“Wild Goose Dreams”: A High Tech Love Story Told On The Wings Of A Dream

There are wild goose chases and wild goose stories and wild goose dreams, I suppose.  I’ve been on many a wild goose chase over the course of my lifetime and I’ve heard wild stories as well, but it wasn’t until recently that I happened on a wild goose dream.  

In the case of “Wild Goose Dreams” at The La Jolla Playhouse, I felt as if I was in wild goose inner sanctum of loud noises sounds and other distractions not in concert with what I had expected. I was a good soldier and rode the dream to the end but sans hearing aids. To this day I still try to avoid those discordant sounds coming from my own devices.

The La Jolla Playhouse, in conjunction with The Public Theatre is currently staging Hansol Jung’s world premiere production, “Wild Goose Dreams” through Oct. 1st

Yunjin Kim and James Kyson

It’s a love story bound together by high tech blips, bleeps, beeps tweets, email, cell phones, Facebook, on line dating services, a digital Greek Chorus and any other way of connecting or not, lonely people from different walks of life and possibly different cultures seeking companionship.

Playwright Jung connects two unlikely souls, both looking for something or someone, through an Internet dating service. ‘Goose father’ Minsung (James Kyson) is from South Korea and supporting his wife and daughter living in the U.S. He wants his daughter to be educated there. He’s alone and lonesome.  

Nanhee (Yunjin Kim), with the help of her father (Francis Jue) defected from North Korea by swimming in dark and cold seas to reach the South. She is a survivor and now works for the government hidden away in a small cubicle.

Both are employed by their now government and both are reluctantly willing to find companionship. Nanhee’s defection five years ago still finds her alone, bewildered and naive in the art of relationships. The money from her work that she sends home is to help her father. 

The play, deftly directed by Leigh Silverman, starts charmingly enough with a ‘Once upon a time’ fable as told by Nanhee’s father about heavenly angels that want to defy the Emperor and sneak down to earth. They find an earthly river… and so he recounts the story of his daughter’s escape from her birth country ending with,  “If you have to choose between family and flying, I hope you would chose the flying.”)

Certainly something to ponder.

Yunjin Kim (center) and cast of "Wild Goose Dreams"

And then from nowhere a refrain of ear piercing sounds from a Greek chorus enters in the background  singing cappella. They are sounds you might hear popping up on your own computer breaking the stillness of the ongoing struggle to connect Nanhee and Minsung

The sounds seemingly never go away. The chatter of the Internet is loud and distracting (“Breaking news.” “Global leaders.” “Win a free trip.” “Ding dong, fine dust alert.” “Delete, delete.”) and for all its noise, takes away from the overall enjoyment of the show.

The two do get together letting their relationship grow in spite of age differences and other interruptions like Nanhee’s father showing up in her dreams as a penguin and offering advice or from the pesky internet that sometimes works but oft times not and the cell phones that disconnect in mid conversation.  

‘Dreams’ is clever to a degree. The acting is without question, excellent.  The play is timely as any topic can be given the saber rattling going on between this government and North Korea.

The cultural differences as shown through the generational gaps brought about by the soft –spoken, tale telling and beautifully nuanced Francis Jue, Ms. Kim’s demure postures and complex personality of doing the right thing or not and Mr. Kyson’s struggle to connect with his daughter and to leaving his wife for this younger woman, ring true.

Yunjin Kim and Francis Jue 

No question ‘Dreams’ stretches the imagination but the story is too complex and oft times incoherent. Trying to squeeze every idea Jung wants to say into a one- act play may satisfy some, but left this reviewer still in need of clarification at plays end.    

Linda Cho's costumes, Wilson Chin’s sets, Keith Parham’s lighting, and the penguin head, Jasmine Lee choreography and the seven- member chorus all contribute to a finely tuned but very long and multi-layered play.  

With all the noises coming out of Washington and with North Korea testing the boundaries of this countries reserve, some quiet discourse is in order. TBC.

The metaphor in “Wild Goose Dreams” reminded me of Kahlil Gibran’s “Your children are not your children” poem offering the same sage advice. 

Letting our children fly is the best gift we can give them.

See you at the theatre.

Dates: Through Oct. 1st

Organization: La Jolla Playhouse

Phone: 858.550.1010

Production Type: Comedy

Where: 2910 La Jolla Village Drive, La Jolla, CA

Ticket Prices: Start at $29.00

Web: lajollaplayhouse.org

Venue: Mandell Weiss Forum

Photo: Jim Carmody

Energetic ”In The Heights” Closes Out Moonlight Summer Season

Long before Lin-Manuel Miranda’s name was synonymous with “Hamilton” he had already won 13 Tony Awards including Best Musical, Best Musical Score for his "In The Heights".  It also won the 2009 Grammy Award for Best Musical Theatre Album that year. 

In 2008 “Alexander Hamilton: An American Musical” was still an idea in his head conceived and inspired by Ron Chernow’s biography of Alexander Hamilton founding father and first secretary of the treasury.

In 2009 Alexander Hamilton’s likeness was then (and still is) a picture on our ten -dollar bill and Lin-Manuel Miranda was coveting awards for this earlier creation.

Miranda wrote the music and lyrics to “In The Heights” with book by Quiara Alegria Hudes. This award winning musical is now making its Moonlight’s debut on the outdoor stage in Vista through Sept. 13^th.

William Cooper Howell as Usnavi.  Photo: Adriana Zuniga

“In The Heights” director James Vasquez and his highly charged and passionate cast take us through the trials and tribulations of real people living their dream or aspiring to achieve them over a period of three days.

Much of what happens in the time frame as told to us through dance as in Hip Hop, Jazz, Salsa, Mambo, Rap is added to an amazing chorus of voices and an outstanding and the highly talented ensemble and first rate music coming from the pit. 

There is almost no time to take a breath in this vibrant and dazzling production, but shout outs are still in order. The production shines in every category. 

Aside from the fabulous dancing (credit choreographer Carlos Mendoza), the amazing voices and high voltage enthusiasm, the plot reads like a soap opera, mostly germane to that particular niche in Washington Heights, yet not unlike the stories in other small ethnic communities throughout the US.

Most everyone ‘in the heights’ is either first or second generation whose families came here from the Dominican Republic, Puerto Rico, Cuba and or other Latin American countries. Everyone is struggling to make a living; some strive to move up the social ladder while others want to move out and back to their native lands. All are survivors.

William Cooper Howell and cast Photo: Adriana Zuniga

William Cooper Howell’s Usnavi character is central to the goings and comings of those in his intimate Washington Heights’ barrio community of New York. As a talented dancer, rapper and mild mannered adopted grandson to his Abuela, both from the Dominican Republic, he is a perfect choice.

Howell is smooth and more than credible as both central character and love -sick bodega owner and loveable and caring son to his Abuella. He’s no slouch as a Rapper either. (“In The Heights”.)

Usnavi owns a bodega smack dab in the middle of all the other businesses (a Unisex Hair Salon, Rosario’s Taxi, car and Limousine rental and the Deli that belongs to him).

Upstairs above the businesses house the good folks in the neighborhood, in particular Abuela Claudia (Samara Otero), everyone’s grandmother and collector of memories. Usnavi’s love interest, Vanessa (Michelle Cabinian, full of life and a gorgeous dancer) is also a tenant.

Michelle Cabanian, Nicholas Alexander and William Cooper Howell Photo: John Howard

Vanessa works in the next-door hair salon and is always in need of money because she takes care of her alcoholic mother. Sonny (Nicholas Alexander) Usnavi’s savvy cousin and jokester plays cupid arranging a date for Vanessa and Usnavi.

Abuella and Usnavi share a dream of returning to the Dominican Republic. Vanessa just wants out. Nina Rosario (Caitlyn Calfas) is the first generation to the leave the community for college with a scholarship to Stanford.

She’s overwhelmed by holding down two jobs to make ends meet and keeping up with her grades and as a result loses her scholarship. She returns to The Heights much to the surprise, pleasure and later chagrin of her parents.

Her story also unfolds in high- energy drama as the now grown daughter has a love interest, Benny (Carleton Buford).

Caitlyn Calfas and Carleton Bluford Photo: John Howard

 Benny has worked in the family business as a taxi dispatcher in Rosario’s Taxi and Car Rental since he was a youngster. He was treated as family by Nina’s parents Kevin and Camila (Rudy Martinez and Amber–Sky Skipps both convincing and in fine voice as long time marriage partners and loving parents.) but now that he’s interested in their daughter, it’s ixnay.

Carla and Daniela (Nadia Guevara and Marlene Montes) are the two hairdresser/gossips and Graffiti Pete (Sebastian Montenegro), Sonny’s friend who specializes in spraying the neighborhood with graffiti round out a goodly number of those whose stories are played out.  

And not to be forgotten, Piragua Guy (a terrific Jonathan Arana “Piragua’) from Cuba is the guy who pushes his snow cone cart through the Heights every day. He too hopes to make it big one day. 

Samara Otero is soft, nurturing and convincing as Abuella Claudia singing “Paciena Y Fe” (Patience and Faith) and ‘Hundreds of Stories”. She also convinces as the elderly grandmother with wise words for the younger generation.

Samara Otero and William Cooper Howell Photo: John Howard

Nadia Guevara and Marlene Montes both great dancers are standouts. Nicholas Alexander and Carleton Buford as Sonny and Benny who both come from opposite ends of the spectrum and add significantly to the overall look and feel of this magnetic force called “In The Heights”. They bring another dimension as the 'younger generation' that will one day carry the flags of their elders.

Once Caitlyn Calfas settled into the role of Nina on opening night, she too added to the scenery of one pulled in two directions. Her decision to stay and blend in with the landscape or go off and make it outside the gates of her own barrio plays significantly into todays dialogue about who and what makes an American. While the musical is set in the 80’s it’s more relevant today than one can imagine.

There are over twenty plus performers in this show and not one weak spot. However I will take some exception with Jim Zadia’s sound design and suggest the volume be turned down a bit.

The live music (Elan McMahan) comes from her thirteen-piece band in the pit just below the stage. McMahn Musical Director and conductor, a solid fixture at Moonlight is making her 53rd production as Musical Director.  Congratulations!

The realistic looking set (Anna Louizos) with towering tenement houses dwarfed by George Washington Bridge looming in the background are from the original Broadway show.

Lighting designer Jean-Yves Tessier’ living color stage looks perfect against the outdoor evening’s sky in Vista. Costumes by Renetta Lloyd add to the overall and authentic look of the place called Washington Heights.

The Company Photo: Adriana Zuniga

It’s been a banner year for Moonlight Stage Productions. Closing out with “In The Heights” at the very height of the ongoing debate over DACA, stifling immigration laws and a horrific rise in race relations might serve as another topic of conversation for those who don’t see the similarities.

To those whose ancestors came to this country and endured the same hardships and lived in all the heights or barrios or slums then and are facing still now, thank goodness for voices like Lin- Manuel Miranda.

See you at the theatre.

This is a two thumbs up show.

Dates: Through Sept. 13th

Organization: Moonlight Stage Productions

Phone: 760.724.2110

Production Type: Musical

Where: 1200 Vale Terrace Drive, Vista

Ticket Prices: Start at $23.00

Web: moonlightstage.com

“Last Of The Red Hot Lovers”: A Vintage Simon In Ready Made To LOL.

Barney Cashman is a happily married man with three grown children. He owns a successful fish restaurant that has been in his family for over forty years. He and his wife Thelma have been married over twenty-two years.

Every day he drives, in his Buick, from his middle-class home in Great Neck Long Island to his restaurant in the City dressed in a blue suit, white shirt and black tie. His father instilled in him, always a blue suit.

Aside from the fact that his fingers have a perpetual fish smell, and he is going a bit bald, a little sag around the middle his life is pretty…well, middle class dull. Barney wants to cash in on the sexual revolution of the 1960’s.

Phil Johnson as Barney Cashman in "Last Of The Red Hot Lovers"

And this is exactly where we find ourselves in Neil Simon’s vintage 1960’s play “The Last Of The Red Hot Lovers” now in a chuckle a minute production at The North Coast Repertory Theatre in Solana Beach through Oct. 8^th. 

Simons’ penchant for rat- tat -tat repartee, his comic signature, is written all over this late 60’s play. Director Christopher Williams knows this and takes full advantage of his leading and funny- man Phil Johnson and a seriously funny and smartly chosen supporting cast.  

Simon has written about 30 plays. North Coast Rep. has produced about 11 of them over the years. I could be wrong about that, but in the early eighty’s yours truly recalls at least four, one starring founding mother Olive Blakistone playing the role of Kate Jerome in the first of Simon’s BB Trilogy, “Brighton Beach Memoirs”.

“The Last Of The Red Hot Lovers” premiered on Broadway in 1969 just at the end of the sexual revolution of the ‘free wheeling’ sixties and Barney Cashman wants a little piece of the action.

Katie Karel and Phil Johnson

To get the ball rolling he ads an extra shrimp into Elaine’s (Katie Karel) shrimp cocktail and then he leaves an address on the back of a dollar-eighty check. Now Elaine, no stranger to secret meetings finds herself in Barney’s mothers Manhattan apartment because he thought a motel ‘might be too sorted’. (“Listen, I always say, keep it in the family.”)

To say that Barney has a penchant for picking just the wrong gals to schtupp would be an understatement. He actually managed to lure three very different types to his mother’s apartment.

Unfortunately the only things he got in return for his concerted efforts were a sharp tongued alpha female, a wacky loon he met in the park, a family friend and lessons in morality and decency that came from an unlikely source. 

Tough as nails and sexy Elaine Navazio (“Mr. Navazio assumes I’m married. I assume what I want.”), his first ‘guest’ catches him on his every move. That includes his finger smelling, watch watching and replacing her Scotch glass in a coaster so as not to leave any telltale marks on  his mother’s meticulously polished furniture. She might notice water marks on the table when she comes home from her volunteer stint at Mt. Sinai Hospital.

Katie Karel is the perfect foil for Johnson’s little eccentric traits, knocking him down every time he thinks he’s on safe ground. Karel is also perfect with Simon’s dialogue; again it’s the rat-tat-tat faster than the speed of sound repartee. 

Phil Johnson with Noelle Marion

Johnson does most of the work with his second selection, Bobbi (Noelle Marion) the of the wall younger than Barney’s daughter kook who met Barney in the park when he offered to loan her twenty dollars she needed to pay ‘her accompanist’.

She shows up at the apartment dressed in an orange mini-mini fluff of a skirt (Elisa Benzoni) and promptly headed for the window AC to cool off. The AC sends her skirt floating a la Marilyn Monroe standing over the manhole cover in her famous shot.

For every seemingly seductive move she makes like bending over to fix her shoe exposing her matching orange panties Johnson counters with another look into the audience, like I can’t believe my luck, look.  

But Bobbi goes off on tangents about dogs being kidnaped and her Nazi housemate, and being beaten by some Mexican in a motel, and every oddball story you can imagine. (“I tell you this man had his teeth sharpened, can you fill in the rest?”).

 Let’s just say that little attempt ended as disastrously as the first. But hat’s off to Noelle. Her Bobbi is such a fresh change of pace that it was fun watching the interchanges and Johnson's facial expressions.

The surprise of the evening came when Jeanette (Sandy Campbell) long face, sad eyes, clutching her handbag seriously to her body, (reminded me of my mother-in-law) walks into Barney’s mother’s apartment as if she’s going to collapse from depression. According to her, her life with the exception of 8.2 percent of being happy has otherwise been disappointing. 

Phil Johnson and Sandy Campbell

She and Barney know each other. They had dinner at their house just a few nights ago when he made his move on her. She just happens to be Barney’s wife’s best friend. Why did she come? That’s a long story and one that you will have to see for yourself. 

One thing one never overlooks however is the seriously committed way Sandy puts herself into a part. It could be as Maria Callas in her award winning performance in “Master Class”, her role as Bessie Berger in “Awake And Sing” or her stunning performance as Lucille in  “Parade”.

Returning to the NCR stage after a 15 -year hiatus, she is perfect as the depressed, repressed wife of a man who cheated on her and she’s about to give Barney a lesson on decency. And she does as Simon’s play takes a turn to the serious side.

And then of course, there’s the ‘last of the red hot lovers’. Phil Johnson doesn’t exactly have his work cut out for him in this play. He’s a natural comedian and this particular of Simon’s play is his genre.  

Unfortunately Barney’s character is one note played over again three times. But ever the showman, he pulls off as many tricks of the trade that he has up his sleeves and it works. He’s just a funny guy on stage with his body language and facial expressions saying all that needs to be said.

Speaking of perfection, set designer Marty Burnett’s stylishly designed, set in the 60’s yellow color schemes and looking very much like a Jewish home (note beautiful candelabra on the dining room table) polished to the brim is kinda cozy but not too comfortable; too many pillows and no room for mistakes!

Aaron Rumley’s sound design, (Tom Jones, yum) and Matt Novotny’s are perfect for the period.

Speaking of comfortable, references to minorities might have been vogue then, not so much now.

For a fun evening, it’s worth a try.

Dates: Through Oct. 8^th.

Organization: North Coast Repertory Theatre

Phone: 858.481.1055

Production Type: Comedy

Where: 987 Lomas Santa Fe Drive, Ste. D, Solana Beach, CA 92075

Ticket Prices: Start at $49.00

Web: nothrcoastrep.org

Photo: Aaron Rumley

On another more somber note, one of the things I have been dreading to do these last few days is saying goodbye and Shalom to my dear friend Charlene.

It has to have been over thirty years ago we met when we were both young and gay and full of energy, running around to theatre as ‘critics’, she for a local newspaper, my late husband and I for the Jewish Press.

Later we shared and exchanged stories, rode to theatre together, commenting on just nothing, comparing bone replacement surgeries and some long time ago forgotten family secrets. We were easy to laugh yet we both experienced heartbreak.

I always marveled at her creativity and wonderful writing style, her bright and colorful dress, her love of music her passion to put into print and song poems about her beloved daughter, Laura.

Her sojourn to take herself off to Santa Fe and places north to visit her newest granddaughter were always reported back in glowing terms.  And her seagoing voyage with Laura must have been a tonic to her soul.

Her charm and always smile upon greeting at the theatre, my house for meetings, or just sitting around chewing the fat, having lunch, sharing looks, eyebrows raised in non verbal conversation and on and on, she was always there.

Her uncanny eye for a story was always preceeded by, “I feel an essay coming on.” We chuckled as she pulled out her pen and notebook and made a few notes.

And then the fall.

After too long suffering the inability to express herself with the very words that were the essence of her life, Charlene was finally able to break out of the chains that held her captive in body and mind, but stubborn as she was, kept her spirit.

Her unfortunate fall some months ago left her without those tools she held dear. Even though we were able to communicate during our visits, I always left her side with kiss, a heavy heart and tears.   

Shalom my friend. While I’ll miss your physical presence you will always be by my side at the theatre. c~