Rose Marine Theater is usually a place for Spanish- or Spanglish-language entertainment, but for this weekend only, it’s going Portuguese. The subject of Artes de la Rosa’s Mamãe eu Quero: The Story of Carmen Miranda is now a distant, kitschy memory of a hat piled high with fruit, but during the height of her stardom, the actress/singer/dancer was the highest-earning woman in America. Born in Portugal to Brazilian parents, Miranda started out in Brazilian music; then an American producer saw her at a nightclub in Rio de Janeiro and brought her to the States.
The movies made her an international star in the 1940s, when the United States was trying to bolster its list of allies in World War II by cozying up to South America. However, in her homeland, Miranda found herself criticized for putting forth Latin stereotypes and, interestingly enough, for singing the music of black Brazilians at the expense of whites. The criticism gave way to national mourning after her sudden death from a heart attack at age 46. Artes de la Rosa’s play uses music and dance to bring this entertainer’s meteoric career to life on the stage.
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Mamãe eu Quero: The Story of Carmen Miranda runs Sat-Sun at Rose Marine Theater, 1440 N Main St, FW. Tickets are $4-7. Call 817-624-8333.
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