Sun Sentinel Palm Beach Edition
Celia Cruz is being celebrated on stage, screen and wine labels
Celia Cruz is definitely having a moment.
The late queen of salsa is the focus of several new projects, from an exhibit and musical to drag shows this fall in Miami.
The singer, who died at age of 77 from brain cancer in 2013, was best known for belting out her “azucar!” (sugar) catchphrase and for hits such as “Rie y Llora,” “Quimbara” and “Bemba Colora.”
Here is a look at the upcoming events themed after the Cuban entertainer, whose birthday was Oct. 21:
The eighth annual Orgullo Hispanic LGBT pride festival will honor Cruz with events including drag shows and lookalikes performing her music Oct. 1-15 in Miami and Miami Beach. One event at 7 p.m. Oct. 9 will present the documentary “Celia The Queen” at the Villain Theater, 5865 NE 2nd Ave., Miami. The event includes a questionand-answer session with filmmaker Joe Cardona. Tickets start at $20. Visit celebrateorgullo.com.
Another event, called “Night Of A Thousand Celias’’ takes place 7 p.m. Oct. 12 at the American Museum of the Cuban Diaspora, which opened two years ago at 1200
Coral Way in Miami. Tickets begin at $80.
The event will provide a preview to the museum’s “Forever CELIA” exhibit that officially opens Oct. 18. Visit thecuban.org.
Cruz is also the inspiration of “Celia the Musical” at 8 p.m. Nov. 16 and 17 at the Adrienne Arsht Center for the Performing Arts of Miami-Dade County, 1300 Biscayne Blvd., in Miami.
The musical, which will have a 12-piece band and dancers performing some of Cruz’s famous hits, will be entirely in Spanish at the center’s Ziff Ballet Opera House.
At the event, Cruz’s image will be featured on emBRAZEN Wines Chardonnay label. Tickets for the musical start at $59. Visit arshtcenter.org.
There is also an English-language TV project about the singer in the works.
Endemol Shine North America and Major TV recently optioned the rights to the Cruz’s queen of salsa’s best-selling autobiography “Celia: My Life” to adapt it into a scripted TV series.