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| (from left) Yesenia Ayala as Pilar Esperanza and Emilia Suárez as Victoria Maria |
Whether or not you are a fan of soap operas, you most likely know how popular they are/ once were/ know of at least one and at some time or other were hooked on one. I know I was many moons ago. However, I was a virgin when it came to ‘Telenovela’ or the Latin American version of daytime soaps. They are also popular in other countries as India and Korea. They say that imitation is the highest form of flattery. Mostly, the plots are fast moving stories against political backdrops, and “Destiny of Desire” is no different.
“Destiny of Desire” by Karen Zacarías, in an almost ready for Broadway production, now at The Old Globe Theatre through June 25th. Zacarías, is quoted as saying “As crazy as the stories get in telenovelas, they’re always grounded in something truthful that happens in real life. It, is not all zaniness”.
With direction by Ruben Santiago-Hudson and touches of politics, outrageousness, satire and social change, romance and lots of sex, some music, dancing and melodrama thrown in, it may seem it’s all over the place, but not so. Believe it or not, it’s all there in this over 2&1/2 + hours of plot that zig zags through the lives of every character. But let's carry on.
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| Nancy Ticotin as Sister Sonia and Al Rodrigo as Armando Castillo |
On a stormy night, two women arrive a hospital’s maternity ward in some fictitious Mexican town, within minutes of each other. Both women deliver baby girls. One is sickly with a weak heart, the other healthy. One mother is married to Armando Castillo (Al Rodrigo) a rich casino owner. He and his wife Fabiola (Bianca Marroquín), must have everything they want. Money talks in every culture. The other couple who are poor farmers, Ernesto del Re, and his wife Hortensia (Mandy Gonzales) were handed the sickly child. You guessed it, the babies were switched at birth.
Fast forward eighteen years later and the girls finally meet and find their destinies with plot twists and turns as the story unravels the truth when it rears its head using all the stereotypical character traits rolled into one.
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| Yesenia Ayala as Pilar Esperanza Castillo and James Olivas as Sebastián Jose Castillo |
If you’re looking for boyfriends playing around with married women, and or even family members, husbands unfaithful to their wives and visa versa, girls experiencing their first kiss together ( Rachel Flesher) and more, you won’t be disappointed.
Added to this colorful story, news flashes from various members of the cast are carrying hand printed signs about sexual harassment in the workplace, Latino buying power, U.S. incarceration rates, and gun ownership in America that demonstrate how insignificant everything else is in comparison to what’s going on in ‘D of D’.
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| Bianca Marroquín as Fabiola Castillo |
Obviously Hudson encourages a bit of overacting that punctuates daytime drama. That doesn’t take away from the entertainment value. In fact, it’s expected.
The dance moves (Lorna Ventura) are near perfect and add to the glamor. The music, sung in Spanish doesn’t need subtitles. It doesn't matter. Just consider it an addition to the play. Scenery (Rachel Hauck) is moved about by cast members since most are on set most of the time. The two storied set holds the musicians. Between lighting by Jane Cox and projections by Hanna S. Kim, the stage lighting and design are in constant motion and Robert Kaplowitz’ sound is clear as a bell.
Karen Perry’s costume design so fits each character that just by looking one can identify the whose who of the cast and speaking of cast, there isn’t a weak link to be found:
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| Yesenia Ayala as Pilar Esperanza Castillo and Emilia Suárez as Victoria Maria del Rio |
As the young women, Castillo Pilar Esperanza (Yesenia Ayala) and Victoria Maria del Rio (Emilia Suarez) are great together. In fact, if one could say that the cast is having one hell of a time. Breaking with character on opening night by laughing, (Bianca Marroquín) and had to regain her self to continue. Nicely done.
James Olives, who plays Armando Castillo’s son Sebastián, is one handsome hunk who can carry a note without taking a breath longer than I can by taking several.
Mandy Gonzalez, who plays Hortencia del Rio not only sings beautifully but is beautiful.
All in all, this is one show you will want to catch before it goes to B’way.
I spoke with Hudson after the show and he assured me that’s where it’s headed, so be it right from the director’s mouth.
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| Cast of Destiny of Desire |
Have fun and pass it on.
See you at the theatre.
When: Through June 15th
Where: Old Globe Way, Balboa Park, Donald and Darlene Shiley Stage.
Tickets: Start at $29.00
Phone: (619) 23-GLOBE [234-5623].
Photo: Jim Cox
Online: www.TheOldGlobe.org.
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