January 22, 1998 By Simi Horwitz

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Latina pop star Ednita Nazario insists that if "The Capeman"--slated to open at the Marquis Theatre, Jan.29--appealed to Puerto Rican stereotypes or, as she says, "made insulting generalizations about my culture, I would not appear in it." Still, she adds a bit unexpectedly, "And even if a play has some stereotypes--I don't feel this one does--you have to be able to place it in its time frame. The fact is, Latinos now own their own lives and I believe they can afford to look back without judgment."

Set in New York City in 1959, the Paul Simon musical tells the true story of Salvador Agron, a.k.a. The Capeman, a none-too-bright teenage thug who killed two white boys in a gang-related rumble. In prison for 17 years, he undergoes a conversion of sorts, becoming a published author and poet. After his release, he returns to live with his mother in the Bronx and dies several years later, an obscure 42-year-old.

Stylistically running the gamut--mixing salsa, doo-wop, gospel, and rock--the musical features a number of Latino pop stars, most notably Ruben Blades, who plays The Capeman during his older incarnation. Marc Anthony, also a pop star, plays The Capeman's younger self.

The controversial and beleaguered "Capeman"--lots of behind-the-scenes hirings and firings--raises a host of thorny issues. Depending on where one sits in the political/cultural spectrum, it may for some evoke all too vividly the knife-wielding Puerto Rican macho male and his exaggeratedly sexual girlfriend clad in skin-tight clothes. For others it may be seen as a glorification of the criminal. And for yet a third group, it may suggest an irritating old-fashioned liberalism--in the criminal-as-victim mode--that simply sounds dated in 1998.

Nazario, who plays Esmeralda, The Capeman's tormentedly loyal mother, asserts that none of those concerns captures the show's true spirit: "It takes no sides. If anything, it's a celebration of redemption and forgiveness."

The earthy, 30-something, Puerto Rico-based singer--she speaks English with only the slightest accent--boasts more than 50 international gold and platinum hits from her chart-topping albums. "The Capeman" marks her Broadway debut. In fact, she has never appeared in any play before and she has not formally studied voice or acting.

Still, she suggests that her experiences as a pop rock singer, who has performed in front of live audiences world-wide, has served as terrific preparation for her Broadway debut. "To begin with, I don't have any stage fright. And, more important, none of Paul's music feels unfamiliar to me. Latin music has many international influences--pop, rock, country, Brazilian sounds, and alternative styles. In America, music is more tightly categorized. The Latin musical tradition is very rich and gives the singer a lot of freedom to explore a range of genres."

Sustaining a character, however, poses both acting and vocal challenges, she concedes. "The voice has to be very clear at all times in order to convey the emotion. And the singing has to stay within the boundaries of character. My biggest challenge, of course, is to make Esmeralda believable to both Puerto Rican audiences and to those who are not and might see her as a little too helpless. I, personally, am connected to her and removed from her.

"I am a woman of the 21st Century who is self-assured and speaks my mind," Nazario continues. "But I understand Esmeralda's mentality and culture despite our different life experiences. I come from that society and there is a common thread, specifically family values--the idea that you do anything for your family, and the unconditional love for one's children. No, I resist the idea that she is a victim. She has been to hell and back, but she has great inner strength."

Aging 40 years on stage is a particularly "interesting process," Nazario notes. "The costumes, wigs, and makeup help. But I also had to suggest the aging through body language and voice. In the beginning Esmeralda is young, active, perky. And these elements are expressed in the way she moves and speaks. As time goes by she slows down. By the end, older and overwhelmed, she slows down even more. Her steps are heavy and when she stands she is hunched."

Still "Tweaking" the Script:

We meet with Nazario in her dressing room, still adorned with Christmas decorations. "In Puerto Rico" she explains, "Christmas is celebrated later." She is warm and gracious, also good-humored and positive, not to mention tactful. Consider her spin on "The Capeman" 's ongoing backstage problem with its creative team: "The process is intense and the producers, who are intelligent men, are bringing in new people for a fresh look at a complicated project that has been in the making for 10 years. What's happening now is editing, or what we call tweaking. From the performer's point of view the process has been seamless and painless."

On playing the mother of Ruben Blades, clearly an older man, she laughs heartily. "I feel blessed that women can cover so much ground in the theatre, although Ruben admits he has to concentrate very hard to see me as his mother."

The daughter of an electrical engineer, now retired, Nazario always wanted to sing; indeed, she was performing at the age of six, was a member of a semi-professional group at 11; and a professional singer by the time she was 13. For the most part, she says, her musical career has been smooth-sailing, despite the inevitable ups and downs and frustrating plateaus.

Yet her lifelong dream, she comments, has been to appear on Broadway. "I had never auditioned for Broadway--any play--and I was not familiar with what you're supposed to do," she recalls. "I was prepared to sing, but I had all kinds of questions about the character: `Why was she saying what she was saying? How was she saying it? Where was she coming from and where was she going?' And at the audition I was asking Paul [Simon] all these questions. And he sat there grinning. But he answered them!"

Obviously, he liked what he saw. "I auditioned on Tuesday. By Thursday I got the call, `Do you want to play Esmeralda?' And that was that."

Not unexpectedly, Nazario hopes her appearance on Broadway will open new doors. She'd also like to see her music cross over and appeal to a broad-based American audience. "It's fascinating to be in a place where no one has ever heard of me." Still, she's not willing to alter her musical style in order to attract new listeners. "I have to trust what I do and then do it." She shrugs as if to say, "And that's all I can do."

At the moment, her thoughts are with "The Capeman," and her heartfelt belief is that theatregoers will walk away affected by the experience. One thing is certain, she comments, it's been an "emotional rollercoaster" for her--especially the night Aurea, Esmeralda's real daughter (played by Michelle Rios on stage), showed up backstage. "She said, `I'm Aurea.' We looked at each other, and suddenly we were both crying. I'm not even sure why."