Photo Coverage: Amigo Duende Opening Night

A magical world of adventure and imagination comes to life in Amigo Duende, a new musical written by Joshua Henry, the Tony Award-nominated star of The Scottsboro Boys, In The Heights stage manager Heather Hogan, and Luis Salgado, the Latin assistant choreographer of In The Heights and performer in Women on the Verge of a Nervous Breakdown. BroadwayWorld.com was there to capture the show's opening night!

It’s the night before first grade begins and Marisa is faced with an important choice. Will she be able to enjoy her larger-than-life world of adventures with her best friend Remolino, a wisecracking elf, or will she be forced to leave behind her childhood fantasies and become a grown-up? Nothing is impossible in Amigo Duende, a modern-day fairy tale based on the classic story by Flavia Lugo de Marichal where your favorite childhood toys sing and dance, fantasies become reality, and a little girl fights to keep imagination alive in a world daring her to grow up fast.

The cast of Amigo Duende includes Ehizoje Azeke, Molly Bier (New Kid, It Shoulda Been You), Giselle D’Souza (Into the Woods, James and the Giant Peach), Salina Faison, Cindy Fernandez (The Two Month Rule, The Little Dog Laughed), Grace Freeman, Tauren Hagans (In The Heights, The Wild Party), Andy Herr (Forever Plaid, Barefoot in the Park), Sasha Hollinger (Man in the Mirror, In The Heights), Jasmine Knight (The Wiz, Big River), Christopher Michael Lacey, Anthony Martinez (Floyd Collins, I’ll Be Damned), Erin Maya (The Donkey Show), David Melendez (A Chorus Line, Bubbling Brown Sugar), Ari Stachel (Ragtime, Sweet Charity), Greg Uliasz (Heaven Can Wait, Last Kiss), Tony Vo (Bacha Bazi, These Seven Sicknesses) and Stephesha David.

Amigo Duende features music and lyrics by Joshua Henry, who was nominated for a Tony Award for his performance in The Scottsboro Boys. The book is by Joshua Henry, Heather Hogan (In The Heights) and Luis Salgado (In The Heights, Women on the Verge of a Nervous Breakdown, Fame) based on the beloved Flavia Lugo de Marichal story. Salgado will direct and choreograph the production, which is being produced by R.Evolución Latina and Salgado Productions.

Kate Rance (The Barrow Group’s An Enemy of the People) is the scenic designer. Herrick Goldman (Prospect Theater Company’s Myths and Hymns) is the lighting designer. Harry Nadal (Broadway’s The Capeman and A Class Act assistant costume designer) is the costume designer. Michael Eisenberg (Broadway’s How To Succeed In Business Without Really Trying assistant sound designer) is the sound designer. Manuel de la Portilla (Happily After Tonight, Moderato Cantabile) is the projection designer. Jason Burrow (Violet at New York University) is the musical director. The production is general managed by Julie Mille r (Zapata! The Musical, Clear Blue Tuesday). For tickets to Amigo Duende, visit www.RevolucionLatina.org.

Amigo Duende will be presented at El Museo del Barrio, one of New York’s leading Latino cultural institutions, located at 1230 Fifth Avenue at 104th Street. The performance schedule is as follows: October 6 at 1pm; Saturday, October 6 at 7pm; and Sunday, October 7 at 1pm. There are four additional student matinees being presented at 10am and 12pm on Thursday, October 4 and Friday, October 5. The October 5 evening performance is a benefit fundraiser including an optional VIP experience.

Photos by Linda Lenzi