Cisco Lopez (Diego/Zorro), Emmanuel Ramirez (Ramon) in Music Theater Works’ ZORRO: THE MUSICAL, August 12, 2022 – August 21, 2022 on the North Shore Middle for the Performing Arts in Skokie.
Little question about it: Music Theater Works invariably takes on huge, difficult exhibits, assembles a first-rate orchestra, and gathers massive casts and expert design groups. Its manufacturing of “Zorro: The Musical,” a present that had its world premiere in London in 2008, and is now receiving its Chicago space debut at Music Theater Works’ residence base on the North Shore Middle for the Performing Arts, is a living proof.
That stated, regardless of its many virtues and bold grand-scale staging, sturdy voices, daring swordplay, flamenco gypsy dances, lavish costumes, a story of bitter sibling rivalry, political oppression and romance, plus the rousing music of the Gipsy Kings (together with the irresistible “Bamboleo”) this tackle the “Zorro” story wants work.
The script, penned by Stephen Clark and Helen Edmundson (primarily based on a novel by the esteemed author Isabel Allende), may gain advantage from some critical tightening. To place it merely, the present — energetically directed by Adrian Abel Azevedo, with music path by Justin Kono — is simply too lengthy.
The story of the fabled “masked man” is about primarily within the Spanish settlement of the early 1800s generally known as the Pueblo de Los Angeles. It begins as Don Alejandro (Luis A. Galvez), the growing old father of Diego (Cisco Lopez), decides to ship his son to Barcelona, Spain for the upper training that may put together him to develop into the Pueblo’s future chief. In the meantime, the resentful Ramon (Emmanuel Ramirez), a up to date of Diego, grabs energy, imprisons Don Alejandro, and turns right into a merciless, tyrannical dictator within the colony.
Diego, who early on captured the center of Luisa (Laura Quinones), the younger girl within the Pueblo who adores him, and who he should go away behind, turns into entranced by the Spanish gypsy neighborhood he encounters in Barcelona, and by Inez (Alix Rhode), the hot-blooded flamenco dancer who pursues him, and may be very completely different from Luisa.
Lina Bulovaite, Jocelyn Leving, Karla Tennies Koziura (Flamenco Dancers and Ensemble) in Music Theater Works’ ZORRO: THE MUSICAL, August 12, 2022 – August 21, 2022 on the North Shore Middle for the Performing Arts in Skokie.
However when Diego returns to Los Angeles (together with Inez and her buddies), he learns of his father’s imprisonment, and is set to liberate each him and the residents of the Pueblo. Disguised by what is going to develop into his emblematic black cape and masks, and by the very good swordsmanship he picked up in Spain, Diego assumes the guise of Zorro (Spanish for “Fox”), and at each potential flip tries to defeat Ramon and his troopers. Luisa doesn’t notice who he actually is, however is interested in the person who comes out of nowhere, dares to combat Ramon, and might by no means be pinned down as he makes an attempt to rid the Pueblo of its ruthless dictator.
As Diego/Zorro, Lopez is tireless as he fights injustice, wields his sword towards a number of enemies, and tries to take care of the 2 girls in his life. Quinones and Rhode each have powerhouse voices and seize the very completely different personalities of Luisa and Inez. A trio of Flamenco dancers (Lina Bulovaite, Jocelyn Leving and Karla Tennies Koziura) is excellent, with choreography by Luis Beltran Urena. Nick Sandys’ combat choreography is filled with derring-do. And Diego Salcedo’s onstage guitar work units the temper for a lot of scenes.
As Ramon, Ramirez captures the spirit of a cold-blooded dictator, Galvez suggests the knowledge and forbearance of a person who has seen all of it, and J. Christian Hill deftly suggests the ambivalent sentiments of Garcia, who performs Ramon’s underling.
Adriana Diaz’s character-defining costumes, and the set design by Jacqueline & Richard Penrod, seize the story’s two worlds: a long-ago Los Angeles, and the flamboyant spirit of Barcelona and its gypsy tradition.
Clearly there may be a lot to admire on this manufacturing, however it might positively profit from remodeling and tightening of its script.
“Zorro: The Musical,” runs via Aug. 21 on the North Shore Middle for The Performing Arts, 9501 Skokie Blvd., Skokie.
For tickets go to: musictheaterworks.com or name (847) 673-6300.
Music Theater Works has introduced an formidable 2023 season lineup together with:
• “Avenue Q” (March 9 – April 2, 2023)
• “Pippin” (June 1 – June 25)
• “The Producers” (Aug. 11 – Aug. 21)
• “Brigadoon” (Oct. 19 – Nov. 12)
• “Shrek: The Musical” (Dec. 2 – Dec. 23)
Comply with Hedy Weiss on Twitter: @HedyWeissCritic