lot like Lea Michele at last years Tonys.

A tease before an announcement.....

The three leads are a done deal.

MayAudraBlessYou2 said: "DeBose is the star casting."

LOL
Her agent wishes.

It’s similar to Truman Capote begging to become a woman as a child in one of his autobiographical works. Was that just his way of processing queerness, or would he have rejected masculinity in favor of a more fluid identity if he’d had the vocabulary and the framework in his day?

The Distinctive Baritone said: "Yes, although the play takes place in a time when being gay and gender-non-conforming were typically conflated, and “non-binary” wasn’t really in our lexicon yet. Casting Molina with a GNC/non-binary actor wouldn’t necessarily be more authentic, as Molina wouldn’t think of himself that way."

I'd like to push back on the idea that Molina doesn't think of himself that way. In the musical, I agree that he doesn't: he's written as a gay man. I also think your reading of "She's A Woman" is the intended reading (I simply suggest that it's also open to a trans reading). However, the novel is a different story.

Molina pointedly states that he and his friends are a different type of homosexual:
"...there's the other kind [of homosexual] who fall in love with one another. But as for my friends and myself, we're a hundred percent female. We don't go in for those little games--that's strictly for homos. We're normal women; we sleep with men."
Molina also repeatedly corrects Valentin when he calls Molina a man, such as:
"Molina: Want me to go on with the film?
Valentin: Sure, man.
Molina: Man? Where's a man? Don't let him go."

Is it accurate to say Molina is nonbinary, genderqueer, or a trans woman? No, because Molina never specifies his identity, and projecting modern identities onto people is often reductive. However, I'd say it is clear the character in the novel does not fit neatly within the gender binary. I actually recently read a dissertation discussing the character's gender, so this isn't a completely fringe reading of the text. Even the wikipedia page for the novel is listed under "novels with transgender themes".

Now, all of this applies to the novel, and the musical is a different beast. I'm simply saying that it would be interesting to explore some of the complexities of the character's identity in a revival of the show. Casting an actor who is not a cis man could, I think, highlight a layer of the character that wasn't able to be explored in the 90s. It would also speak to our current sociopolitical landscape in a way that would make the show feel vital, and also feel like a fresh take instead of a retread.

Updated On: 7/6/23 at 05:01 PM

Thanks, Nicticorax. Although I’ve been in the musical version (not as Molina) and know it well, I’ve only ever skimmed the novel/play. You’re right - that sounds pretty genderqueer!