Hale Centre Theatre (HCT), Utah’s Premiere Family Theatre, will bring Spanish and theatrical flair to the United States premiere of “Zorro,” Feb. 15 through April 11.
HCT’s production of the musical, which made its debut on London’s West End and in subsequent productions in 10 countries to date, will feature dramatic effects, flamboyant sets and costumes and a versatile cast of strong vocalists, dancers and athletes. “Zorro” features music from The Gipsy Kings, authentic Flamenco dancing, Spanish guitar, illusion, mystique and romance.
HCT’s set is designed around Zorro’s prominent themes of fire, flying and magic. The HCT technical crew collaborated with pyrotechnics experts and Las Vegas illusionists to design and develop sets, props and effects that accentuate the musical’s strong story. This includes torches, fireballs, flying and grand entrances with dramatic flames.
“‘Zorro’ requires a lot of spectacle and is pushing everything we are able to do at HCT,” Technical Director Kacey Udy said. “While our production offers something completely different from anything to ever grace a Utah stage, our goal was to stay true to the story.”
HCT was granted the rights to “Zorro” after Executive Producer Sally Dietlein approached John Gertz, president and founder of Zorro Productions, who is responsible for development of the musical and has collaborated with Stephen Spielberg on the two blockbuster “Zorro” films. After visiting Utah and experiencing HCT’s production of “A Tale of Two Cities” in March 2011, Gertz gave HCT the green light and began collaborating on the premiere.
“It’s our ambition to go to Broadway and beyond,”Gertz said. “We’re constantly improving the show. Producing it in the round — while it will be very different from later productions — will provide us with the opportunity to learn something new. I have been very impressed the Hale Centre Theatre, their production quality and their attention to detail. I look forward to ‘Zorro’ performing on their stage.”
Following HCT’s eight-week run of “Zorro,” the original London production of the musical will play at the Alliance Theater in Atlanta and at the Ahmanson in Los Angeles and will then embark on a 90-week tour beginning in 2013, including a three-month stay on Broadway.
The following are more details regarding HCT’s production of “Zorro:”
The Story
The musical is a prequel to the events of the original Zorro story and features numerous references to other works, including the 1998 film “The Mask of Zorro” starring Antonio Banderas and Catherine Zeta-Jones. The script, by Stephen Clark and Helen Edmundson, is based on the 2005 mock biography “Zorro,” written by Isabel Allende.
In “Zorro,” a young Diego runs from his responsibility of leadership in a Los Angeles Spanish pueblo to the wilds of a Gypsy band in Spain in the early 1800s. There he learns to be a gypsy entertainer – full of magic and fire. He is sought out to return home to save his father, home and the love of his youth. Diego becomes Zorro.
Music
Authentic Spanish music accentuates the gypsy themes throughout the show. HCT’s production includes two live Flamenco guitarists and an orchestration of the “Zorro” score, written by the Latin Grammy Award-winning Gipsy Kings, who have also composed music for “Entourage,” “Toy Story 3” and “The Big Lebowski.”
Costuming
HCT’s “Zorro” features 300 ornate costume pieces that were handmade for the production and inspired by paintings from 18th century artist Francisco Goya. The costumes, which are all fireproof, were designed to complement the effects on stage.
Cast and Crew
HCT’s “Zorro” is directed and choreographed by David Tinney, with specialized Flamenco choreography by Solange Gomes, fight choreography by Brad Schroeder and musical direction by Kelly DeHaan. The show stars Casey Elliott and Derek Smith as Zorro, Preston Yates and Paul Cartwright as Ramon, and Megan Heaps and Jacquelyne Jones as Luisa.
