Curtain Calls
By Charlene Baldridge
Week Ending September 2, 2010
Happy Labor Day
Short shrift in the show department this week. I saw Mozu (review below). Everyone else is waiting to open their show in September, in one case three in one evening and five or more total that weekend! The combined efforts of both Brenda and Charlene cannot cover that particular span let alone write about it succinctly.
In the sanity department, I actually made it to the perpetual coffee klatch at Ralphs two mornings ere I departed for Orange County to care for my daughter, who is unable, due to fuzzy-headedness, to drive for a couple of days following her bi-weekly chemotherapy treatment. She, Queen of the Sofa, and I, Queen of Fuzzy, enjoyed our usual quiet time, watching videos, reading and doing crossword puzzles (me). Among the viewing pleasures, the first season of CBS's "Big Bang Theory," through the two-episode appearance of Old Globe veteran Mark Harelik as nerd scientist Sheldon Cooper's boss. It's a wonderfully wacky series. By further small world coincidence, Sheldon is played by Jim Parsons, who received his MFA in acting from the Old Globe/University of San Diego Professional Actor Training Program. August 29, Parsons received an Emmy Award for Outstanding Lead Actor in a Comedy Series for this role.
In the downer department, I made three errors in last week's column. Apologies to anyone who read one of them. Thanks to those who pointed out the errors of my ways.
THIS WEEK'S SHOW
Monkeyshines: The anthropomorphism of a snow monkey
THE SHOW: Mozu, the show's anthropomorphized protagonist, actually existed. She was a macaque, or snow monkey, born without fully formed hands and feet. In Steven Oberman's world premiere musical, Mozu, playing at Diversionary Theatre through September 12, she and all the other members of her troop are played by humans in Kabuki garb and stylized monkey make up. Oberman saw the popular 1982 "Nature" series documentary "Mozu the Snow Monkey" about these appealing creatures, actually went to their preserve, and wrote this musical about the life of Mozu.
THE STORY: Mozu (Rosalie Celestial) decides she must elicit help from the "giants" (humans who never appear) in order to survive and raise her new baby. This upsets the delicate balance of the troop, already rife with power struggles. Nanda (Scott Andrew Amiotte), the chief of the troop, is growing old, and though blind he is very much in charge. Fearing competition for top female, Morulius (Caro Louise Aristel), a pregnant older macaque, connives to have Mozu murdered. Abetted by the sinister Nemu (Dan Feraldo), who first presents the solution to Morulius, she enlists the aid of her guileless son, Uso (Justin Warren Martin), who happens to be in love with Mozu. Nanda's number one ensign, Itigo (Michael Aviles) grieves his child, killed in an accident he blames on the giants, and helps Mozu care for Momiji (Monet Payne) her growing child. D'Ann Paton deliciously, lasciviously plays Mozu's "cougar" mother, Mori.
Rosalie Celestial as Mozu Photo: Steven Oberman
THE PERFORMERS AND THE PRODUCTION: Logically, one's prime concern when casting a musical would be to cast people who can sing. As assembled, this company has a wide range of vocal ability. At best they are on pitch and, at the other end of the scale, as it were, not. This is especially noticeable in solo numbers and devastating to compositions by Jude Thomas that require three-part harmonies and larger. It's very difficult to judge musical quality when some of the performers are not equal to the task. Generally speaking, however, the lyricist (Oberman) and composer might have done better with some kind of recitative and refrain combination. Or perhaps more acute awareness of exactly what text should be a song and what not. As it is, the songs seem chockablock with words and not much variety in musical structure. A ballad or two might have been nice.
So, let's talk about the biggest hurdle: the suspension of disbelief. These are animals. Even though anthropomorphized animals, it is hard to swallow these characters' serious, rational and quite correct belief that apples poisoned by insecticides account for Mozu's deformity. The other matter that's hard to swallow is that they grok their co-dependency with the giants who feed them, study them, make documentaries about them and seriously affect their behaviors. These opinions, though valid, might be more effective as parody numbers like "Sex Up Your Life," the ridiculous lullaby sung to the swaddled Momiji by grandma Mori, or "The Mating Song," sung by Mozu, Mori and Morulius.
Unwanted comparisons happen in the dark: when Mozu, Mori and Morulius pull out their fans to sing said mating song, one expects "Three Little Maids from School Are We" from Gilbert & Sullivan's Mikado. Though Nanda has only a passing resemblance to Ko-Ko, Nemu is definitely related to The Lion King's Scar. More could be made of these comparisons. If you can't join ‘em you're fighting ‘em.
Oberman is at his best when writing off-handed repartee and double entendre. These are the sparkling moments. What could be clarified is the motivation for Uso being an adult in mama's goodboy box. Is he merely simple? Also murky: the result if any of Mozu's plea for help from the giants, and justification of Itigo's hatred of the giants. Granted, this is a work in progress, but these are the things that most trouble the pragmatist.
THE PRODUCTION's most stunning assets are Ted Crittenden's lovely painted screens, which provide easy ingress and egress and change seasons effectively. Jeannie Galioto scores on some of the costumes, Michael Dondaville II with his wig designs, and Kathleen Kenna with the makeup design. Ashley Jenks is lighting designer and Jeff PolunasAlia Jyawook on guitar, Emily Heck on flute and Daniel Pate on percussion. Jim Strait, who staged Oberman's play, Claire Voyant, directs. sound designer. Thank god, no microphones. Music is live with
THE LOCATION: Mozu continues at 8 pm Thursdays-Saturdays and 2 Sundays through September 12 at Diversionary Theatre, 4545 Park Blvd., San Diego, www.taffe.org or www.diversionary.org or (619) 220-0097.
NOTES: For information on the "Nature" special about Mozu, go to http://www.pbs.org/wnet/nature/mozu/html/intro.html
On Sunday, the day following Mozu attendance, the Associated Press reported that Japanese resort towns are locked in a battle with a marauder macaque that has bitten dozens of people, usually in the calf, over the past few weeks. According to the report, the town of Mishima, near Mt. Fuji, publishes a daily "biting monkey" alert on the town website. Mishima is cross-country from the late Mozu's home near Nagano, the site of the 1998 Winter Olympics. There she lived in the Higokudani Monkey Park, receiving daily food handouts from the humans and basking in the warm hot springs. After raising five offspring and living to age 26, Mozu died in July 1997.
BOTTOM LINE: Not for children; certainly a worthy effort
CHUCKIE'S BEST BETS
Song of Extinction through September 4 at ion theatre, 3704 6th Avenue,
www.iontheatre.com or (619) 600-5020
The Norman Conquests through November 7 at Cygnet Theatre's Old Town Stage, www.cygnettheatre.com or (619) 337-1525
Lamb's Players' MiXtape through October 24 at Horton Grand Theatre, 444 4th Avenue, San Diego, www.lambsplayers.org or (619) 437-6000
BRENDA IN THE BASEMENT
My musical theater bud, Gerry, and I attended Michael Feinstein's "Sinatra Project" concert at San Diego Symphony Bridgepoint Education Summer Pops. (On the way we stopped by Joe's Crab Shack for takeout-marvelous.) Feinstein endeared himself with Yiddish remarks at the end of the program, partly directed towards his parents, who were in the audience. They must be very proud of their boy. For me, I much prefer the Ira/George Gershwin Michael Feinstein of yore--he who rose from the traps of the Old Globe so many years ago. This Feinstein pushes a bit too hard vocally and that, combined with the Pops sound system, puts an unpleasant edge on his voice in mid-high range. Wonderful song selections, though, and the augmented San Diego Symphony with Mark Shapiro on guitar, Rob Thorson on bass, Bob Zelickman on clarinet and a cadre of terrific old timers on trombone, sounded like a big, big band under the baton of John Oddo.
Tonight (Friday) Ger and I will attend the SDSymphony Pops' finale, "Tchaikovsky Spectacular," with the 1812 Overture and the Violin Concerto played by 15-year-old Chad Hoopes. There will be fireworks. If you read this in time, there are two additional performances, at 7:30 pm Saturday and Sunday. The regular season (100th anniversary!) opens exactly one month from now. Check it out at www.sandiegosymphony.com or (619) 235-0804.
See you next week, folks
Charlene Baldridge, member of San Diego Theatre Critics Circle, freelance arts writer, and critic for sdtheatrescene.com
Email me at charb81@cox.net
