This latest incarnation was held for a one-weekend-only performance at the Mandeville Auditorium on the campus of UCSD where the San Diego Jewish Academy’s theatrical team Academy On Stage put on a massive production featuring more than one hundred actors. And after some quirky preliminaries, they kicked off the story of Esther with a Razzle Dazzle introduction to the tale of how this young Jewish woman became the Queen of Persia and used her intelligence and power to save her people from destruction.

The show is at its best during its musical numbers, and there are several noteworthy ones beginning with Queen Vashti, the queen who falls out of favor due to her refusal to come when ordered by the king – here her refusal coming by way of a big solo belted out by Kerrie Wilcox with a sultry style and flair. The other exceptional vocalist of the evening is the next queen – Esther herself. Esther (Meredith Kaplan) is fairly silent till about two-thirds of the way through, just going with the flow of her surprising rise to royalty. But when she learns that her people are in danger, she springs into action to subvert the plans, beginning with the inspiring solo I Can Make a Difference. Jordanna Rose and a group of Fair Maidens lead the ensemble in many entertaining scenes, while Erez Maman heads the kind of jazzy Haman’s Song as the villains form their evil plot. But the biggest showstopper is the Mordechai Rap in which the charismatic Mordechai (Andrew Miller) and the cast encourages everyone to stand up for what’s right no matter the consequences.

Injecting humor into the show are some narrating jesters, a divertingly over-the-top cameo by character actress Lauren Swersky as the Head Chef and her clique of cooks, the amusing Jordan Dubin plotting the king’s assassination with partner-in-crime Asher Wittenberg, and especially Ben Schenk as the good-to-be-the-king Ahashverus – a natural comedian who adds much to the role with his timing and several little things like playfully getting fresh with his wife Esther and some funky hand jiving to the Mordechai Rap. Then there’s some nice touches by the director like encouraging audience participation, a ploy that worked best when a couple of the big plot revelations come in, and the cast holds up a “Gasp” sign for the audience to melodramatically demonstrate their not-so-surprising surprise.

Performed March 23 - 26, 2005.

Rob Hopper
San Diego Playbill

Juggling Audience Greeters: