KISS OF THE SPIDER WOMAN
Season 88 - September 5-20, 2026
KISS OF THE SPIDER WOMAN
“I'd do anything for him.”
At its core, Kiss Of The Spider Woman is a story about survival - but at Lakewood Playhouse, it becomes a powerful meditation on what it means to be a hero. Set inside a Latin American prison, two men - Valentín, a hardened revolutionary, and Molina, an imprisoned dreamer condemned for who he is - seem to stand on opposite sides of courage. Yet as their walls slowly come down, acts of heroism emerge not through grand gestures, but through compassion, vulnerability, and the radical choice to see one another fully.
In alignment with Lakewood Playhouse’s commitment to storytelling that builds empathy and connection, this production transforms a harrowing tale of persecution into a vivid theatrical experience, where fantasy becomes both refuge and resistance. Molina’s dazzling visions of the glamorous Aurora - and her deadly Spider Woman - offer escape, but also illuminate deeper truths about identity, sacrifice, and love.
This is a story where heroism is not defined by strength alone, but by the bravery to imagine, to trust, and to care in a world that punishes all three.
Book by Terrence McNally
Music by John Kander
Lyrics by Fred Ebb
Based on the novel by Manuel Puig
CAST
Brad Alemao - Prisoner
Brandon Cantu - Guard
Darryin B. Cunningham - Prisoner
Sergio Antonio Garcia - Valentin
Ty Halton - Warden
Lucas Lucero - Prisoner
Ron Manson - Prisoner
Isaiah Myers - Guard
Courtnee Ramos - Aurora/Spider Woman
Adrian Roberto - Molina
Avery Tecca-Tapia - Marta
Alma Villegas - Mother
Understudies
Grace Haeun Lee - Understudy Aurora/Spider Woman
CREATIVE TEAM
Director - Joseph C. Walsh
Assistant Director/Choreographer - Courtnee Ramos
Music Director - Anya Guadamuz
Assistant Choreographer - Grace Haeun Lee
Scenic & Costume Designer - Aleeza McCant
Lighting Designer - Alonna Hall
Sound Designer - Brookelyne Peterson
Properties Designer - Becky Whitcher
Scenic Artists - Aleeza McCant/Rob Carlos
Stage Manager - Russell Dunmire
Assistant Stage Manager - Becky Whitcher
Sound Board Operator - Brookelyne Peterson
Rehearsal Accompanist - Elise Rodrigues
MUSICIANS
Conductor - Anya Guadamuz
Piano - Elijah Bellis
Bass - Micah Curtis
Drums - Travis Larson
Viola/Violin - Alistair Kok
At its core, Kiss Of The Spider Woman is a story about survival - but at Lakewood Playhouse, it becomes a powerful meditation on what it means to be a hero. Set inside a Latin American prison, two men - Valentín, a hardened revolutionary, and Molina, an imprisoned dreamer condemned for who he is - seem to stand on opposite sides of courage. Yet as their walls slowly come down, acts of heroism emerge not through grand gestures, but through compassion, vulnerability, and the radical choice to see one another fully.
In alignment with Lakewood Playhouse’s commitment to storytelling that builds empathy and connection, this production transforms a harrowing tale of persecution into a vivid theatrical experience, where fantasy becomes both refuge and resistance. Molina’s dazzling visions of the glamorous Aurora - and her deadly Spider Woman - offer escape, but also illuminate deeper truths about identity, sacrifice, and love.
This is a story where heroism is not defined by strength alone, but by the bravery to imagine, to trust, and to care in a world that punishes all three.
Book by Terrence McNally
Music by John Kander
Lyrics by Fred Ebb
Based on the novel by Manuel Puig
CAST
Brad Alemao - Prisoner
Brandon Cantu - Guard
Darryin B. Cunningham - Prisoner
Sergio Antonio Garcia - Valentin
Ty Halton - Warden
Lucas Lucero - Prisoner
Ron Manson - Prisoner
Isaiah Myers - Guard
Courtnee Ramos - Aurora/Spider Woman
Adrian Roberto - Molina
Avery Tecca-Tapia - Marta
Alma Villegas - Mother
Understudies
Grace Haeun Lee - Understudy Aurora/Spider Woman
CREATIVE TEAM
Director - Joseph C. Walsh
Assistant Director/Choreographer - Courtnee Ramos
Music Director - Anya Guadamuz
Assistant Choreographer - Grace Haeun Lee
Scenic & Costume Designer - Aleeza McCant
Lighting Designer - Alonna Hall
Sound Designer - Brookelyne Peterson
Properties Designer - Becky Whitcher
Scenic Artists - Aleeza McCant/Rob Carlos
Stage Manager - Russell Dunmire
Assistant Stage Manager - Becky Whitcher
Sound Board Operator - Brookelyne Peterson
Rehearsal Accompanist - Elise Rodrigues
MUSICIANS
Conductor - Anya Guadamuz
Piano - Elijah Bellis
Bass - Micah Curtis
Drums - Travis Larson
Viola/Violin - Alistair Kok
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Production photographs by Ashley Roy-Simpson
Kiss Of The Spider Woman is presented by arrangement with Concord Theatricals. www.concordtheatricals.com