Carolina Gaitán to Star in VIDA at Repertorio Español
The production tells the story of María, a young singer from the mountains of Colombia whose dream of stardom collides with the harsh realities of the music business.
By: Chloe Rabinowitz Dec. 15, 2025
Carolina Gaitán will star in "VIDA," at Repertorio Español, a musical monologue written and directed by Johan Velandia-a bold theatrical journey that explores ambition, identity, and the high price of success in the entertainment industry.
The production tells the story of María, a young singer from the mountains of Colombia whose dream of stardom collides with the harsh realities of the music business. After arriving at what should be her big audition-only to experience her first major failure-María confronts a painful truth: talent alone is often not enough. Determined to escape an ordinary, unremarkable life, she sets out to reinvent herself, unaware that an entirely new existence awaits.
Under the command of renowned American manager Harry Harrison, María is reborn as "Vida Santiago," a Cuban woman with a past as powerful as her voice. As "Vida" rises, she is thrust into the emotional terrain inhabited by legendary music divas-Amy Winehouse, Selena, Chavela Vargas, Nina Simone, La Lupe, and Janis Joplin-women whose brilliance was often accompanied by sacrifice, conflict, and heartbreak.
Through Vida Santiago's path to "success," the piece exposes the illusions, compromises, and painful consequences that emerge when one surrenders to the lies of fame. What unfolds is a deeply human portrait of reinvention and loss, asking audiences to consider what must be given up in order to be seen. Performances will run on June 18-21, 2026.
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