One of the most celebrated artists of the last century, Frida Kahlo, is getting the Broadway treatment. The news of a Broadway musical was recently released by the upcoming show’s main producer, Valentina Berger, who will work on what’s sure to be a highly-anticipated release along with the Frida Kahlo estate and BTF Media.
“Frida still has so much to teach us, and I am thrilled at the chance to honor her life and her work through this most expressive medium,” Berger told Deadline, who initially announced the news, in a statement. “Her spirit is very much alive in our young creative team, who continually dazzle me with their big creative swings and mind-bending talent.”
With the limited details that have been released thus far, it’s shaping up to be quite an ambitious production lineup. Music will be by renowned Mexican composer Jaime Lozano, with lyrics by the Obie Award-winning playwright Neena Beber.
As for the plot, the shared synopsis reads: “[the musical will reveal] new, rarely explored layers of this most complex – and ardently Mexican – genius as it follows her journey from Mexico City to Paris and New York, and finally back home to the house of her birth for one final professional triumph.
Grounded by the rollercoaster romance between the artist and her great love, Diego Rivera, Frida will be a full-throated celebration of Kahlo’s joyous spirit of creativity and her unmatched gift for transforming physical and emotional pain into breathtaking beauty.
Workshops will begin in 2023, with the premiere expected for 2024. While you wait on the theatrics, why not pay the mesmerizing Mexican Geniuses exhibit a visit? Whitfield Entertainment Group Studios (Inc. at 1900 W Place NE, Washington, D.C., 20018), the couple’s work comes to life in unparalleled ways. “Mexican Geniuses: A Frida & Diego Immersive Experience” uses the latest video-mapping technology to brings Frida and Diego’s paintings to life — a spectacle featuring over 300 awe-inspiring projections where every brushstroke serves as a testament to the Mexican painters’ incredible relationship and artistry.