Since moving to Little Rock in 2001, Rafael Colon Castanera has played a key part in the area theater scene. As production manager for the Arkansas Repertory Theatre, Castanera has worked behind the scenes creating sets and designing costumes for numerous colorful, big cast shows such as Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat and the Rep's current show Mary Poppins.
Now Castanera is taking on the role of director of a production of the Tony-award winning musical Nine at The Studio Theatre in downtown Little Rock. He is also assisting with the choreography and the costumes for the show.
Nine
Friday-April 19, Studio Theatre, 320 W. Seventh St., Little Rock
Show times: 7 p.m. Friday-Saturday and April 9-11 and 16-18, 2 p.m. April 12 and 19
Admission: $50 opening night reception includes open bar until curtain, heavy hors d’oeuvres; $20, $15 students and senior citizens, Saturday-April 19
(501) 374-2615
"I've been burning the candle from both ends, well, really, from every possible way to burn a candle," Castanera says.
The part of the candle devoted to Nine came to Castanera after a conversation with former Studio Theatre artistic director Michael Henderson. He offered Castanera the opportunity to design whatever project he wanted and Castanera countered with a different desire.
"I wanted to do something I hadn't done in a while," Castanera recalls. "[Michael] said, 'Just tell me what you want to do.' In about 10 minutes, I thought about directing Nine."
While he received a master's in fine arts in directing musical theater from the University of Utah at Salt Lake City, Castanera had not officially worked as director since landing in Little Rock.
Taking on Nine appealed to him in a number of ways: "I have always loved this show. I think it is beautiful. It has all these strong roles for women and I know that it would be easier to cast because more women come out to auditions."
Nine is based on Federico Fellini's semi-autobiographical film 8½, telling the story of a celebrated film director Guido Contini as he works on the plot for his next film while being pursued by a number of beautiful women.
Nine, with music and lyrics by Maury Yeston and a book by Arthur Kopit, won the Tony award in 1982 for Best Musical and the 2003 revival starring Antonio Banderas grabbed the Tony for Best Revival of a Musical. A film version was released in 2009.
"I know the movie [adaptation of Nine] flopped," Castanera says. "But it wasn't a show that I thought had been done a lot around here. Trying to explain it in a sentence is hard. How your past has affected your future. You need to own up to your own choices. It's a wonderful mixture of fantasy and reality. The music in it is incredible."
Castanera has also been impressed with whom he has found for his cast and the way the production has come together.
"The community has been so supportive," Castanera says. "James Norris [executive director at The Weekend Theater] is playing Guido and who knew he could sing so well?"
Though The Studio Theatre can't rival the Rep for space, Castanera has made Nine fit the stage he has. He notes that Studio Theatre has an off-Broadway feel to it.
"This is my vision and I take full responsibility for it," Castanera says. "But once it is done, I am taking a long, long nap."
Weekend on 04/02/2015