On Theater: Seeking a second chance at SCR; a Fantastick revival at the playhouse

Ethan wants to marry Alice, so he goes the old-fashioned route and asks her parents’ permission. Trouble is, the young lovers broke up four years before and she’s now living with another guy.

So begins “The Siegel,” Michael Mitnick’s new romantic comedy enjoying its world premiere at South Coast Repertory in Costa Mesa. And like that opening scene, everything else in the play is, well, unconventional.

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FOR THE RECORD

Playwright Michael Mitnick’s name was misspelled in an earlier version of this post.

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Ethan is the soul of persistence, inserting himself into the lives of Alice and her new lover while trying out his charm on Mom and Dad. Will his romantic crusade reap dividends? Well, let’s just say that Mitnick isn’t exactly your traditional playwright.

Unexpected circumstances abound in this fanciful exercise in attempting to catch the one that got away (and he had initiated the breakup). The humming engine of the play is the title character, Ethan Siegel, played with abundant energy and sense of purpose by Ben Feldman. In his view, there’s no reason why Alice shouldn’t forget the last four years and reunite.

Alice, beautifully enacted by Mamie Gummer, begs to differ. She’s polite enough to see Ethan, even to accompany him on a dinner date, but reconciliation simply isn’t in the cards for her. Gummer’s coolness seems strong enough to extinguish Feldman’s fire, but he’s mighty persistent.

Mom and Dad aren’t much help either. Briskly enacted by Matthew Arkin and Amy Aquino, they attempt to offer reasonable advice, diluted once Arkin’s character gets sloshed on an outing with Ethan. There’s also a little conflict on the home front to consider.

And Alice’s erstwhile lover, Nelson? Dominique Worsley portrays him as the soul of patience, even agreeing, reluctantly, to the dinner date. The fact that he’s African American comes up just once, in a laugh line.

Then there’s the “gotcha” moment, provided by Devon Sorvari, an actress whose program bio is twice the size of her line load. She’s playwright Mitnick’s secret plot device, and there’s a reason the cast isn’t listed in order of appearance.

Director Casey Stangl whisks the actors on and off stage with alacrity, thanks to set designer Michael B. Radford’s circular stage effect, which makes this 90-minute exercise seem even shorter. For a world premiere, “The Siegel” seems quite well developed at South Coast Repertory.

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Agatha Christie’s “The Mousetrap” may be untouchable as the longest-running stage production of all time (it opened in 1952 and is still playing), but runner-up consideration must be given to “The Fantasticks,” which opened off Broadway in 1960 and ran for 42 years.

It’s been revived time and again by local theater groups (even South Coast Repertory mounted a production) and is adaptable to the smallest of venues. Currently it’s in the capable hands of producers at the Costa Mesa Playhouse, where it’s been molded into the concept of a traveling magic show.

Imaginatively directed by Aurora J. Culver, the production tickles both the eye and the ear from the moment its erstwhile villain sings the show’s theme song, “Try to Remember.” Sterling Liska solidly portrays this ambiguous figure, who keeps his emotional distance but allows himself a modicum of concern.

The two young lovers at the center of the story are particularly appealing. Melissa Marino offers the finest voice of the cast as Luisa, the charmingly romantic teenage girl, while Jonathan Haidl contrasts a youthful exterior with a strong vocal presence as the boy, Matt.

Their fathers, however, virtually steal the show as neighboring gardeners who plot comically to bring their children together. Gary Greene and Rich Wordes reap laughter and applause with their duets “Never Say No” and “Plant a Radish.”

Michael Dale Brown, the heart and soul of the playhouse, returns to the stage to ham it up with gusto as the fading actor, Henry, hired to present an opposing force. He’s joined, energetically, by Joshua David Vega as the younger thespian, Mortimer, who specializes in death scenes.

At the center of all the chicanery is the Mute, who functions as the wall between the two houses as well as rain (or snow) maker and overall prop mistress. Kaitlyn Smith beautifully handles this wordless assignment.

The production reflects the effects of the PC police over the years. The word “rape,” once spoken and sung with alacrity, has been replaced with such terms as “abduction” and “raid,” while Mortimer’s role, originally that of an Indian, now is defined as a “bandit.”

Musical numbers, under the supervision of Stephen Hulsey, come across with heart and clarity. Director Culver and lighting designer Ryan Linhardt have created a magical, glittering backdrop that fits the show’s theme beautifully.

“The Fantasticks” has demonstrated its great heart and strong staying power over its first 57 years. That attraction continues in this latest revival at the Costa Mesa Playhouse.

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IF YOU GO

What: “The Siegel”

Where: South Coast Repertory’s Segerstrom Stage, 655 Town Center Drive, Costa Mesa

When: Tuesdays through Sundays at varying curtain times through April 23

Cost: $22 to $77

Information: (714) 708-5555

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What: “The Fantasticks”

Where: Costa Mesa Playhouse, 611 Hamilton St., Costa Mesa

When: 8 p.m. Fridays and Saturdays, 2 p.m. Sundays through April 30

Cost: $18 to $20

Information: (949) 650-5269; costamesaplayhouse.com

TOM TITUS reviews local theater.