West Valley City • Comparing musical theater to certain genres of popular music is lazy, to be sure, but useful in the case of "Zorro," the new musical running in a national premiere at Hale Centre Theatre.
Consider the ways in which "Sweeney Todd" would appeal to the goth-rock contingent, or anyone with a penchant for black eyeliner and pale skin. Consider the ways in which songs from "Little Shop of Horrors" would slide easily onto an R&B radio playlist.
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Hale Center Theatre’s ‘Zorro’
A Latin-spiced musical that’s too epic for it’s own good — but still lots of fun.
When » Reviewed Thursday, Feb. 16; continues through April 11. Mondays-Saturdays, 7:30 p.m. with Saturday matinees 12:30 p.m. and 4 p.m. No matinee performances March 31.
Where » Hale Centre Theatre, 3333 S. Decker Lake Drive, West Valley City
Tickets » $15-$26. Call 801-984-9000 or visit www.halecentretheatre.org for more information.
Running time » Three hours, including one 10-minute intermission
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Never mind the tired label of rock opera. Setting aside the ebullient Latin music coursing through "Zorro," this musical has all the outward appearances of heavy-metal music.
The story and music together lumber in loud, often slow and exaggerated steps. Then, like a car-chase movie scene, it dashes headlong toward its next sword fight. The story is pure melodrama, as it touches on themes of inter-sibling rivalry and love’s demands on human courage. Pyrotechnic derring-do and magic tricks throughout give this production an almost carnival atmosphere. But unlike heavy metal music, the show takes a breather now and then to laugh at itself. At nearly three hours long, it would have to.
"Zorro," in short, plays to all of Hale Centre Theatre’s strengths in set design, choreography and special effects. We also get the vibrant music of The Gipsy Kings, partly co-composed and adapted by John Cameron. The entire extravaganza’s energy and Latin fire seemed to burst out of the seams of Hale’s arena theater. Serious theater aficionados might turn their noses at the prospect of so much blatant spectacle, but this "Zorro" rocks.
In earlier productions, "Zorro" was a hit with audiences in Europe, Israel and Brazil. And the story of how the musical came to West Valley City for its United States premiere is a story in itself, artfully supplied in the playbill by executive producer Sally Dietlein. The atmosphere was charged in the Thursday-night audience, thanks to the presence of John Gertz, the man behind Zorro Productions who granted Hale production rights.
The story seems almost superfluous at times, but manages to generate tension here and there. In the early 19th-century, after a few wild years among a band in Gypsies in Barcelona, Don Diego de la Vega (Derek Smith in the Tuesday, Thursday and Saturday cast) returns to his home in Los Angeles to find brother Ramon ruling the people with an iron fist and harboring designs on Luisa, the secret flame of Diego’s heart. Deciding that justice must be served, Diego dons cape, hat and sword to become Zorro, aiming to foil and smite his brother.
Serving as Diego’s back-up is Inez, played with undeniable flair by Victoria Greco. A saucy and spirited Gypsy woman of expert dance steps and a love for a good party, Inez lends great fun to every scene in which she appears. Paired with Jeffrey Whitlock as Garcia — Ramon’s right-hand-man —the two consume more than their share of scenery. In fact, they easily match or surpass the show’s leads. Derek Smith plays a fine Diego/Zorro, but Jacquelyne Jones as Luisa sets her eyes on auto-glare too often.
There are sticky moments here and there. Scenes of peasant women under duress don’t quite convince. The script has problems. Other than milking some terribly outdated humor, it’s not clear why Diego tricks Ramon from discovering his identify as Zorro by playing an effeminate gay man.
All told, though, "Zorro" makes one exotic peacock feather in Hale Centre Theatre’s cap. When theater is this full-blooded, dwelling on itchy details means you’ll miss out on the sensual thrills.
Twitter:@Artsalt
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