Joaquin’s ‘wicked’ double feat, from ‘Songs’ to Schwartz

Joaquin Pedro Valdes —PHOTO BY RUTH CRAFER

If his current projects don’t convince you just how prolific theater star Joaquin Pedro Valdes is, we don’t know what will.

The latest adaptation of Stephen Sondheim’s “Pacific Overtures,” which was headlined by the homegrown Filipino actor, had yet to officially open late last year when we asked what was up next for him. Answering with unconcerned nonchalance, Joaquin said, “Oh, nothing yet.”

Fast-forward six months later, Joaquin isn’t just about to tick off yet another coveted item on his bucket list, he’s also staking his claim as one of the London theater scene’s most sought-after heartthrobs.

In fact, Joaquin plays the Lover in both “A Song of Songs”—running until June 15 at Park Theatre in north London—and “The Baker’s Wife,” the eagerly anticipated Stephen Schwartz musical that is scheduled to run from July 6 to Sept. 14 at Menier Chocolate Factory.

READ: From ‘Death Note’ to Sondheim: Joaquin Pedro Valdes on a roll

For the uninitiated, Schwartz is the 76-year-old composer-lyricist behind such musical behemoths as “Pippin,” “Godspell,” “Pocahontas,” “The Hunchback of Notre Dame,” “Enchanted” and that precious little musical called “Wicked.”

Joaquin doesn’t even get to do much in “A Song of Songs,” but theater website WhatsOnStage still singles him out and describes his performance and presence as “commanding,” calling his solo song “Dance for Me” as “the evening’s take-home number.” The production follows the story of a young wife in a loveless marriage as she mulls over meeting her unseen admirer, simply referred to as the Lover (Joaquin).

Diverse music

“It’s very exciting because the music aspect of it is really gorgeous,” Joaquin told Inquirer Entertainment over Zoom. “It attempts to bring in the different kinds of music from the Middle East to Jewish klezmer music to the gypsy, flamenco and Andalusian sounds. It’s a play with a lot of music which helps create that atmosphere.

“I absolutely love it. I function more like a flamenco singer. The band, with our clarinetist, violinist and guitarist, is incredible. Our clarinetist specializes in Azerbaijani, Middle Eastern, Oriental sounds. Our percussionist is Spanish, so you’ll hear all these different flavors … flamenco, rhumba, tango, etc.

“The music is atmospheric and really embraces you. I found it challenging because I function more as a musician than an actor in this show. And there are lots of moments where the band improvises, so I improvise with them vocally, as well. When I started learning it and immersing myself in the Azerbaijani and Middle Eastern vocals, I found that I loved singing it so much!

“There’s a lot of dancing from the women in the cast, because there are loads of flamenco elements to it. But my character, the Lover, sings tunes that don’t necessarily push the plot forward, so they’re more ‘state of mind’ songs that set up the scenes and emotions. And so far, people have been responding well to them. The songs are ethereal, mystical …”

Cult following

As for “The Baker’s Wife,” theater lovers instantly remember the production for its gorgeous show tune, “Meadowlark.” While the musical has grown a cult following since it premiered in the West End in 1989 (yes, the same year as “Miss Saigon”), it has yet to be produced on Broadway.

“Over the years, there have been attempts to revive ‘The Baker’s Wife,’” Joaquin disclosed. “Gordon Greenberg, our director, who recently directed the Tony-nominated play, ‘The Heart of Rock and Roll’ on Broadway, has been with this title for a decade or so.

“He directed a revival of it at the Papermill Playhouse in the United States, with Alice Ripley and Max von Essen. So, it really means a lot to him and Stephen for the Menier to stage it on Schwartz’s 76th birth anniversary. It’s a big deal.

Valdes (right) with Lucie Jones, Clive Rowe and Josefina Gabrielle on the poster of “The Baker’s Wife” —MENIER CHOCOLATE FACTORY

“It’s based on a 1938 French film [by Marcel Pagnol and Jean Giono] about a scandal that rocks a small community. It wasn’t received well initially, but Gordon has been developing it for years. I met Gordon when he came to watch ‘Pacific Overtures,’ before I was even considered to audition for it. And the Menier, being so intimate [as a 200-seater venue], is perfect for this type of material. So even the performances are informed by the space.

“This version of ‘The Baker’s Wife’ is incredible—like, it features some of the biggest names in London, and I am so humbled to be part of it! They’re stacking it with a lot of not just good musical theater performers, but also fine actors [from straight plays] to breathe life into the text and the space. So, the [staging] is going to be ‘semi-immersive.’ It’s really exciting.”

Catalyst for change

Asked to talk about the story and his character, who is the baker’s wife’s lover, Joaquin said, “I play Dominique. The general plot revolves around a small, idyllic and quite province in the middle of France, whose residents are shaken when an older baker (Clive Rowe) and his beautiful young wife (Lucie Jones) move into town.

“This baker makes the best bread that everybody loves. Meanwhile, Dominique, my character, is the town playboy—a virile and good-looking young man who falls in love with Genevieve, the baker’s wife. He sweeps her off her feet, and they have an affair—and the whole town is just changed by it! So, this affair is the catalyst for everything that transpires thereafter.

“The central song, which I think conveys the quintessential sound and tone of the show, is this beautiful song called ‘Meadowlark’—one of Stephen Schwartz’s best songs ever. As Genevieve decides whether she should stay with her husband or run away with Dominique, she sings this fairy tale about a meadowlark who’s torn between the king who adores her and the Sun God. It’s a beautiful parable for what she’s going through.

Valdes in “A Song of Songs” —PHOTO BY PAMELA RAITH

“This unexpected turn of events causes a stir, and everybody is invested in this scandal. When you hear Dominique’s song, called ‘Proud Lady’—often every musical-theater tenor’s audition piece—it feels like it was initially written for someone like Gaston from ‘Beauty and the Beast’ … very bombastic, proud and almost two-dimensional.

True love

“But I had a conversation with the director during my audition to explore Dominique’s authenticity and truth even more—how, on the surface, he looks attractive and is always in control, but he’s really just a simple guy from the province.

“All of a sudden, he falls in love and now you can explain why he does what he does. It’s the first time he’s feeling true love. He’s probably had a lot of relationships, but this is the first time he’s genuinely feeling it.

“Before this, Dominique was always vilified as the younger, hotter man, but now would be a great opportunity to show why the decision was hard for him to make. It isn’t just for carnal, animalistic pleasure. There’s genuine connection that Genevieve finds in Dominique that she probably couldn’t find with her husband.

“It’s a real problem with very high stakes for all the characters involved! And that’s what we’re trying to do. We’re fleshing out these characters, even the villagers. All of them make up the heartbeat of the story, with each cast member peeling off all the layers of the text.” INQ