Cote de Pablo and Allen Hidalgo Join Cast of Upcoming Mambo Kings

Broadway.com has learned that Cote de Pablo will play Dolores Fuentes and Allen Hidalgo will portray Desi Arnaz in the upcoming Broadway musical version of The Mambo Kings. As we reported earlier today, Christiane Noll has won the role of Vanna in the musical. Esai Morales, Jaime Camil, Billy Dee Williams, Albita and Justina Machado are also set.

De Pablo, whose sweet Mambo Kings character is the love interest of Nestor Castillo Camil, was recently featured as legal intern Maugerite Cisneros in the short-lived series The Jury. She has appeared on the New York stage in the Public Theater 2001 staging of Measure for Measure. At her alma mater, Carnegie Mellon University, her theatrical credits included mountings of The House of Bernarda Alba, Cloud Techtonics, Indiscretions, The Fantasticks, And The World Goes 'Round and A Little Night Music. De Pablo appeared in The Mambo Kings workshop and turned down television and film roles to stay with the project.

Hidalgo appeared on Broadway in Candide and Chicago. His off-Broadway credits include Eating Raoul, Blessing in Disguise and 4 Guys Named Jose and Una Mujer Named Maria. His other credits include national tours of Kiss of the Spider Woman, Starlight Express, West Side Story, Ain't Misbehavin' and Fame. Hidalgo served as a choreographer and director Inappropriate at the Berkshire Theatre Festival and Waiting for Lugo at Chashama in New York.

The story of The Mambo Kings is based on Oscar Hijuelos' novel, The Mambo Kings Play Songs of Love, which was made into a 1992 film featuring Maruschka Detmers as Delores and Desi Arnaz Jr. as Desi Arnaz Sr.. Set in 1949, the plot centers on the Castillo brothers, Cesar Morales and Nestor Camil, who work by day and by night become stars of the dance halls, where their orchestra plays the pulsing music that earns them the title of the Mambo Kings.

The stage version features lyrics and direction by Arne Glimcher who produced, directed and wrote lyrics for The Mambo Kings film and a book by Glimcher and Hijuelos. Music is by Carlos Franzetti, who worked with Glimcher on the film. Sergio Trujillo will provide the choreography.

The Mambo Kings will try out at San Francisco's Golden Gate Theatre from May 24 through June 19. It is then scheduled to begin performances at the Broadway Theatre on July 20 in preparation for an August 18 opening.

A production spokesperson could not confirm the casting of de Pablo and Hidalgo.