Cabaret Review By Melissa Griegel . . .
Husband and wife team Florencia Cuenca and Jamie Lozano have a unique take on Broadway, infusing their Mexican heritage into the genre. The couple emigrated here eight years ago. “We came here for our honeymoon and never left,” Lozano quips. Taking to the 54 Below stage is a dream come true for Cuenca. “When I was a young girl in Mexico, I used to watch all of the 54 Below videos on YouTube. It is such an honor to be singing here tonight.” Their show combines their love of musical theater with elements of their musical and linguistic culture. Mixing Spanish and English together in the song lyrics, they were backed by a Mariachi band.
“We started this project because when I moved here, I didn’t see myself represented on stage,” Cuenca explained. “I didn’t look or sound like them. I needed to do my own sh*t. Coming home from teaching, I thought about combining Mariachi and Broadway. It’s good to have Jamie at my side. I feel so alive and present.” Cuenca did the majority of the vocals with Lozano chiming in and playing guitar. The Mariachi band consisted of Yahir Montes on guitar, Ramon Ponce on guitarrón, Mario Trujillo on violin, and Hugo Moreno on trumpet.
The show began with “On Broadway” and moved into songs from Frozen, Company, Waitress, Next to Normal, and Hamilton. Sharing stories about their lives and their new-found “chosen family” in America between songs, gave a humorous glimpse into the lives of recent immigrants. “I saw Waitress when I was pregnant,” Cuenca said upon introducing “She Used to be Mine”. Their first-generation son is now seven-years-old. “Burn” from Hamilton received a rousing standing ovation from the audience.
Lozano included a song that he wrote from his off-Broadway show El Otro Oz called “No Podemos Regresar”, joking “The next song was written by a great composer.” He co-wrote the music and lyrics with Tommy Newman. The emotional and moving piece stirred the audience. Filled with friends and fans, the 54 Below crowd sang along for the last two songs that were in Spanish and featured more of the Mariachi band. The traditional Mexican folk song “Cielito Linda” was a hit, as was the encore “El Rey” that had everyone in the room singing and clapping and waving napkins in the air.
The show took place on February 7th, 2024 at 54 Below.
Photos by Melissa Griegel Photography
