‘Pirate’ of the Stage, King of the Sky : Animation Director Commutes From Florida to Star in ‘Penzance’

Rob Minkoff’s Friday commute to Canoga Park skips California’s rush-hour traffic and frenzied motorists anxious to begin the weekend early.

He only has the rest of the country to worry about.

Minkoff boards a plane in Orlando, Fla., and must make it in time to play the Pirate King in “The Pirates of Penzance,” staged by the Soap Box Players at Canoga Park High School Auditorium.

The commute had better be worth it. Minkoff says it is.

“It’s the best role I’ve ever been given the opportunity to do because the character gets to jump around and fall all over the place,” said Minkoff, 26, a baritone. “The music is great, and the character is an unusual comedic character in that he’s a leader but he’s also funny.”

Minkoff has been keeping his hectic schedule for the past month, and his commuting will end along with the play Saturday night. He was cast as the Pirate King just before he got the assignment to direct his second animated Roger Rabbit short, this time at the Disney/MGM Studios in Orlando.

The job in Florida “was a last-minute thing,” explained Minkoff, of Glendale. “I told the people at Disney I didn’t feel right about dropping out of the play.”

Peter Schneider, Disney senior vice president of feature animation, once managed theatrical repertory companies, so he was understanding. Disney agreed to pay Minkoff’s commuting costs between Florida and Los Angeles, Minkoff said.

Kevin Traxler, who founded the Soap Box Players community theater group a year ago, said: “The part couldn’t have been written for anyone else. Rob didn’t have the most experience of those who auditioned, but he has an incredible voice and he’s the perfect person looks-wise and personality-wise.”

Minkoff met Traxler last year while he was directing the Roger Rabbit short “Tummy Trouble.” Traxler was a production assistant on the 7 1/2-minute Disney cartoon.

“Pirates” is the fourth show Minkoff has appeared in since he graduated from CalArts six years ago. Last year, he performed in “The Best of Broadway,” a musical review presented by the Burbank Civic Light Opera.

Originally from Palo Alto, Minkoff made his acting debut at 10 in a children’s theater production of “The Stone Flower.” He was in the Northern California All City Choir, comprised of several hundred elementary students, sang with his high school madrigal group and studied animation at CalArts.

Minkoff is quick to credit his performance background with giving him valuable insight when it came time to direct “Tummy Trouble.” “You can’t think of animation as anything less than a performance and a show,” he said.

When Minkoff began working at Walt Disney Pictures six years ago, he was an animator. Among his credits are the 1985 feature, “The Great Mouse Detective,” and Disney’s animated feature, “The Little Mermaid,” set for release in November.

Minkoff’s involvement in “Tummy Trouble” began when he helped develop the plot. Shortly after the story was approved, he was asked to direct the cartoon--his first directing job. A shortage of animation directors helped him get the break at such a young age, Minkoff said.

(“Tummy Trouble” was the first short cartoon to be made by Disney in more than 20 years, Minkoff said. It was based on the success of the feature film, “Who Framed Roger Rabbit,” which actually begins with a short cartoon. “Tummy Trouble,” which is screened along with the feature, “Honey, I Shrunk the Kids,” opened June 23 to good reviews.)

Even in his role as director, Minkoff can’t seem to escape the sensation of performing. Since the 6-minute “Rollercoaster Rabbit” is being produced in an animation studio that is part of the Disney/MGM Studios tour in Orlando, hundreds of tourists peer down at Minkoff and his crew while they’re at work.

“It’s weird. I feel like I’m on stage again,” Minkoff said. “When I see this big crowd watching, I feel like I should be doing something--like I should stop and do a soft-shoe.”

Final performances of “The Pirates of Penzance” are at 8 tonight and tomorrow night at the Canoga Park High School Auditorium, 6850 Topanga Canyon Blvd. For reservations, call (818) 772-7884 or (805) 583-0536.)

Ziaya is a regular contributor to Valley Calendar.