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Rainbow’s ‘Dragon’ fun for both kids, adults

June 7, 2007 - 9:00 pm
 

It doesn’t matter if you’re an impressionable kid or a cynical, theater-savvy adult. Rainbow Company’s “The Land of the Dragon” is fun.

It’s a traditional children’s story, while at the same time, a bit of a spoof, a romance, a comic romp. Best of all, it’s put together, under Toni Molloy-Tudor’s direction, with veteran skill. Rainbow is not a company that uses “youth” as an excuse for mediocrity.

Madge Miller’s 1945 script takes us to the faraway magical Southern Kingdom where trouble is afoot. The beautiful Princess Jade Pure (the appealing Kearstern Kuroishi) must find a suitable husband by the time the clock strikes noon on her 18th birthday — which just happens to be next week. If not, her aunt, Precious Harp (Susan Lowe), will take over.

The nasty folk around the castle have the princess believing she is ugly so that she will not have the guts to seek out a husband. But somehow the handsome Road Wanderer (J.P. Kentros) and his trusty dragon Small One (Rebecca Carrol) make their way into view and hope fills the air.

The tale is told with the help of a stage manager (Khadige Keita) — who points out, “You must pay no attention to me, for to a polite audience I am invisible” — and a lazy prop person (Delancey Prince) who never hesitates to make known her displeasure at being overworked.

Obviously, the joy in this sort of thing is in the story-telling technique, and the well-trained Molloy-Tudor has technique to spare. She inspires in her designers a sense of play that is irresistible. J Neal’s set, sound and props are majestic and tongue-in-cheek. Victoria Shaffer’s costumes are elegant. stately and rich in comic vigor. Jody Callie’s lights give the proceedings a classical framing that keeps the action at a distance. She never lets us forget we are in the land of long ago.

The more than two-dozen cast members keep things moving with gusto. Kentros and Lowe, though, go a step further by adding a polished actor’s finesse to their roles. Kentros’ charm proves all those handsome prince roles can still be brought to life, and Lowe reminds us just how fun stage evil can be.

Anthony Del Valle can be reached at DelValle@aol.com. You can write him c/o Las Vegas Review-Journal, P.O. Box 70, Las Vegas, NV 89125.

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