A children’s Crusade heads for the stage

Tom Titus

Local community theater audiences have applauded the work of Kristina

Leach as the director of “Lips Together, Teeth Apart” at the Costa

Mesa Civic Playhouse and as the leading actress in “Beau Jest” at the

Newport Theater Arts Center. The latter performance earned her this

column’s accolade as best actress of last year in local community

theater.

What these playgoers may not realize is the fact that Leach

actually is a triple threat; She’s also a playwright. And next

weekend one of her original works, “1212,” will receive its world

premiere as a Young Conservatory production at South Coast Repertory.

Leach teaches beginning acting at the repertory’s Adult

Conservatory, and conducts a course in playwriting for the Orange

County High School of the Arts in Santa Ana. Her production of “The

Medea Project” is on stage at the Hunger Artists theater in

Fullerton.

Next weekend, however, her attention will be focused on the young

thespians at South Coast Repertory when “1212” takes the stage of the

Nicholas Studio. It’s being directed by Laurie Woolery, who heads the

theater’s Young Conservatory.

The play’s title refers to the year it takes place, in A.D. 1212.

Its central characters are two boys, armed only with makeshift

weapons and dedication, who set out on a journey to fight in the

Crusades. They are joined by a troupe of mismatched believers who

endure conflicts that will either make them stronger or tear them

apart.

According to Leach, “1212” is a dramatic meditation on “what might

have been,” which focuses on “the meaning of devotion and fighting

for what you believe.”

She was given the commission to write the play for 14 members of

the conservatory’s Teen Players and chose her subject after seeing a

painting depicting the Children’s Crusades. Only later did she

discover that the Children’s Crusades probably never happened.

“In a way, that was freeing,” Leach declared. “I could do whatever

I chose with the subject, drawing on a fascinating time -- the Middle

Ages.”

The characters she created included young leaders from France and

Germany, their friends and relatives, as well as characters good and

bad, from diverse walks of life, bound by religion.

“They fought for their beliefs because they didn’t know anything

else,” Leach said, adding that “1212” wasn’t a political statement.

“The only message is that there always are things worth fighting for,

no matter the time in which we live.”

“1212” will be presented over the next two weekends with

performances at 3 and 7 p.m. May 20, 1 and 5 p.m. May 30, 5 and 7

p.m. June 4 and 1 and 5 p.m. June 6. The play is appropriate for

sixth grade-age children and older. Call (714) 708-5555 for ticket

information.

*

Meanwhile, another local production will turn back the clock even

further next weekend when Estancia High School’s drama department

mounts the Andrew Lloyd Webber and Tim Rice musical “Joseph and the

Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat.”

However, unlike past musicals, this one won’t be staged in the

Robert Wentz Theater at Newport Harbor High School. That ancient

edifice is being torn down and remodeled. So, “Joseph” will take the

smaller stage of the Barbara Van Holt Theater at Estancia High.

Drama teacher Pauline Maranian is directing the musical, which

recounts the rags-to-riches story of the biblical character Joseph,

his 11 brothers and his coat of many colors. Rice and Webber gave the

production a modern feel, with a Las Vegas-style atmosphere, numerous

familiar musical styles and a pharaoh who bears a striking

resemblance to a “king” of more recent vintage.

Performances are May 27, 28 and 29 at 7:30 p.m. and May 30 at 2

p.m. Pre-sale tickets are $10 and $12 at the door. For more

information, call the Estancia Drama Department at (949) 515-6537.

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

appear Fridays.