March 10, 2010
By Venus Zarris
Silk Road Theatre Project takes us on a trip through the double helix of ancestry and identity in their compelling production of The DNA Trail. Artistic Director Jamil Khoury ingeniously conceived this unique ‘From Swab to Stage’ program consisting of the works of seven playwrights, himself included, as they examine the relationship that genealogy has to self-understanding.
Finding Your Inner Zulu , by Elizabeth Wong, starts out with two sisters after and important high school basketball game. Emma, the cheerleader, is psyched about the win. Cricket, the vertically challenged star player, is despondent over being rejected by recruiters because of her height. Playwright Wong then takes the girls on a rapid transit trip through their genetic codes, “Google has an App for everything.”
Finding Your Inner Zulu is a silly start to this production that playfully demonstrates the interconnected universality of our DNA.
Mother Road , by Velina Hasu Houston, dramatically changes the tone. Perpetua seeks her long-lost sister in the desert. Aided by Luna, a Dust Bowl throwback Goddess of sorts, she confronts the bitterness of older sister Eva and her own fear of abandonment by their dying mother. Although acted well, the message of this interesting piece gets muddled in too much melodrama and dramatic cliché.
That Could Be You , by Lina Patel, presents the valuablechallenges faced when an adopting couple tries to get genetic information about their future child. A narrator/scientist provides the framework with technical stats and observations while two couples struggle to communicate. Smoothly switching from presentational to representational,That Could Be You entertainingly posses the question, ‘Are you who you think you are or is there a molecule out there that knows better?’
WASP: White Arab Slovak Pole , by Jamil Khoury, hysterically examines misconceptions based on name and skin color. Khoury fearlessly presents an autobiographical look at his climb out of the manypigeonholes that being a White Arab Slovak Pole creates. This finely polished gem is proof positive that the ability to articulate your predicament is a brilliant tool for defusing confusion. It is a witty, personal, confident, self-effacing and delightful detraction of the notion of ‘guilt by pigmentation.’
Bolt from the Blue , by Shishir Kurup, presents the levels of closeness and connection that modern technology instantly affords and the limitations of this connection when faced with a distant crisis. Kurup paints a beautiful portrait of family. His brush strokes are cell phone conversations and e-mails and his canvas is the globe. Continental separation creates the tension in his composition that resonates with warmth and honesty.
A Very DNA Reunion , by Henry Hwang, is a look at how popular DNA testing reshapes a young man’s vision of himself. Basking in the playful joy of imaginary visits from Cleopatra, Genghis Khan and a ninja; Bob’s internalized view of his newfound infamously fantastic family fires him up to battle with his pestering parents. Hwang’s cartoonishly clever and hilariously absurd script plays like a wonderfully witty sketch comedy piece with an unusual twist.
Child is Father to Man , by Philip Kan Gotanda, closes the production with a beautifully melancholy and reflectively evocative farewell from a son to his father. Examining the meanings of childhood and parenthood, expectations and disappointments, emotional detachment and connection; Gotanda creates a lyrically gripping homage to familial bonds.
Such a multifaceted production would be impossible to successfully execute without a gifted cast and this brilliant ensemble brings the stories to life with staggering talent and dedication. Melissa Kong and Jennifer Shin open the show with great charm, humor and presence that they carry through their various roles. Anthony Peeples brings excellent comic timing and insight to his characters. Cora Vander Broek’s performances are fascinating and exhibit remarkable dramatic range. Fawzia Mirza displays uncanny intelligence that stands out as dazzling in every role. Clayton Stamper is confident, compelling and explosively funny and Khurram Mozaffar brings exceptionally evocative depth and subtly to his performances.
This is an acting dream team that travels effortlessly through the conceptual, realistic, presentational, representational, humorous and dramatic aspects of these captivating scripts. Rebecca A. Barrett and Lee Keenan create wonderfully stylized set and lighting design that proves perfect for these diverse plays and Mikhail Fiksel’s sound design is superb.
Funny, poignant, absurd, and thought-provoking; The DNA Trail highlights the work of gifted playwrights and represents a shining example of Silk Road Theatre Project’s dedication to presenting diverse perspectives through the creation of extraordinary theater. Don’t miss this wonderfully entertaining ride through genetic coding, self-examination and human interaction.
3 ½ STARS