On a warm and boozy night in Puerto Vallarta in May 2024, the newly opened funky little scene at The Moonlight Theatre at Art Vallarta was buzzing. Most of the attendees in the small 40-seat hideaway, nestled inside an Art Gallery, came to hear Kevin Anthony sing… but they didn’t yet realize… he was there to act.
Is a show from May newsworthy? Well, I will tell you, there is something brand new about this, but first, let’s get back to that night under the Moonlight.
I approached the mic and said, hello, my name is Selena Luna, as if I were at a gambler’s anonymous meeting. (I must confess that I am a big-time gambler with my productions.) So, I introduced the show without saying much. Well, I definitely couldn’t say that this untried format was going to work…but I had four aces up my sleeve: The incredible talent of Kevin Anthony II, the beautiful voice of Patriz, the genius piano playing of Ruly Mayorga, and the skilled sound production of Soundset Records.
So we put our cards on the table and unveiled an unprecedented production, “The Unauthorized Christina Aguilera Story,” an original JukeBox Musical I wrote and produced. I’m not an ace, I’m not a joker, but I am definitely a wild card. And that night, I bet on my instincts.
Right from the first lines and the first song, the audience leaned in, and the show was sassy, funny, real, and blatantly unauthorized. I relaxed, relieved that my vision actually worked and the astute audience got it from the get-go.
The debut JukeBox Musical starred the up-and-coming talent of Patriz as a young Christina Aguilera. And with a true stroke of brilliance, the character of the Storyteller I wrote for Kevin Anthony was played by Kevin Anthony. I mean, he was destined to play the part! And his take on the Storyteller’s role added depth and a unique narrative twist.
Patriz turned the iconic Christina Aguilera song “Genie In A Bottle” into a jazzy number, collaborating with Ruly’s mastery of the keys, as she embodied the journey of the popstar to a tee.
So, what’s new about this show? Two exciting things. But I’ll get to that in a minute; I still have some gratitude to convey.
Creating the role of the Storyteller brought a fresh authenticity to the show, but Patriz and Kevin Anthony’s duet took the production to the next level. The song “Say Something” was, without a doubt, stellar. When Kevin Anthony’s anticipated moment to sing came, he stood up to the mic like the King of Diamonds but served up a gracious collaboration like a Knight of Hearts. And in that moment, I knew we had a winning hand.
So now I can reveal the new news about this show. I will share the “Recorded Live Under The Moonlight” audio album of the entire show on my Moonlight Radio Facebook Page.
On August 1, 2024, Soundset Records and Moonlight Theatre will launch another new production format, with our “live album” broadcasts of all my Moonlight Productions.
And I’ve got even more news! We will be breaking more new ground for the 2024/25 winter season in Puerto Vallarta as Kevin Anthony and I join forces to produce “The Unauthorized Series.” Unveiling MORE narrative tribute JukeBox Musicals, featuring songbooks from various beloved music icons!
“The Unauthorized Series” promises to be a spectacular addition to Puerto Vallarta’s ever-growing cultural scene, blending narrative and comedy with heartfelt homages to artists we love.
Stay tuned on Facebook with our Moonlight Theatre and Moonlight Radio pages and Instagram @moonlighttheatrepv as we redefine the art of tribute and keep pushing the boundaries of original cabaret.
