A passion for theater

Last year, when Damien Lorton was poised to launch a small theater

company, he didn’t have to look far to find an artistic partner.

A former drama teacher at Newport Harbor High School, Lorton asked

a former student, 21-year-old Newport Beach resident Nicole Cassesso,

to be production director.

That was the genesis of One More Productions, a six-person Newport

Beach-based theater group spearheaded by Lorton and Cassesso, who are

bound by a love of musicals and years of shared work in community

productions.

“We’ve had a great working rapport,” said Lorton, the company’s

artistic director. “She wasn’t happy about what was being offered in

terms of theater in Orange County. I wasn’t pleased with the work

ethic of some of the theaters.”

Their mutual discontent led to this mission statement for their

theater company: “To promote the finest in performing arts at an

affordable cost.”

Beginning this weekend, One More Productions is presenting “Once

on This Island,” a Tony-nominated musical. Performances are being

held at the 173-person Gem Theater in Garden Grove.

Lorton and Cassesso have worked together on productions at the

Costa Mesa Playhouse, where Lorton was artistic director. In that

position he called upon many of his high school theater students to

be ushers, actors, designers and lighting technicians.

For “Once on This Island,” Lorton is filling some key roles with

college students looking to get exposure and acting experience.

Mostly, he said, he cares about the performers’ motivations.

“Passion is the biggest word in our vocabulary,” Lorton said.

“Everyone on that stage loves each other and loves what they are

doing.”

That’s important, because no one -- other than the members of the

band -- is getting paid for this production. In trying to build a

theater company from scratch, Lorton said it’s important to be

fiscally responsible -- the show is on a $12,500 budget, and the

company is still waiting to be granted nonprofit status.

“Once on This Island,” the company’s second production of the

season, is a Caribbean adaptation of “The Little Mermaid.”

The story follows Ti Moune (Cassesso), a peasant girl who rescues

and nurtures the wealthy Daniel, who lives on a different side of the

island.

Ti Moune attempts to break custom by courting Daniel. On her

journey to find him, she is helped by the gods who rule the island.

Earlier this year, One More Productions presented the musical

“Smile.” The third show will be “Lucky Stuff,” a show written by

Stephen Flaherty and Lynn Ahrens, who also were behind “Once on This

Island.”

Each show in the company’s season plays for three weeks. For each

run, Lorton will give away seats to an Orange County nonprofit

organization.

Lorton said he is restaging part of the show and putting his own

spin on the production.

He is keeping the same message.

“It speaks to us,” Cassesso said. “The story shows that if you

live your life and follow your passions, even if some doors close --

and many have for us as a company -- others will open.”

o7* ELIA POWERS is the enterprise and general assignment

reporter. He may be reached at (714) 966-4623 or by e-mail at

elia.powers@latimes.com.

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