AVMUCScientology Pageant
Subject: Quicktake - "A Very Merry Unauthorized Children's Scientology Pageant" by Kyle Jarrow
Date: Sunday, November 26, 2006, 10:44 PM
Quicktake on A VERY MERRY UNAUTHORIZED CHILDREN'S SCIENTOLOGY PAGEANT
As a critique of the Church of Scientology, Kyle Jarrow's parody of a children's holiday pageant is relatively mild and probably funnier to those who've had a brush with this 20th Century attempt to emulate a 19th century predecessor, Christian Science. "A Very Merry Unauthorized Children's Scientology Pageant", which got an Obie in 2003, is a rather weak brew compared to the overwrought accusations found on various websites. But as an hour long amusement performed by nine local youngsters, AVMUSCSP does suggest how contemporary religion continues to indoctrinate the young or alternatively turns its practitioners into children, sometimes with disastrous results. Director Jason Southerland has cafrefully avoided any overt criticism of the sect, preferring to let Jarrow's concoction speak for itself.
The set for the show by Jenna MacFarland-Lord uses cardboard cutouts like those kids produce for middle-school productions with a set of hired risers suggesting the same sort of atmosphere. Costumes by Laura Perrault are very basic, mostly choir robes, but include a cardboard box robot. Music director Jose Delgado, who's next door doing Speakeasy's "Bubbly Brown Girl..." has gotten the young cast to sing out along with a taped score with the same sort of synthetic pop quality as those operations like Disney distribute for their "kids" shows. Nathan Leigh did the orchestrations and sound design. At worst, AVMUSCSP is a piece of offbeat silliness for the holidays.
"A Very Merry Unauthorized Children's Scientology Pageant" by Kyle Jarrow, Nov. 24 - Dec. 16
Boston Theatre Works in Plaza Theatre
BCA , 539 Tremont (617) 933 - 8600
Boston Theatre Works
posted by will at 1:01 PM
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