Spanglish Pentameter

"The costumes kick ass!" says José Mercado, executive director of the Labyrinth Arts Academy. "I don't think Romeo will ever look as good." Mercado is referring to Zoot Suit Romeo and Juliet, which plays for one night only at the Buell Theatre and features Ugly Betty's Tony Plana. It's your...

By Mark Dragotta

May 3, 2007

[
        {
          "name": "Air - MediumRectangle - Inline Content - Mobile Display Size",
          "component": "12017618",
          "insertPoint": "2",
          "requiredCountToDisplay": "2"
        },{
          "name": "Editor Picks",
          "component": "17242653",
          "insertPoint": "4",
          "requiredCountToDisplay": "1"
        },{
          "name": "Inline Links",
          "component": "18838239",
          "insertPoint": "8th",
          "startingPoint": 8,
          "requiredCountToDisplay": "7",
          "maxInsertions": 25
        },{
          "name": "Air - MediumRectangle - Combo - Inline Content",
          "component": "17261320",
          "insertPoint": "8th",
          "startingPoint": 8,
          "requiredCountToDisplay": "7",
          "maxInsertions": 25
        },{
          "name": "Inline Links",
          "component": "18838239",
          "insertPoint": "8th",
          "startingPoint": 12,
          "requiredCountToDisplay": "11",
          "maxInsertions": 25
        },{
          "name": "Air - Leaderboard Tower - Combo - Inline Content",
          "component": "17261321",
          "insertPoint": "8th",
          "startingPoint": 12,
          "requiredCountToDisplay": "11",
          "maxInsertions": 25
        }
      ]

"The costumes kick ass!" says José Mercado, executive director of the Labyrinth Arts Academy. "I don't think Romeo will ever look as good."

Mercado is referring to Zoot Suit Romeo and Juliet, which plays for one night only at the Buell Theatre and features Ugly Betty's Tony Plana. It's your basic Romeo and Juliet story set in L.A. during the Zoot Suit Riots of 1943. Mingling a musical version of Shakespeare's iambic pentameter with Spanglish and a burst of salsa dancing, the story of a sailor's love for a Mexican-American girl comes alive for adults and children alike.

The 8 p.m. performance benefits the Labyrinth Academy, which provides underprivileged kids a chance to express themselves in the creative and performing arts. Tickets range from $20 to $50 for general admission, or $250 for VIP seating, a cocktail reception with Plana, and an after-party with the cast. The Buell is in the Denver Performing Arts Complex; for more information, call 303-893-4100 or visit www.denvercenter.org.
Fri., May 4, 8 p.m.

KEEP WESTWORD FREE... Since we started Westword, it has been defined as the free, independent voice of Denver, and we'd like to keep it that way. Your membership allows us to continue offering readers access to our incisive coverage of local news, food, and culture with no paywalls. You can support us by joining as a member for as little as $1.