By Eva Trieger
SAN DIEGO — Sean Boyd, Artistic Director at Trinity Theatre Company in Mission Valley, brings us 35MM: A Musical Exhibition. This new play exhibits 16 photographs, all taken by Matthew Murphy. These photographs then inspired song in order to tell a story. The songs were crafted by Ryan Scott Oliver. Boyd described the production as having a “pop rock feel.”
This show creates a new understanding of musical theatre, by intentionally exploring composition and dynamics. Some of the images are abstract, others are extreme close ups of a face or a person. Each composition captures a moment in time and enables the actor and the viewer to decipher a story.
Curious to know about Boyd’s connection to theatre and photography, I was told that he became involved in theatre as a senior in high school. He was drawn to storytelling and reported that he feels it has a cathartic effect since all of our themes are universal. Through the sharing of these stories we can “explore potential solutions and cultivate empathy.”
The interesting thing about the photograph is that it is but one frame of the story, yet we immediately make judgments and create a backstory about this captured moment in time. While this idea appeals to me, and sounds intriguing, I felt that the execution had some bugs.
The theatre space is intimate, and due to staging, I guess, the photographs were projected on the side walls of the theatre, making it somewhat of a feat to continually pivot one’s head from the side and then return to the actors. Additionally, during the performance I attended, one of the actor’s microphones seemed to malfunction. Unfortunately, this meant many lost or inaudible lyrics. Each piece was disparate, and so there was no sense of linear storyline, which we were warned about in the curtain speech.
The best part of the production was the cast. Several members had appeared previously in a spring production of I Love You Because. All of the actors in this production are local and demonstrate strong musicality as well as precise movement. The talented San Diegans include Mia Dawson, Jac Quisido, Ethan Cruz, Connor Boyd, Phoenix Velona and Chloe Grace Cruz. Boyd collaborated with Michael Anthony to bring this show to the unique Trinity Theatre Company stage.
This theatre space is dedicated to making everyone feel valued, recognized and seen. To this end the vignettes explored many realities of our contemporary world. The director anticipates that no two patrons will have identical experiences to the photos, songs and choreography. The music, Boyd described as “strange and fascinating.” I would go a step further, and call many of the pieces dark or edgy, dealing with abuse, complex relationships and violence.
“35MM: A Musical Exhibition” will run from August 9-25th and tickets may be purchased online at boxoffice@trinityttc.org or by phone at 619.500.9176.