Luba Mason, Broadway Actress, Jazz Vocalist and wife of Latin superstar Ruben Blades, will return to her role of Mrs. Kresynski in Paul Simon's "THE CAPEMAN" being staged at The Delacorte Theater in Central Park August 14th-16th. Mason returns to the role hot on the heels of the release of her critically-acclaimed CD, KRAZY LOVE, and accompanying tour.
THE CAPEMAN, featuring music by
Paul Simon and book and lyrics by
Paul Simon and
Derek Walcott, will be directed by Tony Award nominee
Diane Paulus, who directed the concert version of HAIR at the Delacorte in 2007.
Sergio Trujillo will provide choreography and the Grammy-winning
Oscar Hernandez and an extraordinary 12-piece orchestra will play Simon's haunting score.
Originally on Broadway in 1998, Simon's musical THE CAPEMAN tells the true story of a Nuyorican street gang member whose story exploded on to the front pages of the tabloids in 1959, ultimately revealing the cultural and racial tensions beneath the surface of New York in that era. THE CAPEMAN's score is a dazzling blend of Latin music, Doo Wop and artful ballads to tell a gripping and controversial New York story.
On her most recent CD, KRAZY LOVE, Luba executes a "cool, Brazilian mood" with an intimate acoustic sound. Enhanced by well-known Brazilian musician Renato Neto on piano & keyboards (also pianist for the legendary musician, Prince), Luba is joined by top-notch bassist Jimmy Haslip (Yellowjackets), percussionist Cassio Duarte, Sandro Albert on guitar and Marco Costa on drums, with guest performances by the world renowned Hubert Laws as well as her husband, Latin great
Ruben Blades. In addition to co-producing the album, Luba's blossoming writing talents are premiered in 8 original songs alongside two covers, creating a distinctive yet personal sound and style to this unique blend of melodies.
A native New Yorker and first generation American, Luba spent her early youth devoted to training in classical voice, piano and dance. The training paid off with her early acceptance to Circle in the Square Theatre School and New York University's Tisch School of the Arts, straight out of school, Luba was plucked by
Tommy Tune to sing and dance on Broadway in the Tony Award-winning, "THE WILL ROGER'S FOLLIES. She went on to impress director
Trevor Nunn, who cast her in the American premiere of "SUNSET BLVD," but it was director/impresario
Des McAnuff who placed Luba front and center as sex bomb Hedy LaRue next to
Matthew Broderick's J. Pierpont Finch in the celebrated Broadway revival of "HOW TO SUCCEED IN BUSINESS..."
A featured role in
Paul Simon's "THE CAPEMAN" preceded Luba's return to center stage as she starred in the Broadway production of "JEKYLL & HYDE" and then, as Velma Kelly opposite
Brooke Shields' Roxy Hart in the smash musical, "CHICAGO". Tapped by
Ruben Blades (her cast mate in "THE CAPEMAN") as a guest vocalist for his 2003 Grammy Award-winning CD MUNDO, Luba's seamless segue from the New York stage to the Hollywood scene gave her the chance to tackle dramatic roles in guest-starring parts on LAW & ORDER, NYPD BLUE, and NEW YORK UNDERCOVER, and most recently opposite
Jeff Goldblum in the psychic detective series, RAINES.
No stranger to the nightclub circuit, Luba most recently completed her 2009 KRAZY LOVE TOUR with sold-out shows at LA's famed CATALINA BAR & GRILL, YOSHI'S in Oakland, BLUE NOTE in N.Y, BLUES ALLEY in DC, WORLD CAFÉ in Philadelphia and the REGATTA BAR in Boston. She has also headlined at VIBRATO and the CINEGRILL in LA, FEINSTEIN'S, BIRDLAND, B.B.KINGS and THE METROPOLITAN ROOM in N.Y, and was featured at both the 2009 PANAMA JAZZ FESTIVAL and COSTA RICA'S INTERNATIONAL MUSIC FESTIVAL. For more information on "The CAPEMAN" please visit
www.publictheater.org/content/view/222.
