YORK COUNTY — Local musician Melissa V. Cartwright has been working diligently on her new Latina music show and the debut performance is set for March 14.
Wanting to celebrate Women’s History Month and the Latina music she was raised on, Cartwright came up with the idea to showcase her own journey.
“This has been a longtime coming, because I have always been performing the music that you will hear at the cabaret. It’s the music I grew up with. It’s the music that was always playing in my bedroom growing up. I wanted to have a chance to create a container to showcase and tell my own story in a creative way,” Cartwright says.
In “Sugar and Sazon,” Cartwright will showcase a diverse mix of musical styles, from soulful boleros and lively salsa to the smooth rhythms of bossa nova and Broadway-inspired performances. Audiences can expect an immersive experience that blends bilingual musical arrangements with storytelling.
Show attendees will hear the hits of Gloria Estefan, Selena, Celia Cruz and Rita Moreno. Cartwright’s original music will also make an appearance.
“Soy Latina,” Cartwright’s original song, gave the cabaret its namesake.
“It’s a song in Spanglish, and it’s really the story of my life in the sense that I spent a lot of my life trying to convince people that I was Hispanic. I still remember having friends who used to tell me that I was just a white girl who could speak Spanish really well. But as I got older, I’d befriend Latinas and they would also think that I was just a white girl who could speak Spanish very well. The lyrics of the song highlight the fact that nobody believed that I was who I was. I really wrote the song to celebrate that I can be both. Nothing cancels the other out, I’m just simply Latina. There is a line in the song that literally says I’m a little bit of sugar and a little bit of Sazon,” Cartwright said.
Cartwright hopes those who come out enjoy the music, but also leave feeling empowered.
“Even if you don’t consider yourself a Latin music fan, you will definitely recognize the music we share in this show. The impact of these artists — and many like them — is woven into the very fabric of American pop music. It’s a celebration of origin stories, no matter where you’re from, embracing all the things that make you — you,” Cartwright says.
“Sugar and Sazon” will debut on March 14 at 7:30 p.m. at Persnickety Crane Cafe. Tickets are $25 and are being sold through Eventbrite. The show runs approximately 70 minutes.
Cartwright originally planned to open during Hispanic History Month in October, but had to push the show back due to timing constraints. When it came to choosing a new date, she landed on March and was happy to see that the show would debut during Women’s History Month.
“Now more than ever, we need this story, we need to elevate the voices of women from all places, from all backgrounds. It’s important to highlight every aspect that makes us who we are. It’s a show by women, for women, and meant to inspire every woman out there,” Cartwright says.
Cartwright plans to produce the show again during Hispanic History Month in October. She also hopes to expand the show to include even more Latina influences in the future.
To learn more about the event and Cartwright, visit mvcperformance.com.