Chilly ‘Terra Nova’ hottest SCR show of 2003

Tom Titus

This is the first in a series of columns reviewing the year 2003 in

local theater.

South Coast Repertory traveled to the ends of the earth, and

occasionally beyond, during 2003 as the company came through its

first full year with both of its main stages fully operational.

Both the remodeled Segerstrom Stage and the newly constructed

Julianne Argyros Stage offered some challenging and viscerally

involving theater during the year as the company approached its 40th

birthday. That occasion will be next summer, since the seeds of what

would become South Coast Rep were sown in mid-1964 in Long Beach, but

for local audiences, SCR was born in early 1965 when its first

theater was built -- or rebuilt -- in Newport Beach and the young

troupe officially became known as South Coast Repertory.

Playgoers were treated to nine fully staged productions on these

stages -- as well as the currently playing 24th edition of “A

Christmas Carol” on the Segerstrom Stage and the 10th annual

rendition of “La Posada Magica” at the Argyros. SCR’s Youth Theater

also staged the world premiere of Laurie Woolery’s “Orphan Train” and

a new musical adaptation of “The Emperor’s New Clothes.”

Of the major productions, one in particular stood out. Ted Tally’s

“Terra Nova,” chronicling the ill-fated English expedition to the

South Pole in 1910, was hands down the finest offering from SCR in

2003. Director Martin Benson’s chilly drama proved to be the hottest

show of the year.

Runner-up honors go to a comedy by one of SCR’s favorite authors.

Alan Ayckbourn’s “Relatively Speaking” hilariously depicted a series

of romantic snafus in the English countryside. Directed by David

Emmes, it was a pure delight from start to finish.

Mathematics can, indeed, be intriguing, as Michael Bloom’s

production of David Auburn’s 2001 Pulitzer Prize and Tony

Award-winning “Proof” demonstrated compellingly in the year’s

third-best production. Rounding out the top five were Nilo Cruz’s

“Anna in the Tropics,” directed by Juliette Carrillo, and Alfred

Uhry’s “The Last Night of Ballyhoo,” staged by Warner Shook.

For top individual honors, Don Reilly certainly merited

recognition for his outstanding work in “Terra Nova,” but for

continuously high-quality acting, the nod must go to Richard Doyle

for his performances in “Proof,” “Relatively Speaking” and “The Last

Night of Ballyhoo.” Also impressive were Geoffrey Rivas for “Anna in

the Tropics,” Tony Ward for “Terra Nova” and Scott Soren for “Two

Gentlemen of Verona.”

The same circumstance holds true in the best actress category.

Emily Bergl definitely delivered the most dynamic performance in

“Proof,” but Linda Gehringer proved outstanding in no fewer than four

SCR appearances -- in “The Carpetbagger’s Children,” “Relatively

Speaking,” “The Intelligent Design of Jenny Chow” and “The Last Night

of Balllyhoo.”

Other actresses leaving indelible impressions at South Coast Rep

this past year were Melody Butiu in “The Intelligent Design of Jenny

Chow”; Shane Williams in “Intimate Apparel”; Kandis Chappell in “The

Last Night of Ballyhoo,” and Jennifer Dundas in “Relatively

Speaking.”

Next week, this column takes a look back at the seasons of the

Costa Mesa Civic Playhouse and the Newport Theater Arts Center, this

area’s two community theater groups. Collegiate theater comes in for

closer inspection the week after that, and this year-end series will

close with the unveiling of the Daily Pilot’s 30th annual man and

woman of the year in theater.

* TOM TITUS reviews local theater for the Daily Pilot. His reviews

appear Fridays.