Kiss Of The Spider Woman-the Musical

Kiss of the Spider Woman (originally a novel by Manual Puig; a film version was released in 1984) was originally presented in 1990 as a work in progress at the Performing Arts Center of the State University of New York in Purchase, New York, and was eventually revised and presented first in Toronto and then in London. The grim story of life in a prison cell in a South American police state unfolds the changing relationship between Molina (Brent Carver) a gay window dresser jailed on a morals charge and his heterosexual cellmate Valentin (Anthony Crivello), a revolutionary. The warden enlists Molina to get Valentin to reveal his fellow revolutionaries. To survive the brutality of prison life, Molina dreams of Aurora, the Spider Woman (Chita Rivera), a grade-B movie star and relates her adventures to Valentin. During the run Chita Rivera was replaced by Vanessa Williams and later by Maria Concita Alonso. Jeff Hyslop and later Howard McGillian, replaced Brent Carver, and Anthony Crivello was replaced by Brian Mitchell.

Music

John Kander

Lyrics

Fred Ebb

Book

Terrence McNally; based on the novel by Manuel Puig