‘Pinocchio’ comes to life at SCR

Tom Titus

Tell an actor he’s wooden, and he’s likely to be offended. But Scott

Johnson might take it as a compliment.

Johnson is playing the title role in “Pinocchio,” South Coast

Repertory’s latest project in its Theater for Young Audiences series,

a musical adaptation of Carlo Collodi’s classic 1881 fable, with the

book and lyrics by Susan DiLallo, and the music by Jeffrey Harris.

Don’t look for Jiminy Cricket or the Blue Fairy at this

“Pinocchio.” There’s no wishing upon a star, either. This isn’t your

father’s or Disney’s “Pinocchio,” although the show does visit

Playland -- where our hero almost makes a donkey of himself -- and

contains a whale of a climax.

Directed, as are all of South Coast Repertory’s youth productions,

by John-David Keller, the show is colorful and character-driven, with

Johnson’s portrayal of Pinocchio engaging and convincing. But there’s

a deeper theme at play here -- the story deals most affectingly with

the topic of adoption, and how special it is to be chosen.

Johnson’s Pinocchio learns early on that he’s different and

chooses to break away from his loving adoptive parent and strike out

on his own. Eventually, he finds his birth father -- the tree from

which his branch was blown away by the wind -- and realizes how

fortunate he really is.

The show’s finest performance comes from Timothy Landfield as the

elderly woodcarver Geppetto, a lonely old man who delights in having

a “son” to raise.

Their “Lean on Me” duet is a tender hymn to filial bonding, while

Johnson’s “He Gave Me Love” number with his father tree is equally

moving.

Aside from Pinocchio and Geppetto, the actors are double and

triple cast, with Daniel Blinkoff’s bratty Fletcher and Ann Marie

Lee’s stern teacher (in a “Bride of Frankenstein” wig) most

impressive.

Tom Shelton has some good moments as Geppetto’s friend, but his

Father Tree cameo is most affecting. Jason Guess completes the cast

as another bully and the Playland coach driver.

Donna Marquet’s adaptable setting and Alex Jaeger’s brightly hued

costumes further enhance the production.

South Coast Repertory is hosting some 3,600 students from

elementary schools in the Newport-Mesa, Orange and Irvine school

districts and treating them to free weekday matinees of “Pinocchio.”

The final regularly scheduled performances will be given this

weekend.

*

Bill Cosby’s two-performance engagement at the Orange County

Performing Arts Center Saturday has been shortened to one. The 5 p.m.

show will go on as scheduled, and patrons planning to attend the 8

p.m. performance will be contacted by box office representatives and

offered tickets to the earlier show or refunds. Call the Center at

556-2787 for more information.

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

appear Fridays.