Review: A Telenovela Drama Before Your Very Eyes in DESTINY OF DESIRE

Two babies switched at birth, people dying and coming back to life, and girls kissing. Yes, you read the correctly. It may sound strange, but all these things and more come together in the most amazing way in the Garden Theatre's DESTINY OF DESIRE.

Based on the Latin American telenovela, DESTINY OF DESIRE is one wild ride with twists and turns throughout. While I'd love to explain the plot, it's hard to do so as there are multiple story lines running throughout the play. It all begins however with two baby girls being born on a stormy night - one to a woman of wealth and privilege - Fabiola Castillo (Sonia Roman) -and the other to a poor woman - Hortencia del Rio (Alina Alcantara). Fabiola Castillo and her family are known throughout the entire town, and when the baby is born they discover she has a very weak heart and will be sick most of her life, if she lives at all. Hortencia del Rio's baby is healthy, and so, without Hortencia knowing, Fabiola Castillo convinces the nurse to switch the babies - after all, she can't bear to think of bringing a sick baby home to her husband, and the poor family's child will grow up in a perfect world. The next time we see the girls, they are all grown up and we join them they go through a myriad of challenges and the two families' lives begin to intersect more and more.

After the births, the story jumps ahead 18 years, by which time the two daughters, Pilar Esperanza Castillo (Nadya Borno) and Victoria Maria del Rio (Tamir Navarro) are starting to become women. Of course, neither knows they are truly a part of a different family, but the families are already intertwined as Hortencia works in the Castillo family's residence as a maid. It's clear to the it's only a matter of time before the truth is known.

You may be asking yourself, "Ok, but what would compel someone to create a live, in-person telenovela story?" The answer is both comical and compelling. Playwright Karen Zacarías grew up and studied other Latino playwrights, and she noticed that so many were compared to telenovelas. So, what did she do? She wrote a play that not only presents a telenovela in person to audiences, but that helps the audience understand the appeal and love of telenovelas across the world. She pulls back the curtain and truly helps the audience to see why telenovelas are so popular - they're funny, heartfelt, and thrilling.

This show is something that truly has to be seen in order to be understood and loved, but I would be remissed to not mention the amazing cast and crew of this production. The premise and plot of the show may sound campy and over the top, the cast did an amazing job of delivering the narrative in a rambunctious way when it was called for, while also bringing the excitement down for the more poignant scenes. I greatly enjoyed the way Alina Alcantra's Hortencia del Rio was able to be motherly when the show called for it, but also extremely witty and funny as well. I had the pleasure of seeing Joe Llorens recently in a production of PICASSO AT THE LAPIN AGILE at Mad Cow Theater, and I knew the minute I saw him in the playbill for this production in the part Dr. Jorge Ramiro Mendoza (and a few other smaller parts in the show) that he would be fabulous! Llorens is truly gifted in comedy and drama, and it was fun to see him play a more villainous role in this show. I also loved Andrew Romano's interpretation of the Castillo family's estranged son - Sebasitan Jose Castillo. Romano also happened to be in the same production of PICASSO AT THE LAPIN AGILE as Llornes, and his wit and charm served him well in this role as he falls in love and then quickly out and then in again as he learns his romantic interest is actually his sister, but not really (it really is a CRAZY show, folks!). Nadya Borno and Tamir Navarro are also to be commended as well for their outstanding portals of Pilar Esperanza Castillo and Victoria Mara del Rio. As the focal points for the show, those roles were extremely demanding, and I was in awe of their ability to play the sweet, teenage girls who long to fulfill their dreams while also adding just a bit of sassiness and defiance to not make it too overpowering for the audience.

In the end, this show is truly about equality. Each character has a vastly different social and economic situation from the next, but the message is clear - we all come from a variety of backgrounds and situations, but love and human decency will win out every time. If you're looking for a feel-good, edge-of-your-seat tale with a dash of drama, love, hysterics, and Latin flair, this show's for you. Viva la telenovela!

DESTINY OF DESIRE runs now through April 9 at Winter Garden's Garden Theatre. For tickets and more information, visit gardentheatre.com.

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So, did you think DESITY OF DESIRE was muy caliente? Let me know! Don't forget to follow BWW Orlando on Facebook and Twitter by clicking below. You can also connect with me about this show and all things theatre by following me on Twitter @libbychamps.

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