A Wrinkle in Time, Kreeger Theatre, Arena Stage, Washington, DC

 

The company of A Wrinkle in Time at Arena Stage. Photo credit: T. Charles Erickson Photography.

Much of the time when I attend the theatre, I am fairly well-acquainted with the material, but once in a while I see something about which I know nothing – or almost nothing. Despite the fact that it is based on what I now know to be a noted, award-winning young adult novel, my near-complete ignorance of the material allowed me to experience the world-premiere musical adaptation of Madeleine L’Engle’s A Wrinkle in Time on its own merits. I cannot speak to how faithful it may be to its source, I can only respond to what I see and experience in the theatre.

Arena Stage closes out its season with this daring, creatively rich production. There is much here to be enjoyed and admired – perhaps too much. The plot is both simple and complex: Meg, a girl (whose age is vague) and her little brother, Charles Wallace, along with Calvin, one of the girl’s classmates, embark on a journey through time and space in search of their father, a physicist who seems to have abandoned his family. Their quest involves a number of supernatural beings utilizing their expected supernatural abilities to transcend time and distance as they apparently bounce from one planet or galaxy to another. We come to understand that the father is being held against his will and has been unable to escape. As the children try to rescue him, they must battle forces of evil, not always successfully. Ultimately, of course, the children are successful as tradition requires that “good” will triumph over “bad.”

Trying to unravel the plot is not easy and is perhaps fruitless in terms of experiencing the show. I was reminded of a line delivered by William Hurt in the film “The Big Chill,” when he says, “Sometimes you just have to let the art flow over you.” Trying to give this unorthodox story linear logic is wasted effort.

Taylor Iman Jones as Meg and Jon Patrick Walker as Father in A Wrinkle in Time. Photo credit: T. Charles Erickson Photography.

Lauren Yee, the playwright behind Arena’s excellent but harrowing production of Cambodian Rock Band, a few years back, is credited with the book for the musical. The two works would seem to have little in common besides contrasting good and evil, and are about as far apart as two plays could be. Heather Christian has written the extensive music and lyrics (the program lists 18 musical numbers in the first act and 14 more in the second). Because of the density of and intensity with which many of the lyrics are rapidly delivered, there are times when the intelligibility of the words is lost. (This is perhaps exacerbated by the sound design by Nick Kourtides, which often gives priority to the music over the lyrics.)

Director Lee Sunday Evans and choreographer Ani Taj keep things moving at a breakneck pace, filling the stage with creative movement and making excellent use of the imaginative, visually stunning work by set designers dots (a multi-national and multi-disciplinary collective composed of Santiago Orjuela-Laverde Andrew Moerdyk, and Kimie Nishikawa), costume designer Sarafina Bush, lighting designer Jeanette Oi-Sul Yew, and puppetry designer James Ortiz. At one point, three threatening “creatures” (I guess they would be considered puppets) unexpectedly come down the aisles of the theatre and hold their positions before eventually entering the stage. They appear to be at least eight feet tall and are covered with what looks like fur – I thought of Chewbacca in “Star Wars.” Bush’s costumes range from fantasy figures to contemporary teens, all rendered in colorful detail. Yew’s lighting comes from unexpected places in the set design and in unexpected colors. Music director Ben Moss conducts nine musicians (one of whom is playing six different instruments) who are split between two levels on either side of the stage.

Taylor Iman Jones leads the cast as Meg, the misfit teen who leads the search-and-rescue of her father. Jones is vocally strong and physically intense. She develops a nice rapport with the actors cast as Charles Wallace and Calvin, and endearing relationships with those playing her parents. Mateo Lizcano as Charles Wallace comes across as older than I believe his character was written (a hazard when adults are portraying children), but he captures the character’s earnest restlessness. He unleashes an unexpected vocal “belt,” a strong baritone, during the number in which Charles Wallace is overtaken by evil forces. Nicholas Barrón as Calvin ably completes the trio in their quest and provides a romantic spark with Jones as Meg.

Three of the most engaging characters are the members of the “Mrs. Trio”: Amber Gray as Mrs. Whatsit, Stacey Sargeant as Mrs. Who, and Rebecca Madeira as Mrs. Which. (Madeira is the understudy for Mrs. Which and was performing the role for the first time at the performance I attended. No one in the audience would have guessed.) Though neither has much stage time, Andrea Jones-Sojola and Jon Patrick Walker as Mother and Father provide a believable couple and a nice balance to the younger characters. They and the remainder of the ensemble take on multiple roles, all performed with precision.

I have no idea what the future holds for A Wrinkle in Time. At two hours and 40 minutes, it is an ambitious project that deserves attention, though it is 20-30 minutes too long and would benefit from judicious editing. I recommend A Wrinkle in Time to devotees of the novel and science fiction fans. The production continues at Arena Stage through July 20.

The company of A Wrinkle in Time. Photo credit: T. Charles Erickson Photography.