Pasadena Playhouse, "Mask" Review

Southern California is fast becoming the hotbed of theatrical world premieres and with good reason. The home town producing companies have the raw goods - the actors, writers, directors, and musicical talents - necessary to craft and turn out first rate entertainment fare. After all, Hollywood isn't called the entertainment capitol of the world for nothing. We're loaded and we're eager to share and export the home grown product to New York or London. Last week it was the world premiere of "Dancing in the Dark" at San Diego's Old Globe Theatre. This week it's another world premiere at the venerable Pasadena Playhouse.

Case in point is "Mask," the new musical at the Pasadena Playhouse that opened March 12. Based on a true Southern California story, "Mask" was first introduced to the world as a 1985 movie starring Cher and Eric Stoltz. It's the story of Roy "Rocky" Dennis, a determined-to-be-normal teenager afflicted with craniodiaphyseal dysplasia ( a one in twenty-two million statistic) an extremely rare disorder known as "lionitis" due to the disfiguring cranial enlargements it causes. It's also the story of Rocky's loving but highly unorthodox mother Rusty Dennis, and her unending battle with society to treat her son as "normal". It was a very compelling movie.

The stage musical written by Anna Hamilton Phelan (original screenwriter of the movie) has come up with a fresh new take on her orginal story, adding new plot points and sharpening her focus to further illuminate the Rocky and Rusty stories. Abetting Phelan in the music and lyric departments is the great songwriting team of Barry Mann and Cynthia Weil. With two-time Tony Award winning director Richard Maltby, Jr. at the helm, the production's success rating, as the saying goes in LA, is a slam-dunk.

Forget about a "downer medical disease subject matter" as the source material for a musical. This show has more highs than lows by a long shot. For some, the sight of "bikers" on stage or in movies is a turn-off. Pity, because one only needs to wait to get past the built-in predjudice of anything or anyone different from ourselves. Once past that point, the story then goes deeper and deals with more resonant issues, those with which we can all relate - the search for identity, the need to love and the need to be loved, the need to belong It's the power of family, whether biological or extended, that helps us get through tough times. For Rusty and Rocky their family is a tight knit biker club that offers support and some poignant moments as the story of Rocky and Rusty unfolds.

Many musicals rely on the libretto to carry the day while the lyrics and music are just along for the ride. In "Mask", it's the lyrics which move the story forward, lending understanding to what the characters are saying on stage.

Michelle Duffy portrays Rusty Dennis, the rough-around-the-edges conflicted mother whose drug problems keep getting in the way of her relationship with 15 year old son Rocky, wonderfully played by Allen E. Read. The chemistry between Duffy and Read is what makes this story so watchable. They confront one another, they console one another, they support each other, but each must do it in their own way. And that's what makes "Mask" resonate with the audience. Read's Rocky is a testament to the guts and the optimism of youth. He makes Rocky an intelligent worthwhile human being, albeit one who will leave the world far too early, but one who leaves his mark on those he touched.

Duffy deftly manuevers the tricky waters of protective motherhood and a drug dependency for support when the world closes in on her. It's in those moments that Rocky suffers the most; but it's in those moments that the audience empathizes the most. The first act closing number "Look at You" is a dynamite number that is staged by Maltby with power and imagination.

Excellent support is provided by Greg Evigan as Gar, a former lover of Rusty, who turns up at a biker reunion and re-enters her life offering to mentor Rocky, ending up a reluctant but willing "father-figure" in the process. Michael Lanning, as the biker leader Dozer, is a bear of a man who exudes rough authority but shows his human side as well. Sarah Glendening and Shannon Mari Mills are the two women in Rocky's life at varying stages.

And what a joy to hear live musicians in the pit for a musical show even if it's just keyboards, bass, drums, and guitars. They're under the able diretion of Joseph Church, but I sure do miss that brass section - ah well.

The Pasadena Playhouse under Artistic Director Shelden Epps continues to present interesting, and important productions to audiences of Southern California. I'm happy to see full houses again at one of the country's top regional theatrical venues. Don't let the subject matter turn you off. It's a terrific production.