I Can't Get up Today
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| Hoy No Me Puedo Levantar | ||
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| Music | Nacho Cano, Jose Maria Cano | |
| Lyrics | Nacho Cano, Jose Maria Cano | |
| Book | David Serrano | |
| Producer(s) | Jose Manuel Lorenzo, Angel Suarez, Federico Gonzalez Compean | |
| Director | Nacho Cano, Jose Manuel Lorenzo | |
| Choreographer | Tino Sanchez | |
| Scenic designer | Ana Garay | |
| Costume designer | Mila Bentabol | |
| Lighting designer | Carlos Torrijos | |
| Official website | ||
I Can't Get up Today (original Spanish title: Hoy No Me Puedo Levantar) is a Spanish musical created by Nacho Cano, former member of the band Mecano, based on 32 of the band's greatest hits and named after their first single. The musical has been running for three seasons in Madrid's Movistar Theatre and for one season in Mexico City's theatre Centro Cultural Telmex. The musical is produced and directed by Nacho Cano.
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[edit] History
In the '80s Mecano became a very successful and influential band in Spain and many other Spanish speaking countries. Although the band split in September 1992, their songs continue to be very popular even today. This is one of the reasons why Angel Suarez, after seeing the success that Broadway musicals had been having in Spain for some decades, thought of using songs from Mecano to create the first musical completely produced in Spain. Together with Nacho Cano and José Manuel Lorenzo, they were able to realize this idea by developing a story, written by David Serrano, around the lyrics, from José María and Nacho Cano, that were made popular by the band.
[edit] Synopsis
[edit] Act One
The play is set in Madrid in 1981 and revolves around the adventures of Mario, a guy from a small town who wants to move to the city following the dream of creating his own band (Hoy no me puedo levantar). He and his best friend Colate are prepared to leave their town. Colate's girlfriend Ana doesn't want him to leave but, after Mario promises that he will take care of Colate, she finally agrees and they set off to Madrid (Quiero Vivir en la Ciudad).
In Madrid they go to many bars but they are not allowed to play at any. They arrive at El 33 where they take a job as waiters in order to earn the money that they badly need to survive and buy instruments. They also find out that there will be a band contest and the winner will be able to record an album. Afterwards they go to another bar to find more members for their band, where they find Chakas and Guillermo. Back in el 33 Mario meets a girl named Mari and falls for her, but she doesn't pay him attention. Thanks to Chakas they discover drugs and start smoking marijuana (Hawaii-Bombay). Chakas introduces Colate to Chuchi, a very popular drug dealer, and they start using cocaine. Ana goes to Madrid to visit Colate but is disappointed when she finds him drugged and with may people sleeping in the same room and decides to leave (Quedate en Madrid). Anselmo the owner of el 33 teaches Mario bulerias in order for him to conquer Maria (Una Rosa es Una Rosa) but she refuses, and is troubled because she thinks Mario is just going to hurt her. Colate spends all the money they been saving to buy their instruments in drugs and he tells the band members it was stolen from him. Anselmo decides to be the manager of the band and they change their name from Cielo to Rulé. Rulé gets to the final of the contest and they win (No Controles). Afterwards the band members celebrate. At the party, Chuchi gives Colate a bag with heroin as a gift for his success. Mario and Maria have a fight but at the end Maria gives in and they start going out (Medley 1)
[edit] Act Two
Some years have passed and Rulé's album has been a big hit. Colate and Chakas are smoking marijuana in the roof of el 33 and they fantasize about Dali and Laika ("Eungenio" Salvador Dalí/Laika). Afterwards, Anselmo Mario and Guillermo find them in the roof and tell them they are going to produce the theme for a TV show (Aire). Colate goes back to his apartment and has a drug overdose (Perdido en mi Habitacion). Some months later they all get together in el 33 to celebrate their single Aire is a number one hit. Maria doesn't stay long because she has to work the next day and leaves, but she forgets her purse. When she returns for her purse she finds Mario making out with another girl, she gets mad and leaves. Mario writes a song for her, but Maria is offended by the song and they break up. Mario goes to find Colate but he is not at his apartment. When he is about to leave Colate walks in with a bag of heroin in his hand, Mario realises this and tries to convince him to stop using drugs (Barco a Venus) they get into a fight and Mario Leaves. Mario decides to become a solo artist and leaves the band (El uno, el dos, y el tres). It has been four years since the band won the contest and recorded their album, so Maria shows up in el 33 looking for Mario but he is not there. She and Anselmo talk about Mario’s career and are depressed (El 7 de Septiembre). When Maria is leaving Mario walks in and they leave and spend the night together (Hijo de la Luna). In New Year's Eve of 1987 Maria, Anselmo, Mario, Clate, Chakas, and Guillermo get together and celebrate (Un año mas). We see Colate is very skinny and weak and he leaves the party early. Colate goes to find Mario in his new apartment but Mario refuses to talk to him and throws him out. The audience learns that Colate has AIDS and he wanted to say goodbye to Mario. Colate phones Ana who is now pregnant and married and says goodbye; afterwards Colate hangs himself in his apartment (El Fallo Positivo). Chakas finds Colate's body and cries. Mario hears the news from Colate and feels very guilty and lonely (Me cuesta tanto olvidarte). Mario goes to the cemetery where he finds all of his old friends. After they all leave Mario stays behind and Colate's ghost appears to him (No es serio este cementerio), he tells Mario to go back to Madrid and form the band with Anselmo instead of him and to get Maria back. Mario does this and the play ends (La Fuerza del destino/ Vivimos siempre juntos/ Medley 2).
[edit] Aspects of the show
[edit] Musical Numbers
[edit] Act One
- Oberture
- Hoy no me puedo levantar
- Quiero vivir en la ciudad
- Hoy no me puedo levantar (repise)
- No hay marcha en Nueva York
- Maquillaje
- Por la cara
- Hawaii-Bombay
- Una rosa es una rosa
- Mujer contra mujer
- Lia
- Me cole en una fiesta
- Medley 1
[edit] Act Two
- "Eungenio" Salvador Dali/Laika
- Aire
- Perdido en mi Habitacion
- Cruz de Navajas
- Barco a venus
- El uno, el dos y el tres
- El 7 de septiembre
- Hijo de la luna
- Un año mas
- El Fallo positivo
- Me cuesta tanto olvidarte
- No es serio este cementerio
- La fuerza del destino
- Vivimos siempre Juntos
- Medley 2
[edit] Interaction and Multimedia
The musical is an interactive play where the public is encouraged to dance and sing in all of the musical pieces. The Fourth Wall is broken many times stating that the events shown are a musical, showing crew members an interacting with the public (actors come down from the stage and dance, sing and even place wigs and costumes on the members of the audience) There is a very large screen in the stage where live images from the public, the actors and the orchestra are shown along with other pre recorded videos which ultimately becomes important part of the play. Also in one scene the characters discuss the plot and their performance in the play.
[edit] Reception
The play has been very well received by audiences in both Spain and Mexico having various sell-outs of tickets. It has also crated a cult-like following among teenagers like Rent did. On 7 September Nacho Cano congratulated two fans who have seen the play 17 and 12 times.
[edit] Spin-Offs
[edit] En tu fiesta me colé
A modified version of the play called En tu Fiesta me Colé ("I crashed your party") is currently showing in Spain. This version is a condensed version of the musical (one hour an a half) without the sex, drug themes portrayed in the original, it is intended for the whole family to enjoy.
[edit] Mexican Version
The Mexican version of the play is almost identical but has a few minor changes in order to be suitable for the Mexican audience. The name of Anselmo was changed to Venancio, and is the only character portrayed as a Spaniard (although the play takes place in Spain). All the pre-recorded videos were reshot to set some scenes of the play in Mexico City. The interaction with the audience is nearly missing, except for Maquillaje and the finale. Nacho Cano, Ana Torroja, Pop Star Gloria Trevi and Mexican Group Moenia have been special guests to apear in the musical. The Mexican Production will be closing on May to make way for the second season of Disney's Beauty and the Beast.
[edit] Trivia
- Hoy No Me Puedo Levantar is the first Musical completely Written, Produced and staged in Spain
- Nacho Cano was involved in the casting and codirected the Mexican production
- The musical is produced by Drive in Spain and OCESA in Mexico City
- In the Mexican version of the show, a group called Las Gelatinas (The Gelatins) sings a short part at the beginning of the song No Controles. This is made as a reference/parody of the real group Flans (c.f. Flan) which made popular the song in Mexico.
[edit] External Links
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