The profession decided last night that the best Spanish show of last season was Come from awayan Argentine production of a Broadway title. He did it at the 17th edition of the Musical Theater Awards, awarded each year by professionals in the sector, in a simple gala on the roof of the Calderón theater in Madrid, a new space called Rooftop Lírico, where they also stood out Gypsy, a classic under the direction of Antonio Banderas; and Ànima, a new musical based on the first woman who wanted to be a fictional animator in Hollywood.
Come from away It won the categories of best musical, musical direction, stage direction, supporting actress and outstanding female performance, an award that is given to the best performance, regardless of whether it is a lead or cast. This work, which could be seen at the Marquina theater in Madrid between September 2024 and February 2025, has a book, music and lyrics by Irene Sankoff and David Hein, and is based on the real events that occurred in the Canadian town of Gander, in Newfoundland, during the days following the terrorist attacks of September 11.
To the rhythm of music folk y soft rock tells how its inhabitants served nearly 7,000 passengers from 38 flights, after air traffic in the United States and Canada was closed. A story, as its director, Carla Calabrese, said, of people who come from very far away: “Like us and who are well received. It is a story that does not belong to any place, but to all of humanity,” she remarked.
Both the cast and crew of Come from away belongs to The Stage Company, a group with roots in the legendary Maipo Theater in Buenos Aires, and they were almost entirely at the gala to celebrate their success. Among them was its only Spanish member, Pepa Lucas, who won the award for best supporting actress, and who can now be seen in the Cabaret of the Albéniz Theater.
Gypsythe production directed by Antonio Banderas of the Jule Steyne classic with lyrics by Stephen Sondheim, has won the awards for best characterization for Laura Rodríguez and best leading actress for Lydia Fairén, one of the stars of the star system Spanish musical, which is now in the cast of Wicked. When accepting her award, the actress recalled how a decade ago she lost her voice due to overwork and how she has been able to recover it thanks to the support of her singing teacher Mamen Sánchez, to the point that she is now able to reach the notes of one of the most difficult songs on the billboard, Defy gravityof Wicked, this season at the Alcalá theater, where she plays Nessarose, the witch of the East, and acts as cover by Cristina Picos in the role of Elphaba, the protagonist.
To Gypsy, musical based on Gypsy Rose Lee, a burlesque artist in the United States, was also the award for best choreography, thanks to Borja Rueda, dancer and creator who adds another success after having choreographed JJ, the Austrian with a lyrical voice who has won Eurovision 2025 with Wasted Love.
The black comedy was made with two awards Murder for two y soulone of the most interesting productions of last season. This musical, based on the true story of a woman who wanted to be a film animator in Hollywood in the 1930s, could be seen at the Teatre Nacional de Catalunya (TNC). Its score, which brims with sounds from Broadway, Disney and the golden age of American cinema, and its script full of humor and emotion have received the award for best original musical.
The staging of Ànima, the work of Pizarro Studios, a firm composed of David Pizarro and Roberto de Arte, has been distinguished as best set design. They are regulars at Benidorm Fest. In this last edition, they were responsible for the stage production of four contestants, including Melody.
The recognition for an entire career through the “Crea” award went to the actor and director Ricard Reguant, author of the encyclopedia Historia del musical around the world, Composed of 3,000 pages in four volumes that reviews the industry from its beginnings at the beginning of the 20th century in England and the United States to its expansion throughout the world, with special dedication to the format in Spain in its last two volumes. Reguant took advantage of the thanks to reflect on the sector and defend that any stage, regardless of its size, is legitimate and masterpieces have emerged from many spaces not considered theaters such as Godspell o Rentor claim the work of the covercast figures prepared to replace the protagonists when necessary, and the swingwho master several roles.
Reguant, along with the brief appearances of the presenters, the regulars Inés León and Alejandro Vera, set the fun note for the night. The organizers, Sonia Dorado and Raúl Ibai, dedicated the official speech of the night to vindicating this type of show, which occupies stages steeped in history and new exhibition spaces, as an indispensable part of the tourism industry. “Musical theater fills theaters and hotels,” Dorado proudly proclaimed in an event that they keep afloat every year thanks to the support of their sponsors but, above all, the enthusiasm and altruistic dedication of the entire profession.