‘ZARZUELA’ PROMISES ONE SPICY PROGRAM

SAN DIEGO —  Yes, it will be spicy. But no, the top-priced $30 tickets are not for fish stew, no matter if that is one kind of zarzuela . This particular zarzuela, which will be served up in a one-time performance at 8 p.m. Tuesday in the Civic Theatre, is more theatrical bouillabaisse. Call it Iberian operetta.

A 100-member troupe from Madrid recaptures in “Antologia de la Zarzuela” the spectacle of this traditional Spanish musical theater that virtually died out in the 1930s during the Spanish Civil War. Under the guidance of Jose Tamayo, “Antologia” will present the exuberant art form that blends bel canto singing, comedy, drama and various forms of dancing, including flamenco, with lavish sets and costumes.

Named for the Madrid palace where variety acts entertained royalty in the mid-17th Century, zarzuela is a compendium of songs and dances from Spanish regions and cities. The songs of zarzuela , such as “El Nino judio” (The Jewish Boy) or “El Barberillo de Lavapies” (The Little Barber of Lavapies), are some of the most tuneful and catchy of the musical stage.

Tamayo formed his first company, a living anthology of the best of zarzuela, in 1966 and revived a national interest in the art form. Tickets to Tuesday’s performance are $10, $15, $22.50 and $30.

GLOBE TERROR: The cast of “Cat’s-Paw,” William Mastrosimone’s riveting play about terrorism showing at the Old Globe Theatre, learned something new about terror last week. After the evening performance, the four famished actors were roaming the aisles of a Hillcrest supermarket, buying food for a late-night meal.

Suddenly, the building became absolutely quiet, with the exception of a rough voice shouting, “Hurry up! Open it now! Get it open!” An armed robbery was in progress.

The cast had undertaken a great deal of research into terrorism while preparing for their roles, but none had ever been in a truly dangerous situation. It took John Procaccino, who plays a terrorist in “Cat’s-Paw,” a few minutes to realize what was happening.

Procaccino related the incident during an after-theater forum with the audience Thursday night. “I had studied and learned a lot about terrorism, but had no idea what it was really like,” he said. Although the cast avoided any confrontation with the robbers, they found the supermarket experience shattering. “I haven’t gotten over it yet,” Procaccino said.

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WORKERS UNITE: The past and present struggles of working men and women will be highlighted in song, drama and video, honoring the 100th anniversary of the international labor celebration of May Day, at 7:30 p.m. Sunday at the Grass Roots Cultural Center, 1947 30th St. The “multicultural” event will feature local folk singers Peggy Watson, Sam Hinton and John Handcox, whose “Roll the Union On” became a major picket line song during the 1930s.

SING OUT: KPBS (FM-89.5) radio’s newly created folk music series, which attempts to preserve America’s rich heritage of folk music, has been picked up by more than 45 public radio stations. The “Sing Out!” series began last month and contains 90 five-minute spots.

Each segment contains a song with background commentary by performers such as Sam Hinton, Pete Seeger, Faith Petric or Luci Murphy. Local listeners can hear the series on KPBS between 10:30 a.m. and 2:30 p.m. Saturdays, when a spot is aired every 30 minutes.

ARTBEATS: “The Dragons Project,” a new educational program on chemical abuse, has been prepared by Lamb’s Players Theatre in cooperation with Scripps Clinic and Research Foundation. “The Dragons Project” is available for booking at schools. It includes “Say No, Max” for elementary students and “I Am the Brother of Dragons,” which is geared for high school students. . . . COMBO, the private arts fund-raising organization, is taking applications for new member groups. . . . Starlight will return to the Spreckels Theatre in December for a holiday production of the musical “Annie.” The move marks the beginning of what Executive Producer and General Manager Leon Drew said he hopes will become a year-round season. In recent years, Starlight has expanded its traditional summer season from three to five musicals.

CORRECTION: In Tuesday’s story about the Pacific Ring Festival at UC San Diego, the date for the Roger Reynolds-Ed Emshwiller collaboration “Vertigo” was incorrect. The concert will be Saturday in Mandeville Auditorium at the UCSD campus.