WITH A MAGICAL IMBALANCE,
THIS KISS IS MORE LIKE A PECK
In the world of theater, revivals and adaptations often serve as a bridge between eras, illuminating how the sensibilities of one time can resonate, or clash, with those of another. Craig Lucas‘s Prelude to a Kiss, originally developed as a 70-minute play commissioned by South Coast Rep and now reimagined as a musical by SCR, attempts this delicate dance of reinterpretation. Prelude later went to Broadway and then was made into a movie. The 1988 play was interpreted by Broadway critics as a reflection on the AIDS crisis.
Chris McCarrell and Hannah Corneau
The Cast
The story of Peter and Rita, a quintessentially mismatched pair—a buoyant optimist and a brooding pessimist—unfolds under the shadow of a supernatural twist that occurs just as their lives entwine through marriage. This narrative pivot, a kiss from Julius, a mysterious old man at their wedding, propels the play from the quotidian to the supernatural, reflecting broader themes of love’s endurance, the essence of personal identity and the universal fear of death.
Chris McCarrell and Hannah Corneau and the Cast
Chris McCarrell, James Moye, Hannah Corneau and Karen Ziemba
Lucas, collaborating with composer Daniel Messé and lyricist Sean Hartley, transposes this tale to the musical stage, but the transition is not without its dissonances. The contemporary musical theatre score is lyrically adroit, stylistically varied and advances the plot, but none of the songs resonate.
Jonathan Gillard Daly and Hannah Corneau
Karen Ziemba and James Moye
Director David Ivers manages the shift between realism and fantasy with a competent hand, and choreographer Julia Rhoads initially complements this vision with fluid, expressive movements that unfortunately recede as the show progresses. The design elements, from Scott Davis’s versatile scenic artistry to Yee Eun Nam’s evocative projections, craft a visual experience that straddles the realms of the urban mundane and the mystically tropical.
Julie Garnyé
DeAnne Stewart
Performances in the musical are a mixed bag. Chris McCarrell as Peter and Hannah Corneau as Rita deliver vocally but have yet to find a convincing relational dynamic. In contrast, Tony-winner Karen Ziemba and Broadway veteran James Moye, playing Rita’s parents, deliver standout performances that blend comedic timing with pathos, capturing our affection and laughter.
Jimmie "J.J." Jeter
Jonathan Gillard Daly
Jonathan Gilliard Daly imbues the character of Julius with a poignant blend of humor and late-life revelation, reflecting the deeper currents of human vulnerability and change. The hard-working triple-threat ensemble sings and dances beautifully, but their efforts are undermined by a sound design that muddles lyrics in duets and group numbers, an issue that one hopes will be addressed in subsequent productions.
DeAnne Stewart, Bella Hicks, Chris McCarrell and Robert Knight
Caroline Pernick, Bella Hicks, DeAnne Stewart, Hannah Corneau and Karen Ziemba
This new musical iteration of Prelude to a Kiss captures neither the full romance nor the spectral chill of the original play, leaving one to ponder the necessity and challenges of its musicalization. As the production eyes further development ahead of its staging in Milwaukee, the creative team faces the dual task of harnessing the original’s magical realism and defining the musical’s raison d’être. One hopes that they can find the magic that is sorely missing from this production.
Jimmie "J.J." Jeter, Caroline Pernick, Tristan J Shuler and Chris McCarrell
photos by
Chris McCarrell, Robert Knight and Hannah Corneau
Prelude to a Kiss, The Musical
South Coast Rep
Segerstrom Stage, 655 Town Center Drive in Costa Mesa
ends on May 4, 2024
for tickets, call 714.708.5555 or visit SCR
