April 09, 2004

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Palo Alto Online

'Antonia' wears over three hours

by Jeanie Forte

In recent years, TheatreWorks has returned to and even surpassed its former glory as a developer and producer of new works, especially musicals.

Through staged readings, workshops, and sometimes full production, the New Works Initiative brings significant resources to the process of developing the future of the American theatre. Given the limited number of major venues in the country doing this important work, we're fortunate to have such a resource in our backyard.

Despite such benefits, however, theatergoers need to understand that new work, even when it receives a full production, may still need some development. Often a production points out weaknesses that were invisible in the development or even rehearsal process.

All this is necessary to preface my critique of TheatreWorks' latest production to come out of the New Works Initiative, "My Antonia," an adaptation of Willa Cather's novel with book by Scott Schwartz and incidental music by Stephen Schwartz.

Its credentials are impeccable: Pairing Cather's wonderfully drawn characters, distinctly American themes and voices with the award-winning Schwartzes of Broadway fame seems like a can't-lose formula. And for the most part, it's an engaging performance, a realization of Cather's vision in a large-scale, epic production.

But it also has problems that another revision or two might solve. In adapting the novel, Scott Schwartz relied too heavily on narration, which tends to weigh down the action and add considerable length. The actual scenes of dialogue are welcome relief from the constant narration.

In addition, the narration is carried by multiple performers at any given time: three or four actors might step forward to speak a line or two as if they are one character. It became a mental challenge to figure out who the narrative line belonged to, as so many different actors stepped up to the plate.

The first act was the worst; the second and third acts were somewhat easier to follow.

There is a kind of reverence for the novel, in both text and tone, that Schwartz needs to transcend to pare the play down to its proper size and scope. In its current version, the play takes on too much -- too many characters, too much sub-plot, too much diversion from the central story. It's obvious he already reworked the text to an extent, but I would advise still more.

As it is, the three hours feel achingly long; halfway through the final act I found myself losing interest in the unfolding drama. Schwartz needs to keep the action lively, less reverent.

The heart of the text is indeed worthy stage material, and Schwartz clearly takes loving care with the characters and the big themes: the pioneer spirit that forged the early American landscape, taking it from rough, untamed wilderness to fertile productiveness; the will to live each day fully, channeling regret and disappointment into appreciation for the whole of life, both its beauty and its hardships-- these come across intact, in frequently moving and evocative staging. A superbly talented ensemble of about 15 performers work almost continuously to bring to life the wonderfully real, sympathetic and flawed characters of the novel: notably Jim Burden (Michael Butler), the weary traveler who takes us back in time to the Nebraska of his youth; the young Jimmy (Ian Leonard), fearful and closed off, who learns to love and choose life; the independent and lively Antonia (Jessica Myers) and her family; Jimmy's Baptist grandparents (Cass Morgan and J. Hayden Williams); lovely Lena Lingard (Lianne Marie Dobbs); and a host of others.

It's a consistently strong group, and they're mostly up to the demands of this marathon performance.

Butler is particularly believable and touching as the adult Burden who, in remembering Antonia, remembers how to live. Dobbs delivers a subtle, nuanced performance as Lena, another kind of independent woman who seizes the opportunity of the new world to create her own destiny and her own brand of morality. Myers, as Antonia, has occasional bright moments, but too often delivers the character in childlike cadences, speaking broken English in stereotypical fashion, which tends to flatten her emotional range.

Leonard also has difficulty with Jimmy, playing him too much on the surface. Perhaps because of the demands of the large span of age in the role, he never seems to fully embody the character.

Morgan captures Grandmother Burden to a tee, marvelously showing her conflicted emotions and her hard-won strength. When she switches into Marguerite, the touring actress, it's hard to recognize it's the same person playing both roles, the transformation is so complete, and so wonderfully done.

Nick Tagas deserves mention for his turn as Marek Shimerda, a young man afflicted with physical and mental challenges, possibly from Cerebral Palsy. His performance keeps away from caricature, constructing a realistic and matter-of-fact portrayal.

It's also a delight to see him become the actor Armand. The production values for the show add up to beautiful and stunning imagery, using very little to create large, memorable stage pictures.

The dance palace is one example of an exquisite combination of lighting and minimal scenery to evoke place. Stephen Schwartz's music provides haunting accompaniment, with well-chosen instrumentation and moving melodic themes. Costumes nicely complement the varied characters and suggest period without slavish imitation.

Overall, the production has much to commend it, as it currently stands, and is certainly worth viewing. But I look forward to seeing the next version, one with emphasis more on action and less on narration.

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