Clara (Linda Igarashi), Giorgio (Michael Dalager), Fosca (Jacqueline Kim)

Passion Punch Spiked with Asian Flavors

By Edward Goto

THE East West Players THEATER COMPANY IN LOS ANGELES begins its 38th Anniversary Season with the haunting and intensely emotional one-act chamber opera "Passion," book by James Lapine, music and lyrics by Stephen Sondheim. Tim Dang, EWP's Artistic Director, will direct the musical's Los Angeles premiere, with musical direction by Scott Nagatani.

Clara (Linda Igarashi), Giorgio (Michael Dalager)

Lapine's and Sondheim's "Passion", which is a unique mix of serious drama and lovely, comedic, musical dance scenes, earned four Tony Awards including Best Musical. Set on a remote military outpost in 1863 Italy, this play delves into the complicated but fascinating inner workings of love as the handsome army captain Giorgio (Michael Dalager), separated from his beautiful (but married) mistress Clara (Linda Igarashi), is forced to re-evaluate his beliefs about love when he becomes the object of the obsessive, unrelenting passions of Fosca (Jacqueline Kim), his Colonel's plain, sickly cousin.

As Fosca's love obsession increases, Giorgio becomes increasingly annoyed at her entreaties for attention. Finally, Giorgio tells her directly that he is not in love with her, and that he has a mistress in Milan.

Fosca spirals into a bottomless pit of depression from which there seems no escape. The outpost's doctor asks Giorgio to speak to her and he reluctantly agrees, realizing that Fosca is not as insanely obsessed as he had originally thought. In fact, she loves him and wants him to be happy above all else, even if it means he will run back to his mistress's arms. Needless to say, Giorgio is taken aback by this.

Fosca (Jacqueline Kim), Giorgio (Michael Dalager)

Later, Giorgi finds out that he is being permanently transferred to Milan. But now Giorgio is uncertain about his lover Clara, as Fosca has planted seeds of doubt about the sincerity of her love. Fosca questions Giorgio about the possibility that Clara would ever leave her husband to be with him. Upon arriving in Milan, Giorgio asks Clara this question. Her response and rationale propel the play toward its climatic ending.

All performances are in the David Henry Hwang Theater at the Union Center for the Arts, located in Little Tokyo at 120 Judge John Aiso Street (formerly San Pedro St. between Temple and First Streets).

Performances are Thursday, Friday and Saturdays at 8 pm, and Saturdays and Sundays at 2 pm (no Saturday matinee on September 13).

Tickets can be purchased Monday through Friday, 11 am - 5 pm by calling (213) 625-7000 x20. Senior, student, and group discounts are available.

www.eastwestplayers.org

September 12, 2003