PHOTO CALL: Diaz, Chase and Foster Star in Kiss of the Spider Woman

By Matthew Blank
March 19, 2008

The Tony Award-winning musical Kiss of the Spider Woman began performances March 11 at the Signature Theatre in Arlington, VA.

With this new staging by artistic director Eric Schaeffer, the Signature kicks off its four-month Kander & Ebb Celebration, which will also include The Visit starring Chita Rivera and George Hearn, and The Happy Time starring George Dvorsky.

Based upon the Manuel Puig novel, Spider Woman tells the story of "two persecuted men — a window dresser and a socialist rebel — who come to share a prison cell, the horror of torture, and the escape of movie fantasies." Starring in the title role of Aurora is Natascia Diaz (Man of La Mancha, Seussical) with leading men Hunter Foster (Urinetown, Little Shop of Horrors) as the gay, movie-obsessed Molina and Will Chase (Lennon, High Fidelity) as the radical Valentin.

Also featured in the cast are Erin Driscoll as Marta, Channez McQuay as Molina's mother, Steven Cupo as Warden, Christopher Bloch as Esteban and Andy Brownstein as Marcos.

Tickets are $40-$69 and may be purchased by visiting www.signature-theatre.org.

Here is a look at the production, which runs through April 20 at Signature's 260-seat MAX Theatre:

Hunter Foster as Molina and Will Chase as Valentin

Hunter Foster as Molina

Natascia Diaz as Aurora with the ensemble

Hunter Foster and Natascia Diaz		Hunter Foster

Will Chase and Hunter Foster

Natascia Diaz with the male ensemble

Will Chase		Natascia Diaz

Hunter Foster as Molina and Natascia Diaz as Aurora dancing, with (top to bottom) Steven Cupo as Warden, LD Harden Jr. as a Prisoner, Kurt Boehm as a Prisoner, Will Chase as Valentin and Channez McQuay as Molina’s Mother

All photos by Scott Suchman