Dailyn Rodriguez is preparing for some hot Havana nights…
The Cuban American television writer and producer and Queen of the South showrunner is teaming up with Keshet Studios, to adapt Tropicana Nights: The Life and Times of the Legendary Cuban Nightclub by Rosa Lowinger and Ofelia Fox.
Tropicana Nights, which is in the vein of Moulin Rouge, Cabaret and Casino, tells the story of the notorious Cuban nightclub in the 1950s, when the club provided a fun, vibrant, wildly entertaining safe haven for those looking to escape the political unrest and persecution on the streets of Havana.
It centers on the love story and partnership between the club’s owners Martin and Ofelia Fox, who tirelessly fought to preserve their paradise under the stars against various threats, including rival club owners, the mafia and Cuban revolutionaries.
The El Tropicano night club, which opened in 1939 and is still open today, played host to greats such as Nat King Cole and party goers included Marlon Brando, Ernest Hemingway, Rita Hayworth and J.F.K.
Keshet Studios’ president Peter Traugott tells Deadline that the project came out of a general meeting with Rodriguez, who has also written on series including Fox’s Fantasy Island reboot and ABC’s Ugly Betty.
“It’s a spectacularly beautiful space that still exists today. But when you peel it back a bit, [the Tropicana] was this kind of safe-haven for people who didn’t fit in, people from all over the world –people of different colours, sexualities, genders and whatever was going in beyond the walls was left behind,” he said. “It’s a really crazy love story at the centre with this backdrop and at it centre its exploring lots of issues that are still relevant.
Rodriguez added, “I’ve wanted to write about the Tropicana for years. My mother used to tell me amazing stories about the shows she and my father saw there, so this dynamic, special world is close to my heart.”
Keshet Studios is now taking it out to market.
