Hoy No Me Puedo Levantar (Musical)
Hoy No Me Puedo Levantar is a spanish musical created by Nacho Cano former integrant of the band Mecano, based on 32 of the band's gratest hits. The Musical has been running for three seasons in madrid's Movistar Theatre an for one season in Mexico City's theathre Centro Cultural Telmex . The Musical is produced and directed by Nacho Cano
History
In the 80's Mecano became a very important band in Spain and throughout the spanish speaking world. They also recorded songs in french and italian. In September 1992 the band split leaving behind many melancholic fans behind, but mecano's songs continue to be very popular today. Many artists have made covers of mecano's songs including mexican singer Fey and Celia Cruz. For this reason Angel Suarez joined with Nacho and after observing that broadway musicals were proving to be very succesfull in Spain, they decided to create the first totaly spanish produced musical. They decided that Mecano was a proven hit and decided to create a story to fit the band's lyrics.
Sinopsis
Warning Spoliers Plot details or ending folow
Act One
The play is set in Madrid in 1981 and revolves arround the adventures of Mario, a guy from a small town who whishes to move to the city in order to make his dream come true to create his own band. (Hoy no me puedo Levantar). He and his best friend Colate leave their town to go to the city. At first Colate's girlfriend Ana doesn't want him to leave, but after Mario promises Ana he will take care of Colate, they leave to Madrid (Quiero Vivir en la Ciudad). In Madrid they go to many bars but they won't let them play at any. They arrive at El 33 where they find out there will be a band contest and the winer will be able to record an album. They take a job as waiters in El 33 in order to raise money to survive and buy instruments and 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. Thank's to Chakas they discover drugs and start smoking marijuana ( Hawaii-Bombay). Chakas Introduces Colate to Chuchi an very popular drug dealer and they start usin cocaine. Ana goes to madrid to visit Colate but is disapointed when she finds him Druged 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 trubled 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 managger 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, In the party Chuchi gives Colate a bag with heroin as a gift for his sucsess. Mario and Maria have a fight but at the end Maria gives in an they start going out (medley 1)
Act Two
Some years have pased an Rulé's album hs 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 forgrts 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 usin 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 Marios carrer and are depresed (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 skiny 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 maried and says goodbye, and afterwards Colate hangs himself in his appartment (El Fallo Positivo) Chakas Finds Colates body and cries. Mario hears the new's from colate and feels very guilty and lonely (Me cuesta tanto olvidarte). Mario goes to the cementery where he finds all of his old friends. After they all leave Mario stays behind and Colate's Ghost apears 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) (Spiolers end here)
Aspects of the show
Musical Numbers
Act One
- Oberture
- Hoy no me puedo levantar
- Quiero vivir en la ciudad
- Hoy no me puedo levantar (repise(heavy))
- 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
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
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 statin g 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 imagesfrom the public, the actors and the orchestra are shown along with other pre recorded vidieos which ultimately becomes important part of the play.
Reception
The play has been very well recived by audiences in both Spain and Mexico having various sell-outs of tickets. It has also crated a cult like folowing among teenagers like Rent did. On September the 7th Nacho cano congratulated two fans who have seen the play 17 an 12 times.
Spin-Offs
En tu fiesta me cole
A modified version of the play called En tu Fiesta me Cole 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.
Mexican Version
The mexican version of the play is almost identical but has a few minor changes in order to be sutable for the Mexican audience. The name of Anselmo was changed to Venancio, and is the only character portraited as a spaniard (although the play takes place in spain) All the pre recorded videos were re shot to set some scenes of the play in Mexico city. The scenes containing Homosexualism (Mujer contra mujer and the kiss between Mario and Guillermo) were tuned down. The interaction with the audience is nearly mising except for Maquillaje and the finale.
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