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Dustin Vickers

The recent production of “El Gato con Botas” provides an operatic twist to the infamous Spanish feline movie, “Puss in Boots.” Presented by the UTSA Lyric Theater and written by Xavier Montsalvatge, UTSA’s rendition of “El Gato Con Botas” took the plot from the original story and added a Latin twist.

The production was sung in Spanish with a beautiful piano accompaniment. A full English explanation of each act and a complete translation of the lyrics were provided for those not proficient in Spanish. In complete astonishment at the singing, one could relate the experience to being at a true Broadway show. “El Gato con Botas” was cast with two actors for each role: the cat, the lowly miller master, the princess, the king, the ogre, and the white rabbit. The play premiered for three days, March 21 to 24, each show lasting an hour.

From the start, the production was whimsical. The first act begins with a small background story about the cat and the miller master. The master is poor and considers exchanging the cat for money, but the cat convinces the miller master to spare him, and in return, the miller master will achieve the wealth and love he seeks. So, the cat’s adventures began, leading to the meeting of the king and princess and the ogre’s introduction. While only lasting an hour, the acting and singing kept the audience attentive and laughing endlessly. 

Though the acting was a strong point of the production, the light effects, costumes and props completed the play. Some of the most impressive props were the detailed masks created for the ogre, big chess pieces and huge hand-made cube blocks with letters that were changed for each act. The lights were timed perfectly, specifically during the third act, when the ogre was introduced. The cat convinced the ogre to shapeshift into animals that he had heard so much about. Throughout these transitions, perfect strobe lights were placed, with a green tint to show the ogre’s transformations. The costumes, though put together well, sometimes threw the attempted aesthetic for the character’s off. 

As a whole, the cast and background work made the play truly enjoyable for many. Upcoming events for the school of music include student recitals happening the rest of the week at 5 and 7:30 p.m., in the recital hall located in the Arts building. For more information, visit the UTSA Lyric Theatre website.