THEATRE REVIEW: "Tortilla Curtain" at San Diego REP

"Curtain"s and Walls

San Diego REP’s world premiere play pits the privileged against the immigrant poor in a lightweight look at illegal immigration

By Donnie Matsuda

There’s a wall that features prominently in the second half of Tortilla Curtain, the world premiere play by Matthew Spangler currently being staged as the sixth and final production of San Diego REP’s 36th season. It’s a wall that the affluent hilltop communities of Topanga Canyon, which includes nature writer and staunch environmentalist Delaney Mossbacher and his real estate mogul wife, want erected around their glorious mansions to keep their lives protected from “the outsiders” – whether they be vicious dog-eating coyotes or rabble-rousing illegal immigrants from Mexico.

And it’s an interesting metaphor, that wall, in that it speaks to our natural human instinct to build up barriers around us in an attempt to more clearly define an “us” vs. “them.” In fact, the title of Spangler’s play refers to one of the most hotly debated and politically charged walls that exist in our country today: the U.S./Mexico border. But, while this polished and peculiar play, a recipient of an Edgerton Foundation New American Plays award, attempts to tackle some heavy-hitting and socially relevant themes, it ends up taking a mostly lightweight and shallow stab at this potentially impactful issue.

Kinan Valdez and Vivia Font. Photo by Daren Scott.

The play’s premise starts out interestingly enough, with Delaney’s world colliding head on with that of undocumented immigrant Cándido Rincón on the narrow, windy roads of Topanga Canyon. As Delaney’s white Lexus plows into Cándido himself and leaves him badly injured (but unable to seek medical attention for fear of being deported), the two men’s lives are forever altered as we watch the fallout from this fateful accident unfold in two very different households: the upper-middle class mansion of Delaney and his breadwinner wife Kyra at Arroyo Blanco (a gated community where all the houses have immaculate orange tile roofs and are painted in different shades of white) and the dark ravine at the bottom of the canyon where Cándido and his wife América have set up a makeshift abode while they desperately search for work scrubbing statues and laying bricks. It’s a stark contrast as we shift back and forth between the day-to-day lives of these two distinct couples, but beyond the interesting comparison of two distinctly different American ways of life, it’s hard to figure out exactly what playwright Spangler (who adapted his play from the best-selling novel by T.C. Boyle) is trying to say with this oddly playful piece of work.

Perhaps part of the problem here is that the play doesn’t really know when to take itself seriously and when to tastefully slip into satire. Instead, it ends up being a mash-up of a number of things both humorous and heartbreaking, as the playwright has thrown in just about everything (including the kitchen sink). From waxing poetic about chasing the ever-elusive American Dream, to a fully choreographed music video dance number a la Jennifer Lopez, to highly stylized rape and fight sequences, to a Thanksgiving dinner that causes the entire canyon to go up in flames, this play unabashedly takes the meaning of “randomness” to a whole new level. And just like the fantastical and far-fetched American dream that Cándido chases, Tortilla Curtain hovers about without a clear direction, teasing and taunting with its glimmers of hope and flashes of brilliance.

Mike Sears. Photo by Daren Scott.

Despite lacking a cohesive core, San Diego REP’s production boasts some incredibly fine performances from its first-rate cast. Mike Sears is ideal as the clean-cut, tree-hugging intellectual Delaney and Kinan Valdez is every bit his equal as the tireless and passionate Mexican immigrant Cándido. These two men bring their own idiosyncrasies to their roles and manage to carve out some finely nuanced characters that are both captivating and compelling. Vivia Font is truly a vision as beautiful América and she acts with an earnestness that is at times breathtaking and at times exhilarating. And in the supporting role of Kyra, Lisel Gorell-Getz is appropriately curt and clueless as the successful real estate broker with nothing but money on her mind.

The ensemble cast is also strong and they tackle their many cameo roles with gravitas and gusto. They include Miles Gaston Villanueva as José Navidad, David Meyers as Jack Jardine Sr., and Jeremy Kahn as Jack Jardine Jr.

Chandra Athenill, Vivia Font, and Lisel Gorell-Getz. Photo by Daren Scott.

San Diego REP’s artistic director Sam Woodhouse gives his spry staging a playful feel that works well with the haphazard nature of the piece. It’s definitely a tall order, but Woodhouse works wonders wrangling all the disparate elements of this quirky play into a cohesive and presentable whole. And his sprawling vision goes hand in hand with Ericka Moore’s blazing choreography and James Newcomb’s feisty fight sequences. Together, their efforts are greatly aided by a stellar design team, which includes an earthy and textured canyon-side set by Ian Wallace, some 1990’s era-appropriate costumes by Valerie Henderson, and some contemporary musical interludes composed by Bruno Louchouarn.

Overall, if the goal of Tortilla Curtain is to serve as an earth-shattering, though-provoking piece of theatre, it falls short of the mark. However, if its goal is to serve as a stylized period piece that seeks to bring the issue of illegal immigration to the forefront of our collective consciousness as Americans, then it definitely does that.

And, perhaps by doing so, we can all examine the walls we’ve built up around ourselves and see if one day we can finally learn enough to break free.

Things to know before you go: Tortilla Curtain presented by San Diego REP plays on the Lyceum Stage at Lyceum Theatre through April 8, 2012. Running time is 1 hour 30 minutes with no intermission. Performances are Thursdays, Fridays, and Saturdays at 8pm and Sundays at 2pm; performances are also scheduled on selected Saturdays at 2pm and selected Sundays, Tuesday, and Wednesdays at 7pm. Ticket prices are $32-$51 with discounts available for groups, seniors, and military. For more information or to purchase tickets, call (619) 544-1000 or visit www.sdrep.org.

THEATRE REVIEW: "In the Wake" at San Diego REPertory Theatre

"Wake" Up, America!

Lisa Kron’s smart and stimulating Bush-era play is less about politics and more about our own myopic-mindedness

By Donnie Matsuda

It is hard to see things we cannot see.

But that’s the thing about blind spots, as Ellen, the energetic, obsessive-compulsive political activist at the center of Lisa Kron’s provocative play, In the Wake, reminds us. By their very definition, they are things we cannot see – other people can see our blind spots and we can see the blind spots in others – but sadly, we remain oblivious to those crucial details that lie just outside the bounds of our myopic minds. Perhaps the genius of Kron’s play is that with its blend of provocative dialogue and heady characters, it gets us thinking individually and collectively about those blind spots that exist in our own American lives – spots that keep us from fully seeing ourselves and realizing our full potential.

Aubrey Saverino as Ellen in San Diego REP's "In the Wake." Photo by Daren Scott.

Instead of instructing us or regaling us with some specific kind of polemic, Kron provides us with a case study of sorts in the central character of Ellen. A well-educated, exuberant, and opinionated freelance writer, Ellen has no doubts about anything in her life and remains steadfast in her staunchly liberal beliefs, as she passionately speaks out against the Supreme Court, the war in Iraq and the atrocities perpetuated by the administration of George W. Bush. She convinces herself that she is blessed with the perfect life: a boyfriend (they are not married) named Danny who dotes on her in his own aloof way, Danny’s sister Kayla and her wife (they are married) Laurie who live in the same apartment building and run in similar social (though not political) circles, and her good friend Judy, who along with mixed race niece, Tessa provide some stark wake up calls about the real America we live in.

As we follow Ellen’s life amid the political backdrop of 2000-2005 (presented throughout the play in video vignettes by projection designer Victoria Petrovich), including Bush’s 2001 inauguration, the fateful events of 9/11, declaration of the war in Iraq, Bush’s re-election, and the destruction that was Hurricane Katrina, we begin to sense the devastating effects of her own blind spot as her emotional affair with another woman and her unbending political tirades drive all her close friends farther and farther away. And in the grander scheme of things, Ellen becomes somewhat of a metaphor for an America that keeps pushing blindly forward without any sense of awareness of the destruction that lies in its wake. Yes, those blind spots can be tricky, but they are oh so important.

Fran Gercke as Danny. Photo by Daren Scott.

In the Wake had its world premiere in Los Angeles in March 2010 and went on to be staged at the Berkeley REP before opening Off-Broadway in the Fall of 2010. Now being presented in its regional premiere by the San Diego REPertory Theatre in a deeply affecting and simply sublime staging, In the Wake is one of the most remarkable and important modern American plays you will ever see. Admittedly, it is not perfect: there are a few too many winding diatribes by our talkative leading lady, there are too many scenes that try too hard and push the play’s long-ish two hour and 30 minute run time, and there isn’t a whole lot of genuine soul-searching at the end of the day. But, as a character driven piece, the writing is sharp and smart, the themes are utterly relevant, and the play serves up some food for thought in ways that are both fresh and delectable.

Stephanie Dunnam as Judy and Aubrey Saverino as Ellen. Photo by Daren Scott.

And San Diego REP boasts an all-star cast of some of the best actors in the region. San Diego-trained and New York-based actress Aubrey Saverino is simply stellar in the difficult role of Ellen. With a breezy exuberance and an unrelenting stamina, she fits so comfortably in the skin of a woman who is guileless in her staunch political and personal stances, yet she also credibly swings up to the character’s manically obsessive highs and down to the character’s deeply depressive lows. Local favorite Francis Gercke plays the lackadaisical Danny to perfection. His role is a tricky one, as there’s not a whole lot of substance written into the script for him, but Gercke nonetheless mines his one-liners for all they are worth and manages to come across as a likeable, if not truly loveable, character. Jo Anne Glover as lipstick lesbian Kayla and DeAnna Driscoll as her butch wife Laurie are outstanding in their finely tuned roles, as is Stephanie Dunnam as Judy, who gives a tour-de-force performance as she seamlessly transforms from devilishly deadpan observer to full-fledged, strongly-opinionated realist. Sixteen-year old Alexis Louise Young delivers a genuine, heartfelt performance as Judy’s Republican-leaning, not-so-gay-friendly niece Tessa. And last but certainly not least is the incomparable Karson St. John who wows with her earthy and deeply moving turn as Amy, Ellen’s secret lesbian lover.

Karson St. John as Amy and Aubrey Saverino as Ellen. Photo by Daren Scott.

And at the helm of it all is deft director Delicia Turner Sonnenberg. Sonnenberg is the master of extracting riveting and real performances from her actors and she paints her plays with bold, broad strokes before honing in on the delicate details of each of her well refined characters. The result is always stunning to witness and her fresh, vibrant vision here is what takes this production to another level. She is aided in bringing this edgy play to life by set designer Victoria Petrovich (whose sleek and sophisticated East Village Apartment set with its many rotating parts is pure genius) and costume designer Kate Stallons (whose contemporary creations are right on the mark).

Overall, In the Wake is more than just a liberal-leaning, feminist-themed story about one woman’s search for her blind spot. It is a thought-provoking piece of theatre that urges all of us to take a closer look at our lives and see what legacy we leave behind in our own individual wakes.

When we can finally see, we all might be a bit surprised at what we find.

Things to know before you go: In the Wake plays at San Diego REP’s Lyceum Space through March 4, 2012. Running time is 2 hours and 30 minutes with a 15 minute intermission. Performances are Thursdays, Fridays, and Saturdays at 8pm, and Sundays at 2pm. Performances are also scheduled on selected Saturdays at 2pm and selected Sundays, Tuesdays, and Wednesdays at 7pm. Ticket prices are $32-$51 with discounts available for groups, seniors, and military. For more information or to purchase tickets, call (619) 544-1000 or visit www.sdrep.org.

THEATRE (NON) REVIEW: "A Hammer, A Bell, and A Song to Sing" at San Diego REP

It seems fitting to write about San Diego REP’s newest production, A Hammer, A Bell, and A Song to Sing, on Martin Luther King Jr. Day. Not only is the peacekeeping activist directly quoted in one of the show’s many spoken interludes, but his push for social change, call for justice, and vision of a better, more peaceful world are at the heart of what A Hammer, A Bell, and A Song to Sing is all about.

Inspired by the work of folk singer and songwriter Pete Seeger and his grandson Tao Seeger (who recently said at an Occupy rally, “If we want to get people talking to each other, we should try to get them singing together”), A Hammer, A Bell, and A Song to Sing aims to celebrate the history of change in America through song, spoken word, and slideshows.

Originally intended to be a Pete Seeger-centric musical, the very man at the heart of the show pulled out just weeks before its opening, as he didn’t feel comfortable with the details of his life being played onstage. While the show still draws some inspiration from Mr. Seeger and his grandson Tao, it primarily focuses on change movements in American history (from the American Revolution, to the womens and civil rights movements, to the Occupy protests of today) and the music that fueled them. And, sprinkled throughout, are some words of wisdom from our country’s most notable visionaries: Ghandi, Allen Ginsberg, Henry David Thoreau, Margaret Mead, Cesar Chavez, and Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.

Since this world premiere production, written and directed by REP Associate Artistic Director Todd Salovey and featuring a trio of first class musicians, is a workshop still in its developmental phase, there are no press reviews, commentary, or critique allowed. Suffice it to say, this is an exciting experimental work and it deserves support from the San Diego theatergoing community.

And, in the spirit of the “workshop” nature of this show, here’s a video that illustrates the creative and collaborative process that went into bringing this inspiring play to life.

A Hammer, A Bell, and PLAYLIST to sing: Here are just a handful of the over 25 songs featured in the show. No doubt you will recognize most (if not all) of them: “We Shall Overcome,” “If I Had a Hammer,” “This Land Is Your Land,” “The Times They Are A Changin’,” “This Little Light of Mine,” and “Johnny Has Gone for a Soldier.”

Things to know if you want to go: San Diego REP’s world premiere workshop production of “A Hammer, A Bell, and A Song to Sing” plays at the Lyceum Stage through January 29, 2012. Running time is 90 minutes with no intermission. Performances are Wednesdays at 7pm, Thursdays, Fridays, and Saturdays at 8pm, and Sundays at 2pm. During the run, there is also a Wednesday matinee, Saturday matinee and Sunday evening show. Tickets are $32-$51 (Student discount $18) with discounts available for groups, seniors and military. For more information and to purchase tickets, call (619) 544-1000 or visit www.sdrep.org.