Stephanie Trudeau Brings BECOMING CHAVELA to Theater for the New City in December

From December 21 to January 7, Theater for the New City will present actor/singer Stephanie Trudeau in the theatrical premiere of her bio-musical, "Becoming Chavela."  Written and performed by Ms. Trudeau, the piece is more than just a musical concert of the songs of legendary Mexican singer Chavela Vargas. It is also a documentary theater project that traces the famed ranchera singer's artistic evolution and her relationships with her musical mentor Jose Alfredo Jimenez (the world's greatest composer of ranchera songs), the painters Diego Rivera and Frida Kahlo, the great Cuban courtesan Macorina, and film director Pedro Almodovar, who enabled Chavela's comeback at age 72.  Trudeau is accompanied by Argentine guitarist Diego Cebollero.  Director is Joyce Callo.

A cabaret version of the show won a 2020 Bistro Award for Outstanding Achievement: Tribute Show and prompted Andrew Poretz (Theater Pizzazz) to deem it "a modest winner that has the potential to be a much bigger show."  He added, "Trudeau has a wealth of source material that deserves to be seen, and it will be a pleasure to hear Stephanie Trudeau sing again, in any language."  Reviewing an Edinburgh Fringe mounting in 2023, Tom King, calling for the further development of the piece, wrote in Arts Review Edinburgh, "'Becoming Chavela' is one of those shows that simply needs more room to breathe and tell its story to its full potential at the Fringe, but don’t let that put you off going now as this is an important tribute to a woman who defied the conventions of her day and lived her life exactly as she wanted to – on her own terms." (four stars)

"Becoming Chavela" not only dramatizes the singer's life, but also examines the culture of Latin America’s “golden age” from the 1930’s through the 1960’s. The narration and enactment of the singer's life story is in English, but Vargas’ ranchera songs and Latin American pop hits are sung in Spanish with some translated lyrics. The piece is illustrated in multimedia containing historical images of the principal characters, the art world and social milieu of mid-century Mexico City when it was the cultural capital of Latin America. 

Stephanie Trudeau has been an actress and singer for over 40 years, performing in NYC cabaret, Off-Broadway and regional theater.  She had been developing a program of songs written by women, notably Spanish songs her Puerto Rican mother loved.  These included songs by Maria Grever, Maria Teresa Lara, Maria Teresa Vera and Consuelo Velazquez.  Discovering Chavela Vargas, she decided to refocus the project into a program focused exclusively on this artist. "Becoming Chavela" has now emerged as a full musical tribute enriched with biographical dialogue and Mexican songs, illustrated with multimedia. Ms. Trudeau says, "I feel this singer in my bones.  What I love about her music is its primal power.  It's heart-breaking.  This music has 'tripas'--tripe, guts."

Since its 2020 Bistro Award, the show's book has morphed from a third person narrative about Chavela's life into a first-person script in which Trudeau actually plays the famed singer.  The production also not only celebrates the brilliance of Chavela's work, but also dramatizes the impact of this brilliant Mexican singer on the heart and soul of a young Puerto Rican girl.  Trudeau has written three original songs for the show, one of which, "Hola New York City," introduces Trudeau's Puerto Rican mother, whose love of ranchera music became embedded in Ms. Trudeau's musical soul. 

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