SCAPINO

Can you believe it?  San Diego Theatre Scene called me back for some encore reportage of community theatre.  I take that as a very good sign. I visited Scripps Ranch Theatre this past week to take in a very funny performance of their latest offering called Scapino.  I’m going to limit my reportage to the audience reaction so as not to duplicate last week’s review of the same by Pat Launer (See Curtain Calls 09/23/05).

I just sat back and watched the sold-out Friday night crowd giggle, guffaw, and scream back (good-naturedly of course) at the various improvisational (and practiced) antics created by the players who roamed freely through the audience as well as on the stage.  There aren’t many shows that allow for such a touchy-feely interaction between the stage and audience, but Frank Dunlop and Jim Dale’s Scapino is one of them. With masterful comedic direction by Jim Caputo, the shenanigans by all of the players were gobbled up from a hungry crowd quite eager to participate and join in the fun. 

Scapino allows for an ample warming-up of the audience before the actual play begins.  It’s an intentioned set-up by the creative writing team that helps underscore the nature of commedia dell’arte and sets the stage for the mad-cap shtick to come.

Joe Solazzo (left) was the master of the in-your-face interaction during this evening’s performance: he polished shoes, served up ice cream, and sweet-talked theatre patrons until they blushed appropriately.  One stylishly dressed audience member in the front row laughed so hard that I thought she was going to wet her panties. 

Once Carlo set the stage for things to come, the audience relaxed and embraced the piece for what the evening was all about: laughter.  Jeff Wells (Scapino) immediately offered up chocolate from a family-sized bar and the audience literally ate it up.  He taunted them time and again and they responded as if on key.  Jeff lifted his brows and batted his eyes and they got the innuendo; his timing was right on the button. 

The audience had a rough time just catching their breath from one broad shtick to the next, whether it was offered up by the two waiters (Michael C. Clark or George Weinberg-Harter), Allison MacDonald as the uptight nurse asking for directions to the WC, or by Bob Himlin (Sylvestro/ versatile and talented singer/actor) or Karla Francesca (Zerbinetta).

Scapino offered a zany evening of madcap and resulted in a pleasant change from the often formulaic season typically offered at Scripps Ranch.  It just goes to show you that if you underestimate your audience you might just keep them from a good time.

I applaud Scripps Ranch for broadening the scope of entertainment for community theatre.

Post Script: Interview with Director Jim Caputo

Prior to my visit to the theatre to review Scapino I chatted with the director of the show, Jim Caputo.

Cuauhtémoc Kish (CK): I know that you were a little apprehensive about offering Scapino as part of the Scripps Ranch Season for 2005/2006.  How have your audiences been responding to this production?

Jim Caputo (JC): They seem to be eating it up.  Most nights it’s a partial standing ovation and the overall audience is at about 95%.

CK: What were your major obstacles in directing Scapino, which is based upon Moliere’s 1670 script?

JC: Outside of the limited resources that the theatre has in mounting such a production, you have to prepare your audience for what’s coming within the parameters of commedia dell’arte theatre. The comedy is broad, and the audience should know that they have our permission to participate.

CK: One of the joys (?) of community theatre is that many individuals like yourself end up wearing many hats.  For example, you are listed not only as the director, but also set designer, set dresser and sound designer. Care to comment?

JC: When I direct, I tend to obsess.  By designing my own set, I ensure maximum staging opportunities.  In this case, the space suggested a canal, which suggested a bridge, which suggested Venice, which suggested a gondola, and I have no idea what suggested the bogie board.

CK: Jim, what’s your definition of community theatre?

JC: My definition of community theatre is one that has a democratic revolving leadership, unlike a more unified, continuous, single vision that governs non-community theatre.

CK: How do you account for Scripp’s Ranch Theatre’s success?

JC: By providing good theatre to the many subscribers (1100) at a price that is affordable and a season that will offend the least and entertain the most.

CK: You’re not only an accomplished director and actor, but you’re an award winning writer.  Would you like to talk about your latest writing project?

JC: When I’m assigned a directing project I’ll obsess about it to the point I have no time available for writing.  I’ll return to writing when the show closes. However, I just returned from Dubuque, Iowa, where I was awarded a second place in the oldest one-act playwriting competition in America.

I ended our short conversation (I had to get ready for the theatre!) by offering Jim many congratulations on the successful run of Scapino as well as future success in both his writing and acting endeavors.