Like Water For Chocolate stage adaptation in the works with original music by La Santa Cecilia
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Laura Esquivel's best-selling novel Like Water for Chocolate is being adapted for the stage with original music by the Grammy Award-winning quintet La Santa Cecilia.
The musical will bring to life Esquivel's story of a blossoming young woman named Nina who finds herself caught in the crosshairs of familial obligation and being with the man that she desires most. Sprinkle in some decadent chocolate and sweet betrayals to get a full understanding as to why Like Water For Chocolate continues to be a sinful delight nearly three decades after its release.
Tony Award winner Michael Mayer will direct, with Tom Hulce and Ira Pittleman billed as producers and a book written by Lisa Loomer. All original music and lyrics will be created by La Santa Cecilia and Pulitzer Prize-winning playwright Quiara Alegría Hudes.
“In times of waiting many wonderful things happen. Dreams take shape and become voices, harmonies, dance,” Esquivel said in a statement. “The musical Like Water for Chocolate waited until a group of extraordinary dreamers came together: La Santa Cecilia and Quiara Alegría Hudes, Lisa Loomer and Michael Mayer, and Tom Hulce and Ira Pittelman, the ideal group to give voice to the culture that runs through our veins and waited years to be seen and heard. My thanks to all of you for dreaming the dream of a dream.”
La Santa Cecilia, which consists of band members Marisol "La Marisoul" Hernandez; Jose "Pepe" Carlos; Miguel "Oso" Ramirez; and Alex Bendaña, will preview a section of the musical Thursday night during the virtual ¡Viva Broadway! Hear Our Voices at BroadwayCares.org.
“Like Water for Chocolate is a cultural treasure that we hold dear to our hearts! It’s a true honor and a pleasure to create music for such an iconic story," La Marisoul of La Santa Cecilia tells EW exclusively of their participation.
Esquivel's novel was adapted for the big screen in 1992 with Alfonso Arau (Esquivel's now ex-husband) serving as director. It was nominated for a Golden Globe Award for Best Foreign Language Film and became the highest-grossing foreign-language film ever released in the United States at the time.
It is as yet unknown when Like Water for Chocolate would make its stage debut.
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