Intrigue, passion and drama — not a bad way to spend the pre-Valentine’s weekend with the one you love.

Since its premier in 1992, “Kiss of the Spider Woman” has become one of the most praised musicals of the 90s. Winner of seven Tony Awards, including “Best Musical,” “Kiss of the Spider Woman” takes the Stephens stage for one special performance this weekend.

Based on the acclaimed novel by Manual Puig, the musical features an exciting score with haunting ballads, torrid, Latin-inspired melodies and pulsating rhythms written by Broadway veterans John Kander and Fred Ebb.

The story of love and friendship unfolds in a Latin American jail as prisoners Molina and Valentin escape from torture by reverting to imagination.

Molina, a homosexual who is serving a sentence for allegedly corrupting a minor, sits in a prison cell as “Kiss” opens. Lonely and tormented, he hears the seductive, beckoning voice of the Spider Woman.

Valentin, a Marxist revolutionary, is brought to the prison as a suspected terrorist.

Severely beaten and unconscious, he is thrown in Molina’s cell. Horrified by Valentin’s condition, Molina conjures up the screen goddess Aurora and escapes into one of his cinematic fantasies.

Argentinian star Sandra Guida makes her U.S. debut as Spider Woman, bringing her unique background and training to the Kander and Ebb score.

As a little girl in Buenos Aires, Guida imitated performers on the street and at age six learned to play the tonette, an instrument famous for its ugly sound and unstable intonation. Yet, she was able to master it.

At age 11, with the encouragement of her parents, Guida enrolled in Argentina’s Instituto Superior de Arte del Teatro Colon where she was able to combine her love of singing with serious study of ballet and modern dance.

But it was the “foreign invasion” of Hollywood musicals sweeping through Argentina that captivated Guida.

“I thought then that productions like these could never happen in Argentina,” she said in a press release. “Surely, they could only happen in the United States.”

So, it was off to America where Guida joined the American Musical Theatre. After spending some time in a band, she auditioned for her first musical, “Hair,” and landed the role of Sheila.

Since then, Guida has had leading roles in numerous productions including “Gypsy” and “Nunsense.”

Join Guida and the rest of the cast Sunday, Feb. 9, at 3 p.m. Tickets are $12.50, $15 and $17.50 for ISU students and are available at the Iowa State Center ticket office and all Ticketmaster outlets. Call 233-1888 to charge by phone.

Note: this performance contains mature themes.