As noted in an earlier post San Francisco’s 42nd Street Moon will soon be staging the 3-Time Tony Award-winning musical SHE LOVES ME, which features music by Jerry Bock, lyrics by Sheldon Harnick, and a book by Joe Masteroff. SHE LOVES ME is based on a play by Miklos Laszlo.
Marah Sotelo has a starring role in the production.
Her recent Bay Area roles include Louise in GYPSY (42nd Street Moon), Cinderella in INTO THE WOODS (Berkeley Playhouse), Catherine Hastings in A CHRISTMAS CAROL (Center Repertory Company), Kei Kimura in ALLEGIANCE, Cathy in THE LAST FIVE YEARS and Linda Low in FLOWER DRUM SONG (Palo Alto Players), Candela in WOMEN ON THE VERGE OF A NERVOUS BREAKDOWN (Town Hall Theatre), and Sally Bowles in CABARET (Pacifica Spindrift Players). Other favorite roles include Mimi in RENT and Marta in COMPANY (Station Theatre), Lady of the Lake in SPAMALOT and Rosa Bud in THE MYSTERY OF EDWIN DROOD (Parkland Theatre), Eponine in LES MISERABLES, Amneris in AIDA, and Christmas Eve in AVENUE Q (Champaign-Urbana Theatre Company), and Johanna in SWEENEY TODD (Danville Light Opera).
In this exclusive interview Ms. Sotelo shares a few insights on this iconic musical.
*Cultural Currents: What special preparations have you made for the performance of this role?
*Marah Sotelo: I love romantic comedies, so watching a couple of them in advance of the rehearsal process has been helpful (and fun!) to understand dynamics, comedy, push & pull, etc. Also going back to reviewing my opera training has been part of my preparation to sing all of Amalia’s songs.
*Cultural Currents: How did surviving the Pandemic inform your understanding and appreciation for a return to live performances?
*Marah Sotelo: It’s been encouraging to see live theatre coming back again. I know it’s going to take time for many to recover. I really feel lucky to be in productions these days and definitely coming in with the mentality of not taking it for granted. Every experience I’ve had since reopening has been so special, and I’m thankful and feel so lucky to be part of creating beautiful art.
*Cultural Currents: What do you want the audience to come away with after seeing and hearing this show?
* Marah Sotelo: I hope people feel delighted and entertained! She Loves Me is a charming romantic comedy, where people can leave their troubles for two hours and escape into this story about regular, everyday people. With everything going on in the world these days, I hope this show can give audiences a little diversion and fun!