By Sandi Masori
SAN DIEGO — One of San Diego’s hidden gems is the Trinity Theater Company located in the Mission Valley Mall. If you don’t know it’s there, you might just walk past it. This quirky little community theater offers classes, open readings, and other experiences beyond the plays it stages.
Its latest production might just have you talking in rhyme. The Seussification of Romeo & Juliet reimagines Shakespeare’s classic tragedy through the style and sensibility of Dr. Seuss. Taking inspiration from a number of classic Seuss tales, like The Sneeches, The Lorax, Oh! The Places You’ll Go and the The Zax, this 2004 original by Peter Bloedel is campy, silly and fun.
The show opens with narrators Natalia Demko and Amy Pfleeger setting the stage for us. The stage itself is kept mostly bare, with some benches in the back and Seussian artwork on the walls. Small props are brought out as needed, but are really minimal, the largest prop being a small bed for Juliet. The fight scenes were done with balloon swords, which as a former balloon artist I appreciated, but also as a former balloon artist I had to cringe watching the balloons being twisted backwards (you should always start twisting on the toes end of the balloon, not the uninflated portion at the end). It’s unlikely that there were other former balloon artists in the audience, so probably no one else noticed that.
Back to the plot at hand, we are introduced to lovesick Romeo (Tim Baron) who with the help of his kinsfolk is trying to get over being dumped by another girl. They bring him to a party where he meets Juliet (Katie Witteman) and instantly falls in love. Because the “Capitulates” and “Monotones” hate each other, they run off to be married by Monk Larry (Rene Borr), hoping that their nuptials will bring the two families together.
In the meantime, cheapskate Paris (Richard Cajka) has purchased Juliet’s hand from her parents (Jena Joyce and Matthew Thompson) for a lifetime supply of peppermint sticks. Of course, being that Juliet is already married, she can’t marry Paris, and has to come up with a plan… Chaos ensues.
The show moves quickly and is good silly fun that is appropriate for all ages. Charismatic Demko and Pfleegar keep the action moving along with their tongue-in-cheek narration and all the actors seem to be enjoying themselves. The Seussification of Romeo & Juliet plays through March 2.
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Sandi Masori is a theater and restaurant reviewer for San Diego Jewish World