The Off-Broadway Theatre Review: Out of the Box Theatrics’ See What I Wanna See
By Ross
What is the truth, the real truth, if it exists, and where do we put our faith and belief systems, when it becomes compromised and disjointed? This is part of the layered unraveling that is thrust inward like a knife into our fleshy belief systems, teased out in segments that make up Out of the Box Theatrics‘ new musical, See What I Wanna See, now playing off-Broadway at Theatre 154 on Christopher Street. With determined words and a fascinatingly distinct score by Michael John LaChiusa (The Gardens of Anuncia; Hello Again), each act starts with a shimmering forth of a Japanese operetta framing that, like a playing card, shows two opposing views, the first one sung In a language befitting the visual, and the second, it’s alt-gendered reverse. But what follows each of these openings is something else entirely, set in different years, but each grounded in NYC’s Central Park.
Two one-act creations are at the center of this new musical, unpacking and exploring the ideas of truth and belief, that complement but are somewhat unrelated in character, shape, and form. There’s a qualitative similarity and a formulaic difference that doesn’t exactly mesh, although each component is portrayed by the same cast members playing multiple parts with a strong vocal impact on each of the framings.
Directed with determination by Emilio Ramos (Australian Theatre Festival/NYC’s Blue), See What I Wanna See plays clever, with strong musical performances and an abstract assemblence of visuals and stylistic approaches to storytelling that entice. The musical direction by Adam Rothenberg (Broadway’s Illinoise) coupled with the choreography by Paul McGill (MCC’s Which Way to the Stage) try to find some clarity in the two framed pieces, accented within by solid puppetry and shadows created by designer Tom Lee (Ma-Yi Theater’s Vancouver) and maneuvered most skillfully by the ensemble players: Nikki Calonge (Broadway’s Life of Pi), Takemi Kitamuta (LCT’s The Oldest Boy), and Justin Otaki Perkins (Dixon Place’s Puppet BloK).
The first act is a strongly constructed exercise of alternative styles and perspectives, pulled from short stories by Japanese literary master Ryunosuke Akutagawa that layers multiple perspectives onto a central violent event. At first, the production, designed with intent by scenic designer Emmie Finckel (Public’s Comedy of Errors), with strong costuming by Siena Zoë Allen (Signature Center’s Someone Spectacular), clever lighting by Kat C. Zhou (IRT’s The Butcher Boy), and a solid sound design by German Martinez (LCT’s N/A), delivers out a framing that draws us in with its compelling narrative, delivering sharply cutting songs by an excellent cast of beautiful singers. And then, much to our surprise, the shifting comes in, where perspectives are put forth that aim us in different accusatory directions, surprisingly always turning the accusatory finger inward at the current singer and narrator.
It floats abstractly and musically around an idea, but I’m not convinced that the act is wrapped up in a framing that satisfies. It leaves us dangling on a puppet string without a hand to guide us, unlike the second act which tells a more comprehensive tale of lost hope and faith. A priest, played brilliantly by Zachary Noah Piser (Broadway’s KPOP), who also played the janitor in act one, loses his faith in God after the 9/11 tragedy and the pressures put on him to explain the unanswerable question, “Why?“
He decides, after the collar comes off, to play with the idea of miracles and faith, taking on and embodying what he thinks his Aunt Monica, played beautifully by Ann Sanders (MCC’s The Connector), who also delivered excellently in act one as The magnificent Medium, believes to be the powerful truth that hides behind religion. He formulates a plan to play with faith and belief, and after planting a handwritten seed, engages with several desperate participants: The impulsive lost Actress, well portrayed by the wonderful Marina Kondo (Encores! Off-Center’s Road Show), who did double duty as both Kesa and The Wife earlier; a homeless, former CPA, embodied by the vocally strong Kelvin Moon Loh (CSC’s Pacific Overtures), who also spirited in the role of The Husband in the first act; and The needy Reporter, portrayed cleverly by the powerful Sam Simahk (Broadway’s Into the Woods), who also played the challenging parts of Morito and The Thief in act one.
Rising up from the ashes and from the Central Park location, the music and score of See What I Wanna See plays with harsh angular sounds and clever lyrics, unpacking, at least in the second act a determined framing that flows well and fulfills its formula. It’s no surprise where Act Two is heading, or where it ends up, but the pleasure remains solidly in the performances that radiate positions that are both complicated and real, even when played inside stereotypical and imaginary constructs.
As a whole, this musical adventure in harsh tones and strong light doesn’t feel unified, but is made up of a number of angular pieces of a puzzle that never fully fit together, and where the finished product doesn’t create a formal picture even when forced together. But the ideas that are played out within each piece are compelling, somewhat fascinating, and very beautifully sung. And the puppetry, in both shadow and light, adds another layer to its multiple perspectives, that honors a tradition of Asian American performance with its all-AAPI cast filled to overflowing with excellence and talent. I just wish that the overall picture was more unified and meaningful.