Play is apropos to zeitgeist after Sept. 11 terrorist attacks

When Natasha Badillo '03 decided to direct the "Kiss of the Spider Woman," she had no idea that the musical's message would resonate as acutely as it does in the wake of the tragedies in New York, Washington and Pennsylvania.

"I think that this play is ultimately about the different ways that we escape the pain of our everyday lives," she explained.

"It ultimately shows that the way to deal with our problems is by connecting with each other instead of escaping into a world of fantasy the way that the two main characters do. In a time of such crisis in our country, this show helps us learn how best to cope: We must find strength in each other."

The play explores the relationship between two men serving time in a Latin American prison in the not so distant past.

Molina (Rakesh Satyal '02) is a gay window dresser thrown in prison for trying to seduce a young boy.

His cell mate, Valentin (Ben Beckley '03), is a political activist serving time for his involvement in the Argentine revolution.

Initially the two men do not get along, but they eventually grow to need each other for support. They share their fantasies to cope with the prison's horrible conditions.

Valentin finds inspiration in his strong revolutionary beliefs while Molina fantasizes about the "big screen" movies he watched as a child. In particular, Molina imaginatively enlists the help of Aurora (Devin Sidell '02), a 1940s actress and the Spider Woman, a sinister role that the actress played in one of her films.

The musical is based on a novel written by Manuel Puig called El Beso de la Mujer Arana that was adapted into a play in English by Terence McNally.

The songs are written by John Kander and Fred Ebb whose other works include "Chicago" and "Cabaret."

The music has a distinctly Latin feel because the dance numbers are inspired by the tango and the mambo.

While Badillo said the Blackbox is cramped, she added that she finds the space perfect because its small size creates a realistic representation of a prison cell.