Dramaturg's Notes
Triton Tries to Take Today
This is LightBox Theatre Company’s fourth collaboration with Yokanaan Kearns and it feels like we may have hit a sweet spot. I was introduced to Yokanaan when I sought a Theatre for Young Audiences playwright to write a play about the Assyrian story of Gilgamesh. Because Gilgamesh: The Hero-y King was lively and spunky and much fun to produce (we put an actor on stilts!), we asked Yokanaan to write another play (in a month!) to fill the second slot in our fifth season. Treasure Island Bistro was possibly the play I am most proud of directing. It had excellent sword play, a stellar cast with great rhythm and joy, and a tender story that pulled at my heartstrings … but, sadly, it closed the day before opening due to the global pandemic. We streamed it the following fall when theaters remained closed. When we needed a two-actor play for our first live production after theaters reopened in 2021, we once again asked Yokanaan to write us a play (in a month!). The Totally Believable Adventures of Timey Wimey Hermes the God was the first Yokanaan play in which we added original music, also composed by Elyse Swanson. So, when I was writing the grant application for The Heartland Creative Corps grant a week before the deadline, I quickly texted Yokanaan and asked, “Can you write a play about climate change with music?” He texted back, “Yes!” And the story of Triton and his incredibly self-centered mission began to take shape.
What I love the most about Triton Tries to Take Today is Triton’s relationship with Kymopolia. Working with Yokanaan on this script for about six months, we spent a few drafts finessing Triton’s relationship with Sophia. I saw that friendship grow deeply and knew that was the character who would transform Tri’s heart and help him grow up. But when I finally saw a full run of the play during tech week, I was completely drawn into the sibling rivalry and connection between Tri and Ky. Their comfort and love for each other is never clearly stated, but it lives there below the text and Carlos and Lupita bring it to the stage with such clarity and detail that I am reminded of life growing up with my brother, and the burgeoning relationship between my young daughters.
So, what should you take away from this play? Above all, please remember our little place in the world. When I asked Yokanaan to create a character from Turlock, I didn’t realize how much hearing Sophia talk about home would mean to me. I have always wanted to produce plays that resonate with our community. Super Cilantro Girl, a compilation of children’s stories by Juan Felipe Herrera, Cinderella Eats Rice and Beans, and Tomás and the Library Lady resonates life in the Central Valley and our audiences shared how much seeing those stories meant to them. But Triton Tries to Take Today is the first LightBox play with a character from Turlock, the home of our theatre. Every time I hear the characters name our home, I am filled with connection to this community in which I grew up. Sharing the story of our ecological identity reminded me of how important water is to our valley and though I know that deeply, I may take it for granted. Hearing Sophia teach us of how important water is simply reminds me of how important our home and valley is. I hope you take that with you.
Dramaturg's Notes
Little Red Robin Hood
Over four years ago, prior to the global pandemic, I was having tea with Nick Zagone, discussing a different LightBox script, and mentioned my dream of seeing a mashup adaptation of Little Red Riding Hood and Robin Hood. Nick is the only person to raise his eyebrows, smile and say, “Wow, that would be cool.” Or something encouraging like that.
Nick’s script is nothing that I imagined it would be all those years ago. And I love every minute of it. Sometimes the things you least expect will move you more than the ones you thought about so clearly. Working with Nick to develop this play was quite a privilege. We had never worked in this capacity together before, but I believe through some pretty lengthy conversations, we found the heart of Nick’s story about a child in search of a cause.
Red is more than just a mashed-up character. Nick found an intelligent and thoughtful young person conflicted with real life issues but still zany with individuality, not yet jaded by adolescence. In her desire to escape the discomfort of her changing family, Red heads to the library only to, yet again, be disappointed by change as favorite books are being removed for no explicable reason. Her need to act gets her into trouble, but the lessons and friendships she leaves with are heartwarming and encouraging. What I love the most about this play is that it shows kids that it is ok to be outraged by injustice. And through Red, my hope is that they learn the art of social activism as a way to speak out and change the world.
Every time I watch the play, I am struck by how nuanced Red is and how the odyssey she embarks on enlightens me to the inner workings of a young girl who wants to make sense of the world. Red’s heart is full of promise and desire to grow and learn through literature. I challenge any and all of you to not be moved by her passion to save the books for any and all who love to read. My three- and five-year-old children understood the story and the crux of the issue as they spend a lot of time at the library and know the joy of picking out special stories to know, love, and return.
Why is this play about banned books? Nick is best suited to answer this question, but as we developed the play and I researched what books have been banned by communities in the past and why they were added to this notorious list, I was flummoxed by some of them. I am a reasonable mom…I get the need to categorize books for appropriate age groups, and I take my pre-screening duties seriously as my kids pick out more and more exciting books. But Brown Bear, Brown Bear, was banned for that exact reason; because when all books by a particular author were swept up in a banned search, Brown Bear, Brown Bear was also swept up. It was an error, it was caught and my children’s favorite book is safely in circulation.
When Nick chose the topic of banned books as the foundation for the social justice lesson Red learns, I found it appropriate and believable; kids should be encouraged to read, have favorite books, and discuss those books with their families and caretakers. “As long as they are reading,” children are using their imaginations. LightBox’s mission is to bring literature alive to children through live theater. In many ways, Little Red Robin Hood is, unintentionally, our most apropos production to date. I hope you enjoy this odyssey adventure and see it as I do, a love story to our favorite books, no matter how risky they seem.
-Stefani Tsai
Artistic Director's Statement
When I co-founded LightBox nine years ago, I had no idea that my dream of seeing our mission statement would come true through a community grant. With the Heartland Creative Corps grant, we made this amazing show free to our community. Paying cast and crew living wages and providing free theater to children is a dream come true for me. Seeing Ileana and Ron bring this play to life and embrace our newest ensemble member, Sarah, in the process was also a delight.
Many remember Ron from The Reluctant Dragon, our second production, making him our longest committed ensemble member. He has fondly graced our stage as The Big Bad Wolf in The True Story of the Three Little Pigs and Gepetto in Pinocchio. So many children have enjoyed seeing him transform from a dragon to a wolf, to a pirate, and now, back to wolf. Ileana joined LightBox the production after Ron, as the mother in Super Cilantro Girl. She played the piggie lawyer who worked so hard to indict The Big Bad Wolf in The True Story of the Three Little Pigs. The vibrancy of Ileana’s direction was seen in The Enchanted Lake, our only straight to streaming production produced during the pandemic so that we could keep actors working and bring theater to children as best we could.
Ron’s and Ileana’s partnership in this show demonstrates how LightBox has evolved over the years as a company driven by many invested artists. They came alongside Sarah encouraging her in her role, but also in the vision of our company. As you can see, she fits right in. Marika’s expert coaching only enhanced their skills and characters, bringing their natural talent alive. Hearing Ron and Sarah sing the songs composed by Elyse was especially touching. Elyse joined our company as a high school actor in Aladdin’s Luck. She has grown with us as her composing passion and skills grew, something musical director, Jamie Johns, diligently brought to life.
To share a broadened foundation with new designers for costumes, Dianne, and props, Kimberly, is an amazing sight to see. Our sound designer, Alvin, started with our company eight years ago as a high school student running our soundboard. With the Heartland Creative Corps grant we were able to train him to be a sound designer. Our lightboard operator, Lue, was a child sitting in the opening weekend audience of our first production Bunnicula, and is now part of our crew using her flair for managing our school show seating protocols.
Bringing Cristo back after his light design of The Night Fairy was also a treat for us. He is a multi talented artist who did more for us than lights. He built our set, illustrated our book, and recorded a school show. Eric’s simple set design was exactly what we requested and needed. As the co-founding designer for LightBox, his artistic touch seen in the vibrantly colored books on our stage, reminds me of how we started nine years ago.
With all of these new and returning artists came a need for a strong rudder, something our stage manager, Sarah, brought to the relief of us all. My gratitude goes out to these artists for loving LightBox and what we do as much as I do. I am also grateful for my administrative team, Hung, Sandy, and Michelle. Without them, there would quite literally be no one in the seats as all of their efforts make these productions available to audiences.
I am in awe of what LightBox has accomplished these past nine years and excited about what we will do in the future. Thank you Heartland Creative Corps for helping us on our odyssey.
- Stefani Tsai