‘Veneno,’ ‘Cardo’ Producer Suma Content’s New Musical Comedy Series ‘Mariliendre’ Honors the ‘Fundamental Woman in the Life of Every Gay Man’ (EXCLUSIVE)
Javier Ambrossi and Javier Calvo’s Suma Content (“La Mesías,” “Vestidas de Azul”) and Spanish platform Atresplayer have teamed on “Mariliendre,” a new fictional musical comedy series from creator Javier Ferreiro.
“Mariliendre” was unveiled at FesTVal Vitoria earlier this month, and Variety has now been given exclusive access to the first international teaser for the show.
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Set in Chueca, one of the most vibrant and gay neighborhoods in the Spanish capital and likely the world, “Mariliendre” – a common Spanish nickname for the woman best friend of a gay man – follows Meri Román, a former queen of Madrid’s gay nightlife. Now, at 35 years old, those days of recognition are in the review mirror for Meri, a dethroned diva who can’t let go of the past and is bored by her mundane present.
After the death of her father, Meri reconnects with her old group of gay friends, bringing into sharper focus memories of her glorious past and the musical hits that marked that time in her life. By reexamining that bygone time, perhaps Meri can better define her current life and identity.
According to the team at Suma Content, the series will feature an unequivocally feminist point of view and address questions of identity, body image, mental health, motherhood and the families we choose as well as those we don’t. The show will be brimming with Spanish pop music classics from the 2000s, songs that still play at every gay party decades later. The producers promise there has never been a musical series like this produced in Spain.
“‘Mariliendre’ is a musical fantasy that explores the figure of that fundamental woman in the life of every gay man: his friend mariliendre,” Ferreiro explained to Variety. “It’s a tribute to all of those women who have given their days and nights for all of us.”
“It’s a series in which I reflect on personal issues that have marked my life, such as the relationship with my mariliendres and mental health. I chose to execute this reflection through music and comedy because I believe they are useful tools in helping share experiences that can be both pleasant and painful,” he added.
“Mariliendre” is written by Ferreiro with Paloma Rando and Carmen Aumedes. Ferreiro will direct each episode. The series’ musical directors are Pablo Lluch and Vic Mirallas, with Marta Loza serving as choreographer.
Up-and-coming Blanca Martínez Rodrigo (“Alima?as,” “In Love All Over Again”) will star as Meri. The actor recently featured in Netflix’s hugely popular Spanish hospital drama “Breathless,” which hasn’t left the streamer’s top three most-watched non-English-language series since debuting on Aug. 30. She will be joined by Martin Urrutia, Omar Ayuso, Carlos González, Yenesi, álvaro Jurado, Mariona Terés, Mariano Pe?a and Nina in the show’s primary cast.
Other off-screen talent includes co-directors of photography Lali Rubio and Andreu Adam, art director Belén Martí, costume designer Diana García and hair and makeup heads Ana Urosa and Raúl Gallego.
Commissioned by Atresplayer, “Mariliendre” is produced by Suma Content with Montse García and Andrea H. Catalá as executive producers and Javier Calvo and Javier Ambrossi producing.
While song and dance production aren’t particularly common in Spain, Suma Content does have experience working in the genre. In 2017, under its previous name, Suma Latina, the company produced the musical comedy “Holy Camp,” a cult hit written and directed by Los Javis. Other series produced and directed by the duo – “La Mesías,” for example – have often featured choreographed musical numbers, even if the productions weren’t explicitly classified as musicals.
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