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Cyrano de Bergerac by San Diego Junior Theatre Want to see a play full of romance, drama, comedy, unrequited love, jealousy, and swordfighting? You can follow Cyrano’s nose to the Casa Del Prado Theatre in Balboa Park where San Diego Junior Theatre is performing its premiere production of Cyrano de Bergerac. Edmond Rostand’s nineteenth-century “beauty and the beast” tale is based on the real seventeenth-century warrior/poet who was owner of a remarkably large nose. Teased as a child due to the great size of his proboscis, Cyrano learned to fight at an early age, and as an adult joined the army to become one of France’s most accomplished soldiers. He was also a brilliant man, as well as a prolific writer and poet. But despite his numerous accomplishments, would a shallow society let his nose get in his way of true happiness? In Rostand’s play, Cyrano’s true happiness lies in his deep love of his beautiful cousin Roxane (Ashley Fox). But Cyrano (Joey Price) is afraid to express his feelings for his lovely cousin, concerned that she will rebuke him on account of his looks. Enter the handsome, new soldier Christian de Neuvillette (Matthew Bohrer). Christian and Roxane fall for each other immediately thanks to their mutual attractiveness, but Roxane is an intelligent woman and wants a lot more from a man than just dashing good looks. He has to romance her. Problem is, he can’t form a coherent sentence while he’s around her – much less regale her with romance. The solution: Cyrano gets a chance to woo his beloved Roxane with beautiful poetry, letting all his pent-up feelings out, but under the guise that he is the handsome Christian. This odd relationship might have kept all three of them happy for a time, but there is one more character to deal with. For there is something about Roxane that seems to have attracted all manner of suitors. This includes the cruel Comte de Guiche (Brian Polk) who means to marry Roxane regardless of the fact that she does not want him. And as a powerful military commander, de Guiche is a dangerous man to cross. But cross him the three of them do in what is the most entertaining and certainly the most comical scene of the play, which includes a classic balcony scene that has Cyrano feeding amorous lines to Christian after he nearly blunders the whole thing by insisting on doing his own talking. But their fun is interrupted by Comte de Guiche, who sends over a monk to marry him to Roxane. Through some quick thinking on their parts, some slow thinking on the monk’s part, and some hilarious melodrama from Roxane as she feigns interest in de Guiche while trying to save the two men she really loves, they turn the tables on the bad guy. Terrific comic acting on all their parts, and a venomously evil Brian Polk, help end the first act on a high note, but their machinations will not go unpunished by a bitter de Guiche in a mostly dark second act. Some excellent acting by the leads, including Julia Giolzetti as Roxane’s easily sidetracked servant, give the show many welcome shots of comedy as well as a few poignant moments, especially by the bittersweet Joey Price, which really give the story its heart. The fine ensemble, dressed in elaborate period costumes designed by Margaret Hagar, make up the townspeople, the convent nuns, and take up their swords as Spanish soldiers in a battle scene set against the ominous orange glow of Rick Mittleider’s lighting. Overall, Director Evangeline Bitsko put together a strong production of a challenging play to stage.Rob Hopper San Diego Playbill ~ Cast ~
Cyrano de Bergerac: Joey Price Roxane: Ashley Fox Christian de Neuvillette: Matthew Bohrer Comte de Guiche: Brian Polk Le Bret: Alex Fleming Ragueneau: Casey Gardner Duenna: Julia Giolzetti Captain Carbon de Castel-Jaloux: Price Wooding Ligniere: Phillip Bowen De Valvert: Dylan Breen Montfleury: Andrew Levy Madame Ragueneau/Sister Claire: Tiffany Brown Jodelet/Cadet: Kim Partrick Cuigy/Cadet: Tyler Knell Brissaille/Cadet: Jordan DuBois Bertrandou/Cadet: Katie Knoche Lisette/Sister Marthe: Nikki Rayfield 1st Lady/Mother Marguerite: Erin Gilmore 2nd Lady/Capuchin: Amanda Ruud Orange Girl/Vermont: Erin Burke Spanish Soldiers: Tiffany Brown Erin Burke Erin Gilmore Julia Giolzetti Nikki Rayfield Amanda Ruud Director: Evangeline Bitsko Set Design: Chris Rynne Light Design: Rick Mittleider Costume Design: Margaret Hagar Sound Design: George Ye Fight Choreographer: Rick Mittleider |