Isabel Allende Producing Zorro: the Musical
I find it fascinating that “fine artists” – people with serious high-falutin’ credibility in the fine arts – are lending their talents to stage productions these days. Julie Taymor directing the Lion King is a good example. Latest case in point: Isabel Allende is directing, of all things, Zorro: the Musical.
“I am a serious writer!”
That’s what she said when she was approached by John Gertz and Sandra Curtis, from Zorro Productions, who asked her to write the story of how Diego de la Vega became Zorro.
Looking at the story, though, she fell in love with the tale all over again. “There is too much injustice: we need many Zorros to change the world…We can all dream that even without a mask and a whip we can become daring, clever and brave heroes.” In his many incarnations, from pulp fiction to Antonio Banderas, he is sort of a Batman without a utility belt, relying on his sword (and occasional whip) to right wrongs and injustices. As a Hispanic living in California, Allende found many common causes with the hero, and in 2005, Zorro: a Novel was published. “As an Hispanic immigrant, I am particularly drawn to Zorro, he is the voice of all of us who have become the scapegoats of the xenophobic sentiments of many people in the United States.” In fact, Allende likened his battle for justice to the work of her foundation, inspired by her daughter Paula, to help women of the world achieve social and economic equality,
Taking Passionate Justice to the Stage
But the message sounds far from cold. Allende calls the Zorro of the musical (re-imagined by Stephen Clark) “the ideal Latin hero” and describes a production filled with sleight of hand, clever escapes, romantic gestures, and, of course, swordfights. All happening to the accompaniment of the flamenco music of the Gypsy Kings. Sounds like a hit, or at least a really fun night.
Find out more at Zorro: the Musical. And while we’re on the subject -they’re already at work on Spider-Man: the Musical. So why not take a look at the poll over there on the right and tell me what comic book hero you’d like to see put to song next?
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