Rosalía Gasso and Alejandro Barrientos/Their photo
There's no need for dance lovers to travel to Tokyo this summer since GALA Hispanic Theatre brings the Olympics of dance to Washington with astonishing performances by professional tangoists, musicians and the costumer, Jeanette Christensen.
Who needs a script when music, dazzling dance, and dress carry you to fantasyland? Like the swirling dancers, the music and costumes combine in Ella es tango to present an electrifying tango show.
GALA's founding producing artistic director, Hugo Medrano, has written an original musical revue (that he directs) about some of last century's female composers/vocalists/tangoists who competed in the male-dominated world to make themselves seen and heard so they could advance in their chosen profession, even disguising themselves as men (not the first - nor the last - time this has been attempted).
Mariana Quinteros and Patricia Torres are the duo of top vocalists in the show whose best melodies are their duets.
The featured ladies are portrayed by GALA company members, Lorena Sabogal as Libertad Lamarque (1908-2000), Krystal Pou as Camila Quiroga (a fictional character); Patricia Suarez is Tita Merello (1904-2002), Cecilia Esquivel is Azucena Maizani (1902-1970), and the brief biography of another tango artist, Mercedes Simon (1904-1990), is included.
In song and dance they tell us their sad stories to present what we came to see and to hear.
Rosalía Gasso and Alejandro Barrientos/Photo, Daniel Martinez
The dancing is what brought us to the spectacle and it, combined with music by members of the Pan American Symphony Orchestra, perform in tandem with the script to captivate the magic and allure of the night to star.
Swirling tails, dresses, legs, and arms flash by, leaving astonished theatregoers in their wake, happy to witness magnificence.
The numerous shimmering, glittering costumes alone make the price of admission well worth the cost, and it's not just the females who come dressed to kill: The men's costumes are equally as outstanding in their glimmering jackets and ballroom tuxedo whites.
Musical direction and orchestration are by Sergio Busjle of the PASO; conducting is Argentine composer Ariel Pirotti; choreography is by the Barrientoses; and texts are by Argentine playwright, Patricia Suárez Cohen.
Claudio Gustavo Aprile, the assistant director, appears in various male roles.
Other creative team members are Clifton Chadick and Exquista Agonía, scenic design; Christopher Annas-Lee, lighting; Dylan Uremovich, projections; Nicolas Onischuk, additional media; David Crandall, sound; P. Vanessa Losada, stage manager; and Tony Koehler, production manager.
Ella es tango is presented in Spanish with English subtitles.
What: Ella es tango (She is tango)
Masks: Required. Temperatures taken at the entrance.
When: Now through June 20, 2021, Wednesdays through Saturdays at 8 p.m., Sundays at 2 p.m. with open milonga dancing after the show on Wednesday, June 16.
Where: Gala Theatre, 3333 14th St NW, Washington, DC 20010.
Tickets: $45; $30 for seniors (65+), military, and students; $30, group sales (10 or more). To purchase, call (202) 234-7174 or visit www.galatheatre.org.
When: Now through June 20, 2021, Wednesdays through Saturdays at 8 p.m., Sundays at 2 p.m. with open milonga dancing after the show on Wednesday, June 16.
Where: Gala Theatre, 3333 14th St NW, Washington, DC 20010.
Tickets: $45; $30 for seniors (65+), military, and students; $30, group sales (10 or more). To purchase, call (202) 234-7174 or visit www.galatheatre.org.
Handicapped accessible
Duration: About two hours with one intermission
Metro stations: Columbia Heights or McPherson Square and take a bus or the Circulator from McPherson Square up 14th, or walk two miles and save money and expend calories! Lots of places to eat along the way.
Parking: Discounted at the Giant around the corner and additional parking at Target, both on Park Road, NW.
For more information: Call (202) 234-7174 and/or email info@galatheatre.org
The production was made possible with support from the DC Commission on the Arts and Humanities.
patricialesli@gmail.com
Metro stations: Columbia Heights or McPherson Square and take a bus or the Circulator from McPherson Square up 14th, or walk two miles and save money and expend calories! Lots of places to eat along the way.
Parking: Discounted at the Giant around the corner and additional parking at Target, both on Park Road, NW.
For more information: Call (202) 234-7174 and/or email info@galatheatre.org
The production was made possible with support from the DC Commission on the Arts and Humanities.
patricialesli@gmail.com
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