Stage Review – Lydia and the Troll (Seattle Rep) Directed by Ameenah Kaplan

Stage Review – Lydia and the Troll
Presented By: Seattle Rep (Leo K. Theatre), Seattle, WA
Date Reviewed: Saturday, May 20, 2023
Reviewed By: Greg Heilman

When you enter the Leo K. Theatre at Seattle Rep for a performance of Lydia and the Troll, it’s quite apparent that you’re in for a good time. Other than an ominous countdown clock projected on the stage backdrop, there’s immediate audience interaction by way of scrolling messages below the clock on the same screen, at times asking the audience to clap, or do certain things, just to see if they’re “paying attention”. It’s quite fun and is a great way to get the audience in the spirit of the show that they’re about to see. I wasn’t sure what to make of Lydia and the Troll by way of the title alone, nor did I know what that clock projected on the stage was counting down to, but to say I was pleasantly surprised is a severe understatement. Everything about Lydia and the Troll is bigger than what you might expect. This world premiere musical, created by Justin Huertas, co-created and directed by Ameenah Kaplan, and with additional musical composition and direction by Steven Tran, is a true wonder. It’s a story of one woman’s struggle to find and accept herself, while battling the demons (both literally and figuratively) that are out to subvert her by exploiting the self doubt that seems to hold her back at every turn.

Sarah Russell plays Lydia, a recovering alcoholic, songwriter, and aspiring music producer. She is in a dead-end relationship with Pete, played here by Adam Standley, and is experiencing a severe case of writers block, needing to write one more song for a performance in front of a group of critics, who are determining whether she is worthy or not of the grant she has applied for. Lydia is defined by her self doubt, hiding her true individuality behind a series of wigs (designed here by Cherelle D. Guyton), which she dons to perform her songs, the wig she chooses depending on both her mood and the image she wants to portray on any particular night. Then there is Jane. Played by Janet Krupin, Jane is a troll, yes, a troll. Not the kind you might expect if you’ve been under the Fremont Bridge or have watched the Harry Potter movies, but one in human form, who, in order to prevent herself from becoming said troll of traditional visage, needs to find a human body to inhabit. Each habitation lasts a finite period of time, so she needs to change vehicles every so often. As her time for transition approaches, Jane’s search for a new human to inhabit takes her to Lydia, for in order to move into a new body, all Jane needs is for that person to confess something, to provide a personal revelation to her, and what better mark than someone with so much self-doubt and who looks like she needs a friend to open up to. It’s all quite well described in the production, though some of the nuances provide many of the wonderful twists and turns found in the show. Once Jane spies Lydia and identifies her as an easy mark, she seductively begins the process of getting closer to her target.

Lydia and the Troll is a wonderful and creatively told tale. It’s set in the Leo K. Theatre at the Seattle Rep, the smaller of the building’s two auditoriums, but director Ameenah Kaplan has this venue bursting at the seems, with actors using all of the space in and around the audience, and through Bryce Cutler’s amazing set and projection design, which ostensibly extends the stage out into the seating area, providing an immersion that would be limited had the production remained strictly on the physical stage. I love to see creative ways of representing big things in a small space, and throughout, Lydia and the Troll finds inventive methods to tell this story. The show utilizes puppets, backlit on screens on stage to represent movement over long distances, the puppets designed by Guy Garrison and handled by Guy and Sophia Franzella. There is also some wonderful use of light from designer Robert J. Aguilar to accentuate many of the scenes, whether through backlighting, or complementing the nature of individual characters, case in point his use of reds and greens to represent the darkness in Jane. Lydia and the Troll is a show that moves along smartly, with no downtime, and is one enjoyable moment followed by another. It clocks in at almost precisely 90 minutes, but it doesn’t even feel that long.

Everything comes to play in Lydia and the Troll. Justin Huertas’ story itself is traditional in the sense that it is largely about self-discovery and self-appreciation, but the creativity in which it is being told is unique. It’s funny, and it’s poignant seemingly at the right times within the timeline of the show. It touches on a number of other subjects as well, though perhaps with more subtlety. On top of Lydia’s battle with her own demons around self-worth, there is her’s and Pete’s struggle with sobriety. There’s also the fact that she’s a black woman, who is locked within herself trying to find a way to impress a group of white judges to win her grant. Lydia and the Troll is also a sincere love letter to Seattle, with references a plenty, and for my part it does a wonderful job of capturing the essence of the city, as abstract as that might seem. I would be interested, though, in seeing how this could be adapted for other regions or settings. Justin’s songs are all fantastic, many catchy, some humorous, and a few poignant, like Phases, in which Jane walks Lydia through her past transitions from host to host, sung wonderfully by Janet Krupin and performed creatively through a choreography with mannequins. Then there is the exquisite Black Hair, in which Sarah Russell’s Jane begins to come to grips with self doubt. Musically, this is the high water mark of the show, the song so moving and so wonderfully performed.

As a predominantly three person show, though there is a significant contribution by puppeteers Guy Garrison and Sophia Franzella in support of the story, the majority of the focus is on each of the actors. I’ve seen Sarah Russell in some of her previous roles, but this feels like a breakout, as bright as she shines as Lydia. The transformation from someone filled with trepidation about herself and her abilities to someone discovering who she is and becoming comfortable with it is so well portrayed that it feels like Sarah was made for this role. She’s got an amazing singing voice and such a stage presence, a confidence that belies her character’s lack thereof, that makes this performance enthralling. Janet Krupin is just as good in her turn as Jane, the troll in human form that is looking at Lydia’s self doubt as an entry point for her less than innocent intention. The role of Jane is dark and seductive, and Janet nails both, engaging with Sarah’s Lydia as well as the audience in a way that makes it believable that her character could survive as long as she has, moving from host to host. Rounding out the leads is the aforementioned Adam Standley as Pete, also a recovering alcoholic, but doing what he can to make his failing relationship with Lydia work. Adam’s Pete is funny, sad, and just as much in denial of himself as Lydia is. Pete has his own battles to fight, and Pete’s representation of both his outside and inside personas, and demons, is very well done indeed. As good as the cast is individually, there’s also a chemistry afoot, and that extends to the supporting cast, the puppeteers as well, even through their limited interactions with the leads on stage. Costuming by Danielle Nieves helps bring these characters to life as well, through Lydia’s and Pete’s more casual attire contrasted with Jane’s leather with fur trim, put together to represent the sinister nature of that character. Everything and everyone works so well together.

Lydia and the Troll is one of those shows that is so much more than expected. It’s a musical treat, a love letter to Seattle, and a whole lot of fun. This story of self-discovery, uniquely told through the lens of an aspiring songwriter who comes in contact with a troll, grabs the audience and doesn’t let go through all of its ups and downs, its catchy and wonderfully crafted songs, it’s superlative performances, and excellent storytelling. It’s so good, so entertaining, and so fun, and its run has been extended through June 11. Good thing, too, because this is one of those rare shows that I can see myself coming back to time and again.

Lydia and the Troll has been extended through June 11, and plays on the Leo K. Theatre stage at Seattle Rep. For more information and tickets, visit https://www.seattlerep.org/.

Review: CHINGLISH, Directed by Jeffrey Lo, at SF Playhouse

Cast and Creative Team Set for SINGIN' IN THE RAIN at South Bay Musical Theatre

SF Playhouse is all in with their take on Tony Award winner and Pulitzer Prize finalist David Henry Hwang‘s Chinglish: stylish set and lighting, excellent direction, and a strong ensemble cast. While there’s plenty of comic moments in Hwang’s sardonic commentary on language barriers and the effects of those miscommunications, there’s also thoughtful observations on fidelity, corporate and judicial corruption, and even nationalism.

It’s easy to find humor in a foreigner struggling with a second language evidences by countless 1930’s films with racist stereotypes, but here Hwang elevates that conceit on an intellectual level with American businessman Daniel Cavanaugh (Michael Barret Austin) struggling to nail down a big business deal in China and failing miserably through miscommunications in the boardroom and bedroom.

Cast and Creative Team Set for SINGIN' IN THE RAIN at South Bay Musical Theatre
Translator Zhao (Xun Zhang), prosecutor Li (Sharon Shao), American sign maker Daniel Cavanaugh (Michael Barrett Austin), and Judge Xu Geming (Phil Wong) take a selfie in San Francisco Playhouse’s “Chinglish,” performing May 4 – June 10.

Translators are the comic foils here as they misinterpret what’s being said. We see the results in supertitles managed by Spenser Matabung projected on to the lovely paper screen set designed by Andrea Bechert. Sharon Shao and Phil Wong are the translators who add their own personal commentary to their work. Matthew Bohrer plays Peter Timms, a teacher posing as a consultant to Cavanaugh who speaks fluent Mandarin.

Cast and Creative Team Set for SINGIN' IN THE RAIN at South Bay Musical Theatre
Vice minister Xi Yan (Nicole Tung) and American businessman Daniel Cavanaugh (Michael Barrett Austin) discuss the deal over dinner in San Francisco Playhouse’s “Chinglish,” performing May 4 – June 10.

The well-constructed plot has Nicole Tung’s Vice Minister of Culture assisting Cavanaugh’s deal for multiple reasons: to expose her corrupt boss and get her husband promoted, and to have an affair with Cavanaugh. Alex Hsu is the corrupt minister Cai Guoliang in a touching performance.

Jeffrey Lo, who directed SF Playhouse hits The Paper Dreams of Harry Chin and Hold These Truths works his magic once again with his staging and attention to the sharp dialogue and exaggerated language failures. Poking fun at Chinese American relations makes Chinglish continually prescient and totally enjoyable.

Chinglish continues through June 10th. Tickets can be purchased online at sfplayhouse.org or by calling 415-677-9596.

Article by Steve Murray for Broadway World.

Review: S.F. Playhouse’s ‘Chinglish,’ Directed by Jeffrey Lo, is plump to bursting with jokes about what gets lost in translation

Vice minister Xi Yan (Nicole Tung, left) and American businessman Daniel Cavanaugh (Michael Barrett Austin) discuss a deal in San Francisco Playhouse’s “Chinglish.” Photo: Jessica Palopoli/San Francisco Playhouse

The best comedic writers are like symphony composers. They prick and pique your ears. They establish conditions that make you crave exactly what they’re going to give you — tonic chord, development, discord, resolution — with the perfect number of rat-a-tat beats preceding a ker-splat punch line. One more syllable, and the whole thing would fall flat. 

To witness the translation-heavy scenes in David Henry Hwang’s “Chinglish,” which opened Wednesday, May 10, at San Francisco Playhouse, is to be in comedy’s equivalent of Davies Symphony Hall. In an Ohio sign manufacturer named Daniel (Michael Barrett Austin), hawking his wares to Chinese officials Cai Guoliang (Alex Hsu) and Judge Xu Geming (Phil Wong), Hwang has cultivated scenarios so ripe and plump they seem to burst with jokes about mistranslation and cultural differences.

Judge Xu Geming (Phil Wong, left), translator Zhao (Xun Zhang), prosecutor Li (Sharon Shao), American sign maker Daniel Cavanaugh (Michael Barrett Austin) and vice minister of culture Xi Yan (Nicole Tung) attempt to communicate in San Francisco Playhouse’s “Chinglish.” Photo: Jessica Palopoli/San Francisco Playhouse

There’s the way translators carry on with a conversation of their own, leaving out the monolingual Daniel, who in his entitlement to having his comprehension needs centered looks like a wanderer weathering a blizzard. There’s the delicious dramatic irony enabled by rapid-fire supertitles: We know exactly why, beats later, everyone is still somehow talking about Chicago, even as the hapless Daniel can only scrape the bottom of his improv bucket to come up with one more thing to say about it. 

Then there are the scrumptious pitfalls of employing an inexpert translator. Here local performer Sharon Shao proves herself a hero in the role of the mousy Miss Qian. It’s not just that her character translates “We’re a small family firm” into “His company is tiny and insignificant,” itself an accidental insight into all that business jargon conceals. Shao delivers the line with a nerd’s quiet self-satisfaction in her accomplishment. Her subtext is so clear and rich it’s like a full companion piece to Hwang’s script. In one moment, you can read “Wait, what did I say?” on her face. In the next, Miss Qian is absorbing with panic all the building tension in the room. And Shao makes the exquisite choice to translate not just text but emotion, though of course Miss Qian goes too far (a volcano where perhaps just a bit of emphasis was called for).

Translator Zhao (Xun Zhang, left), prosecutor Li (Sharon Shao), American sign maker Daniel Cavanaugh (Michael Barrett Austin) and Judge Xu Geming (Phil Wong) take a selfie in San Francisco Playhouse’s “Chinglish.” Photo: Jessica Palopoli/San Francisco Playhouse

In the show, directed by Jeffrey Lo, the one lingua franca is grift. Everyone has some kind of false front, racket, ulterior motive that Hwang hints at then reveals, each with impeccable craftsmanship and timing. 

He achieves all this without miring his comedy in cynicism. In “Chinglish,” each character is both con man and openhearted dreamer. Under Lo’s direction, each admires and sees herself in the others’ hustles, pivots, confessions and lusts. Likewise, each thirsts to be seen. Speaking the same language isn’t necessary; in fact, here it’s helpful not to. One can be more honest that way — and why bother with words when you can just pour yourselves into each other’s eyes?

American businessman Daniel Cavanaugh (Michael Barrett Austin, left) shares a moment with vice minister Xi Yan (Nicole Tung) in San Francisco Playhouse’s “Chinglish.” Photo: Jessica Palopoli/San Francisco Playhouse

Still, “Chinglish” suffers from a “So what?” problem. It backpedals right when it seems it might make a larger point about cross-cultural relationships, whether for business or pleasure. Moreover, its most poignant reveal, from savvy negotiator Xi Yan (Nicole Tung), doesn’t benefit from being written only in broken English then dissipated into a shrug. The whole show seems torn between romantic and cynical takes on human nature without having something to say about that ambivalence, other than, “… and everything turned out fine.”

Yet at the end of the play, as the white guy shuffles off and a speechifying Xi Yan and Judge Xu Geming address crowds, at least one point is sharp: The monolingual American does not end at the center of this international story.

Article by Lily Janiak for the SF Chronicle.

Review: LIKE HEAVEN at The Bridge Initiative, written by Elaine Romero

Since its founding in 2014 by Tracy Liz Miller and Brenda Jean Foley, The Bridge Initiative has been a consistent and ardent champion of diversity and community-building. As a women-led artistic collective, they have stayed true to their vision ~ “an equitable industry where women and other groups who have historically been denied access are equitably represented and valued.”It is in this context that their productions and initiatives are invaluable mirrors through which audiences can broaden their perspectives and sensitivities. Such is the case with their current production of Elaine Romero‘s LIKE HEAVEN, a buoyant little comedy in two acts whose arc revolves around acts of bonding, betrayal, and empowerment.

Playwright Elaine Romero

It’s a fitting marriage of theatre company and playwright as Romero’s vision aligns with that of The Bridge Initiative. In her own right, Romero has established herself as a compelling voice through which the complexities of social and cultural issues ~ social justice, cultural heritage and personal identity ~ are illuminated. For EVITA at American…In LIKE HEAVEN, Romero casts her focus on one woman’s quest for self-fulfillment.

April (Brenda Jean Foley) is at the crossroads of small-town life, stuck between the conflicting pressures of personal ambition, family obligation, and a less than fulfilling marriage to Jeff (the play’s never-present but ever-looming and consequential figure). Her bag is packed, and she would be off and on her way to a singing career were it not for the persuasive entreaties of her younger sister Callie to remain…at least, for a couple more weeks.

As April stows her suitcase and dispenses with her traveling togs, she settles back into her old routine, that is, until it’s picnic time on the front lawn of their pristine neatly landscaped home. April the dreamer and Callie, the embodiment of domestic tranquility, are joined by two diametrically different personalities ~ the true-to-Scripture Trudy and Sapphire, the flamboyant champion of license ~ for a repast that evolves into an explosive set of revelations.

One revelation in particular snowballs into a chain reaction of unsettling confessions. They all may have been drinking from the same tainted well. As they confront their inconvenient truths, the foursome commences to unveil their true selves and motivations, only to test the boundaries of unadulterated friendship and personal responsibility. The joy of the play is their convergence into a chorus of encouragement that spells permission for April to spring forward.

Foley’s April is a model of understandable unsteadiness and naivete until she finds her legs and steadies herself to set out on her long-delayed adventure.

Callie (portrayed with disarming affability and balance by Natalie Andrews) is a marked contrast to April’s mercurial nature. As the primary caretaker of the household and, so it appears, the tie that binds the family, she seemingly epitomizes balance and fidelity. There is something, however, in her mysterious Mona Lisa smile at the play’s end that may make one wonder about her true intentions and motivations.

Trudy (Shonda Royall) brings her avowed faith to the gathering ~ chastising improprieties, calling out hypocrisies, and proclaiming the Word. However, for Trudy, not all is as it seems. And therein lie the makings of a dramatic twist in the narrative for which no spoilers are allowed. Let’s just say that what happens by the nearby river stays by the river…or ought to. Royall is a fireball presence on stage, delivering a robust performance and providing a delightful comic edge to the proceedings.

The jewel in the mix is Sapphire (played to perfection by Maren Maclean). She is irreverent, flamboyant, and the manifestation of “the internal slut.” Her performance is as good as it gets from a distinguished veteran of the Phoenix stage, once described by the former Arizona Republic theatre critic Kyle Lawson (RIP) as having a tongue that “takes to screwball comedy like a cat to a canary” and that, “like some denizen of the ether,” “can charm you into believing that air is water and dross is golden.” Maclean fulfills that promise with panache. She is an ethereal and uninhibited force, the embodiment of indiscretion, and an inspiration to one who may wish to emulate her spirit of freedom.

Thanks to Romero’s craftsmanship as a writer, the play does not get weighed down by gravity but is instead buoyed with precisely drawn moments of humor. She has penned four very distinctive and relatable voices. Director Samantha Wyer Bello has steered the cast’s course with a steady and sensitive hand. The set design (credit to Tiana Torrihon-Wood) and lighting choices (Stacey Walston) contribute to the play’s overall atmosphere. And the ensemble of Andrews, Foley, Maclean, and Royall delivers praiseworthy performances, heightened by an onstage chemistry that is highly entertaining.

LIKE HEAVEN, co-produced by The Bridge Initiative and Estrella Mountain Community College, completes its run of six performances on May 13th.

The Bridge Initiative ~ https://bridgeinit.org/ ~ Tickets available at eventbrite.com.

Venue: Estrella Mountain Community College Fine Arts Center, 3000 North Dysart Road, Avondale, AZ

Photo credit to Rick Meinecke: L to R ~ Andrews, Maclean, Foley, Royall

The production runs through May 13th at Estrella Mountain Community College in Avondale, AZ.

Review by Herbert Paine for BroadwayWorld.

Review: Mashuq Mushtaq Deen’s FLOOD at KC Rep

KCRep long-awaited debut at Copaken runs through February 19th.

Darren (Matt DeCaro) and Edith (Laura T. Fisher)

Friday night saw the debut at the Copaken theatre of Mashuq Mushtaq Deen‘s Flood, an absurdist tragicomedy making its first appearance on stage courtesy of the KC Rep. This reviewer has always been a fan of absurdist theatre, so it was with considerable excitement that she attended the evening’s performance, eager to see a premiere that has come a mere 3 years after its workshop reading in 2019 (thanks again, covid). Happily, this reviewer can safely say she was not disappointed.

Playwright, Mashuq Mushtaq Deen

Flood takes place in a cozy, midcentury modern apartment on the 19th floor where Darren (Matt DeCaro) and Edith (Laura T. Fisher) live in quiet retirement, a pair of boomer empty-nesters marking time. The names, by the way, are no coincidence: the relentlessly cheery domestic sitcoms of the 50’s and 60’s are an ongoing motif in the play. It is very much the world that the couple has created for themselves: clean, domestic, and isolated from the not-so-niceties of the outside.

During the play, Darren (wearing what one might call his “Father Knows Best” mask) labors away at his “great work”, a baffling construction of toothpicks and glue. Edith, ever the pleasant and patient hausfrau, hovers by his side, waiting for the moment that the work is done, when at last they shall have tea, enjoy their Very Nice View, and all questions will be answered. So far, so Beckett. But the story really takes an extra dimension when the pair’s grown children, Darren Jr. and Edith Jr. (Darrington Clark and Jamie Morrow, respectively) enter the picture. The two children, having moved down to the lower floors of the same building with families of their own, try desperately to raise the alarm: the building is flooding, the water is rising, and they are scared for themselves and their families.

Their protestations are less than successful: the elders, having grown up in a world where such things Do Not Happen, are unable to comprehend what they are being told. Darren Sr., in particular, refuses even to speak directly to them, too wrapped up in his “magnum opus”. But as the waters rise, and the view outside becomes less and less familiar, even they have to eventually reckon with the world.

The production is a clever one, very well staged in a way that lets the world gradually intrude itself into the main characters’ lives. The view outside the windows slowly transitions until there is nothing but blue, blue, blue. The books of unanswerable questions (which Edith has been carefully writing down for the glorious day when the work is done) grow and accumulate around the couple until it seems a wave is about to come crashing down on them. Mr. Deen’s script is witty and skillful, taking us step by step through the story and keeping a good balance of humor and tension. There were no weak spots in the cast, though special mention must be made of Ms. Fisher who ably carries the great bulk of the play.

Overall, Flood is a splendid work, a truly contemporary take on absurdist theatre written with sharp and fresh relevance. It is first and foremost a story of generations: of the ones that were raised in one world and imparted the values of that world to a generation that finds itself in a very different one. Those of the protagonists’ generation will recognize the bafflement of finding themselves in a time where the old rules seemingly no longer apply. To the younger viewers, the frustration of the children trying to make their progenitors understand will no doubt ring all too familiar. And to the very pleasant older lady in the elevator on the way out who loudly asked if anyone could tell her “what all that was about”, the answer, dear lady, is that it is about time that you looked out the goddamn window.

Tickets available HERE at KC Rep, performances through Feb. 19, 2023

Review by Kelly Luck for Broadway World