Company bracing for biggest project

Tom Titus

With the opening of “Cyrano de Bergerac” on South Coast Repertory’s

Segerstrom Stage this weekend, SCR is extending its reach once more

for what some company officials have termed “the biggest production

we’ve ever staged.”

The cast of characters for the 17th century Edmond Rostand classic

is the largest assembled on the Costa Mesa stage, numbering 100 or so

characters (with most actors, of course, playing multiple roles). SCR

associate artist Mark Rucker has drawn the prodigious task of

directing this three-hour production from a script he calls “one of

the most beautiful stories ever written.”

For those unfamiliar with Cyrano -- or who know of him only

through Steve Martin’s movie adaptation as a modern fireman rather

than Jose Ferrer’s Oscar-winning turn several eons ago -- the title

character is a spectacular swordsman and pungent wordsmith whose

tongue is as sharp as his rapier. His only downside is a rather

prominent proboscis. Because he possesses a nose that enters a room

several minutes before he does, Cyrano tends to be somewhat

self-conscious. He’s in love with the fair damsel Roxane, but dares

not voice his feelings, so he communicates through the dashing but

dull-witted Christian in an attempt to win her favor.

So how did SCR choose the actor to take on one of the stage’s most

challenging roles? Actually, the actor chose SCR.

“My understanding is that Mark Harelik has dreamed of playing

Cyrano for a long time,” Rucker said. “So he brought the idea to SCR

artistic directors Martin Benson and David Emmes, and they said

‘Great!’ Mark Harelik was born to play Cyrano.”

Harelik has appeared in several SCR productions, most notably

“Search and Destroy.” His Roxane is another company favorite,

Susannah Schulman (“The Dazzle”).

The technical blueprint for “Cyrano” calls for five settings, and

Rucker notes that “We’ve discovered a way to achieve them within this

natural wood frame with a sort of blue wash on it, and some French

architectural pieces we can reconfigure. The settings are unified by

this quite beautiful feeling and look.”

There are a number of translations of Rostand’s original script.

SCR is using an adaptation written in 1983 by Anthony Burgess for the

Royal Shakespeare Company.

“It’s very funny, and in most of the other versions I looked at

the humor was so antiquated that it wasn’t funny anymore,” Rucker

said.

“Cyrano” is SCR’s annual Theater Discovery Project, which means

its first audiences, in this current week of previews, was made up of

high school English students.

“We’re very fortunate that the four TDP performances will give us

a longer-than-normal preview period, so we’ll be able to continue

refining the larger aspects of the production all the way up to

opening night,” Rucker said.

As to what 21st century audiences will take away from SCR’s

production, Rucker said, “Cyrano speaks to me now because it’s a

timeless tale of love. I fear that real true love and commitment are

things we don’t talk about as much as we should.”

FORUM FOR COMEDY

South Coast Repertory isn’t the only local theater group reaching

back into the past this weekend. The Newport Theater Arts Center is

delving even deeper -- back to the Roman Empire -- for its latest

production, opening tonight.

“A Funny Thing Happened on the Way to the Forum” only dates back

40 years, however, insofar as the script is concerned. Larry Gelbart,

Bert Shevelove and a youthful Stephen Sondheim put their fertile

minds together back in the early 1960s to produce one of the funniest

musicals ever created.

Phyllis Gitlin is directing the local production, which will play

through June 27 at the Newport Theater Arts Center, 2501 Cliff Drive,

Newport Beach. Tickets may be ordered at (949) 631-0288.

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

appear Fridays.