KISS OF THE SPIDER WOMAN

Broadway opening: May 3rd, 1993 - Run: 906 performances

Directed by Harold Prince - Book by Terrence McNally - Based on the Novel by Manuel Puig - Choreography by Vincent Paterson & Rob Marshall - Orchestrations by Michael Gibson

Cast: Chita Rivera (Aurora), Brent Carver (Molina), Anthony Crivello (Valentin), Merle Louise, Kirsti Carnahan, Jerry Christakos, Herndon Lackey, Keith McDaniel, Robert Montano, Dan O'Grady, Raymond Rodriguez

The plot: In a prison in South America, Molina, a gay window dresser arrested on morals charges, and Valentin, a revolutionary, are forced to share the same prison cell. While the later is a pessimistic guy, the former lives of movie fantasies where he dreams of a great movie star, Aurora. Freedom is offered to Molina if he gets Valentin to reveal the names of his fellow revolutionaries, but in the meanwhile Molina falls in love with him.

Awards: TTony for Best Musical, Actor (Brent Carver), Actress (Chita Rivera), Featured Actor (Anthony Crivello), Book, Original Score, and Costume Design. Drama Desk Award for Outstanding Musical, Actor (Brent Carver), Actress (Chita Rivera), Music and Costume Design. Theatre World Award for Brent Carver (1993) and Vanessa Williams (1995).

Awards Nominations: Tony for Best Director, Scenic Design, Lighting Design and Choreography. Drama Desk for Outstanding Set Design.

Tracks: Her Name is Aurora - Over the Wall - Bluebloods - Dressing Them Up - I Draw a Line - Dear One - Where You Are - Marta - I Do Miracles - Gabriel's Letter - My First Woman - Morphine Tango - You Could Never Shame Me - A Visit - She's a Woman - Gimme Love - Russian Movie - Good Times - The Day After That - Mama, It's Me - Anything for Him - Kiss of the Spider Woman - Only in the Movies 

Photos by Martha Swope / New York Public Library