Simon wrote the score for the doo-wop, gospel and Latin-flaired musical. With a libretto by Nobel laureate Derek Walcott, The Capeman tells the true life story of Salvador Agron, a Puerto Rican gang member who murdered two teen-agers in the late 1950s, then underwent a conversion as a poet while in prison.
Hernandez, who appeared Off-Broadway in Yank!, will star as the older Agrón (aka The Capeman), with Anthony Lee Medina as Young Sal Agrón.
The cast also features Luba Mason as Mrs. Young, Natascia Diaz as Esmerelda Agron, Obie Bermudez as Umbrella Man (aka Tony Hernandez), Nicole Lequerica as Aurea Agron, Jorge Maldonado as Reverend Gonzalez and Abraham Rodriguez as Santero.
Bryan Anthony, Xavier Cano, Nina LaFarga, Omar Lopez-Cepero, Cornell McKnight, Luis Salgado and Tanairi Vasquez, Myrna Lee Gomila, Frankie Negron and Elan Luz Rivera round out the ensemble.
Here is a look at the cast in rehearsal:
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Free tickets for The Capeman will be distributed in the same manner as all Shakespeare in the Park productions. The Public is also making reserved seats available for patrons wishing to donate $175 per ticket. Limited priority seating, ranging $250-$500, is also available for the Aug. 16 performance and post-performance reception. Paid tickets are limited as a majority of seats are made available to the general public at no cost.
To reserve phone (212) 967-7555. For further details visit PublicTheater.