THEATER REVIEW:OCC raises ‘Redwood Curtain’

The Vietnam War has been history for more than 30 years, but repercussions continue to fan out like ripples from a stone tossed into a pond.

Fourteen years ago, the esteemed playwright Lanford Wilson focused on the lingering questions from that conflict with his “Redwood Curtain,” dealing with a teenage Vietnamese-American girl’s search for her father, a former soldier.

Orange Coast College’s Repertory Theater Company — a student-operated arm of the college’s theater department — has chosen Wilson’s intricate drama for its annual production of a full-length play. Using the intimacy of the college’s Studio Theater, director Stephen Gordon has mounted a tender and thought-provoking production.

“Redwood Curtain” is far from the upper ranks of Wilson’s work, where “The Hot L Baltimore” and “Talley’s Folly” reside. The playwright spends far too much time dealing with fringe issues such as the fate of the majestic redwoods and the girl’s skills as a pianist, even if the play does check in at under two hours.

When the central theme is addressed, though, the show and its performances crackle with life. Could this surly, homeless veteran who prowls the woods actually be the girl’s real father? OCC’s production keeps the audience constantly on edge when these two characters face off.

As the precocious and persistent Geri, Courtney Jackson impresses with her ability to mold Wilson’s tricky dialogue into her own interpretation. It’s not an easy task, and Jackson doesn’t always succeed, but it’s an intriguing process with the actress ultimately prevailing.

Robynn Pate delivers a powerful performance as Lyman, the forest-dwelling prospective papa, whose combat-born steely demeanor is balanced by a genuine, caring instinct. Pate excels early in the play as an emotional and physical adversary, then alters his course convincingly by shedding the macho bravado to bring the truth to light.

The girl’s American aunt, Geneva, seems almost tacked on to address social issues, but Erin Grissom gives the character a homely, down-to-earth spin that sets her apart from the genie-like Geri or the embittered Lyman.

The better plays are filled with character contrasts, and “Redwood Curtain” overflows in this regard.

Intimacy and the great outdoors seldom are partners in the same sentence, yet set designer David Scaglione has brought them beautifully together with a virtual redwood forest in the tiny Studio Theater, around which the audience is seated in full-round format. Danny Driskill’s lighting amplifies this effect nicely.

“Redwood Curtain” is the latest in a number of impressive student-mounted, full-length productions under the banner of the OCC Repertory Theater Company, now in its 22nd season. It’s both a visceral and thought-provoking experience.

IF YOU GO

WHAT: “Redwood Curtain”

WHERE: Orange Coast College Studio Theater, 2701 Fairview Road, Costa Mesa

WHEN: Closing performances 8 p.m. tonight, 2:30 p.m. and 8 p.m. Saturday, and 2:30 p.m. and 7 p.m. Sunday.

COST: $7

CALL: (714) 432-5880