Simon, telling him that a particular line or two would have never come out of a Latino's mouth if the play is to be believable. Significant work was done by director Jerry Zaks, hired in an "unofficial capacity" to help Morris. Zaks said, "I've done about as much as I can with what's there." The production gave preview performances in New York while the rewriting was taking place. This put the cast in the difficult position of performing the original version of the show each night, while in the afternoons they learned and rehearsed rewritten versions. The show opened at the Marquis Theatre on January 29, 1998, and suffered from very poor reviews from the mainstream press. Within a week, the show's producers discussed their strategy for saving the production, and vowed to keep the show open at least until the Tony Award nominations in May. The show closed after only 68 performances on March 28. After the show's closing was announced, Paul Simon issued a statement: "What I enjoyed the most, apart from the creative process, was the intensity with which the audience, in particular the Latino audience, responded to the play." Selected personnel for the Broadway production Paul Simon: Music, book and lyrics Derek Walcott: Book and lyrics Mark Morris: Director and choreographer Bob Crowley: Sets and costumes Oscar Hernández: Musical director Original cast Marc Anthony – Young Salvador Agron Ruben Blades – Adult Salvador Agron Renoly Santiago – Tony Hernandez Ednita Nazario – Esmeralda Agron Michelle Rios – Aurea Agron Élan Luz Rivera – Cookie Lugo – Babu Charlie Cruz Sara Ramirez – Wahzinak Julio Monge - Carlos Apache Reception Initial mainstream press reviews of The Capeman were overwhelmingly negative, though most had some praise for Simon's music. Time Magazine referred to Capeman as "one of the biggest flops in Broadway history." Ben Brantley, reviewer for the New York Times, wrote a very negative review, calling the show a "sad, benumbed spectacle" which was "unparalleled in its wholesale squandering of illustrious talents". He praised Simon's Songs from The Capeman album, but said that the translation to stage was lacking: "Everything in the music melts together; practically nothing that's said, done and shown on the stage seems to connect with anything else." Brantley admired Anthony and Blades' talents, but criticized the writing of their character, saying that Anthony "has been given no proper role to play". He wrote