San Jose Rep is your best bet this week, with their World Premier of Philip Kan Gotanda's "Love in American Times"!
J. Michael Flynn confronts Gabriel Marin with deadly response!
Photo by Kevin Berne
This past week, I had the pleasure of catching the world premier of another Phillip Kan Gotanda play, “Love in American Times”, in the San Jose Repertory Theater in San Jose. Once again Gotanda explores another side of the Asian experience in America. Mr. Gotanda’s “Love in American Times” incorporates the concept of matchmaking into his play, a story about two high profile individuals who are introduced through that process.
Let me introduce Jack Heller (played by Michael J. Flynn), a wealthy, self-made, 70 year old Caucasian business owner and corporate executive, who, as the show opens, is in a cocktail lounge anticipating a prearranged meeting with a smart, highly accomplished and very attractive 35 year old woman of Asian heritage, Scarlett Mori-Yang (Linda Park). This meeting has been negotiated through the services of a professional matchmaker, Mrs. Green (Rosina Reynolds).
Instead of a first date evolving as one might expect it to, these two self-centered individuals immediately go on the attack and spar caustically with each other, delivering verbal barbs demonstrating their intellectual prowess and independence. The power positioning of these two articulate adults immediately generates sparks and electricity in the air. Heller and Mori-Yang spare no time maneuvering each other in the process of setting the ground rules of this “first date” encounter. Very quickly, the “I win, you lose” mantra turns into a near stalemate. It doesn’t take long before it is clear that neither party is more powerful than the other and they carefully reevaluate their quarry. They momentarily back off and think about whether their objectives are worth the chess-like game and maneuvering they are employing. In a moment of frustration, they almost abort the date, but change their minds and re-engage each other on a more civil basis.
Through this highly combative getting acquainted process, they discover that there probably is something of great value in their respective prospective date, something that they each ultimately want and need. We can immediately see that this is no ordinary game of dating gamesmanship or exploitation. The stakes are very high, financially and psychologically and far more important than just the immediate desire for the gratification of sex and or a desire for love and reproduction. The need by each party for some level of control and for earned respect is a very important ingredient in any merger formula they may put together.
The two individuals have the appearance of being fairly forthright individuals who reveal a great deal about themselves at the very onset, and for the most part, they express what they want and what they expect. At the same time, they are not completely honest (as we discover in the second act), nor would one really expect them to be, especially on the first date.
Heller readily admits to Scarlett that he wants her as a sex partner and a trophy wife but he wants more than what is typically expected of this type of arrangement (an older man and a younger wife). He also wants a woman who is more or less on the same intellectual level as himself, a power partner he can value and respect. Scarlett is a very accomplished head of a large not-for profit foundation, is an very accomplished negotiator, and is quite capable of dealing with very greedy, wealthy people. She wants to marry a man of substantial wealth for the leverage opportunities it will provide her in building her own personal wealth and personal esteem. The only drawback is that she wants children and a family now. Heller is a man in the process of divorcing his wife of many years, from whom he has been estranged for at least the past 10 years. He also has grown children including a son who serves on the board of his own company. He emphatically does not want any more children at this time and he will agree to marry Scarlett on his terms. More specifically, he wants her entirely to himself, when he wants her, for at least the first 5 years of their marriage. After that, if she wants children, he reluctantly agrees she may have them. He also says upfront that he has one major caveat, one absolute, that all Christmas holidays are exclusively reserved for his children, his soon to be ex-wife and for himself,. He tells Scarlett that she can spend Christmas anywhere she wants. She can have carte blanche to go and do whatever she wants at this time each year, as long as she does not interfere with Jack’s exclusive Christmas time with his family.
The tempo of the first act moves along at a steady pace until an angry patron of the cocktail lounge where the couple are meeting, Mr. Stein (Gabriel Marin), confronts Jack, threatening to fight with him, raising the specter of a catastrophic game-changer. A gun is pulled, two men face off and suddenly an element of dire adversity changes the entire momentum of the play. Knowing Gotanda as well is we do, Karen and I were now excited and alert as the mood had shifted and we were now looking forward to an even greater surprise in the second act.
The second act brings even more brilliantly orchestrated surprises as Jack Heller, his ex-wife, Abby (Rosnia Reyolds), Jack’s son, Edward (Craig Marker), his daughter Sophie (Arwin Anderson), his son’s wife (Zarah Mahler), find their private family Christmas party on their yacht thrown into an uproar.
Director Rick Lombardo has selected an outstanding cast and pulls together an excellent production. In addition, his team of collaborators, including Robin Roberts (Scenic Design), Cathleen Edwards (Costume Design), and David Lee Cuthbert (Lighting and Media Design), have created a very exciting visual experience.
“Love in American Times” is another building block in the exciting foundation of work that will someday prove Philip Kan Gotanda to be one of our most exciting contemporary American writers. This very powerful play continues Tuesday evenings at 7:30 p.m., Wednesdays through Saturdays at 8 p.m., and with Sunday Matinees at 2 p.m., now through June 5th. Tickets may be purchased on line at http://www.sjrep.com/ or by calling (408) 367.7255. Tickets range in price between $29 and $74 each, with a $6 discount for all senior tickets. The San Jose Repertory Theatre is a beautiful facility, easy to reach and always rewarding. The San Jose Repertory Company Theatre is located at 101 Paseo de San Antonio, between 2nd and 3rd Streets, one block north of East San Carlos Street in San Jose. There is multi-storied public parking structure at the corner of East San Carlos Street, between 2nd and 3rd streets.
Let me introduce Jack Heller (played by Michael J. Flynn), a wealthy, self-made, 70 year old Caucasian business owner and corporate executive, who, as the show opens, is in a cocktail lounge anticipating a prearranged meeting with a smart, highly accomplished and very attractive 35 year old woman of Asian heritage, Scarlett Mori-Yang (Linda Park). This meeting has been negotiated through the services of a professional matchmaker, Mrs. Green (Rosina Reynolds).
Instead of a first date evolving as one might expect it to, these two self-centered individuals immediately go on the attack and spar caustically with each other, delivering verbal barbs demonstrating their intellectual prowess and independence. The power positioning of these two articulate adults immediately generates sparks and electricity in the air. Heller and Mori-Yang spare no time maneuvering each other in the process of setting the ground rules of this “first date” encounter. Very quickly, the “I win, you lose” mantra turns into a near stalemate. It doesn’t take long before it is clear that neither party is more powerful than the other and they carefully reevaluate their quarry. They momentarily back off and think about whether their objectives are worth the chess-like game and maneuvering they are employing. In a moment of frustration, they almost abort the date, but change their minds and re-engage each other on a more civil basis.
Through this highly combative getting acquainted process, they discover that there probably is something of great value in their respective prospective date, something that they each ultimately want and need. We can immediately see that this is no ordinary game of dating gamesmanship or exploitation. The stakes are very high, financially and psychologically and far more important than just the immediate desire for the gratification of sex and or a desire for love and reproduction. The need by each party for some level of control and for earned respect is a very important ingredient in any merger formula they may put together.
The two individuals have the appearance of being fairly forthright individuals who reveal a great deal about themselves at the very onset, and for the most part, they express what they want and what they expect. At the same time, they are not completely honest (as we discover in the second act), nor would one really expect them to be, especially on the first date.
Heller readily admits to Scarlett that he wants her as a sex partner and a trophy wife but he wants more than what is typically expected of this type of arrangement (an older man and a younger wife). He also wants a woman who is more or less on the same intellectual level as himself, a power partner he can value and respect. Scarlett is a very accomplished head of a large not-for profit foundation, is an very accomplished negotiator, and is quite capable of dealing with very greedy, wealthy people. She wants to marry a man of substantial wealth for the leverage opportunities it will provide her in building her own personal wealth and personal esteem. The only drawback is that she wants children and a family now. Heller is a man in the process of divorcing his wife of many years, from whom he has been estranged for at least the past 10 years. He also has grown children including a son who serves on the board of his own company. He emphatically does not want any more children at this time and he will agree to marry Scarlett on his terms. More specifically, he wants her entirely to himself, when he wants her, for at least the first 5 years of their marriage. After that, if she wants children, he reluctantly agrees she may have them. He also says upfront that he has one major caveat, one absolute, that all Christmas holidays are exclusively reserved for his children, his soon to be ex-wife and for himself,. He tells Scarlett that she can spend Christmas anywhere she wants. She can have carte blanche to go and do whatever she wants at this time each year, as long as she does not interfere with Jack’s exclusive Christmas time with his family.
The tempo of the first act moves along at a steady pace until an angry patron of the cocktail lounge where the couple are meeting, Mr. Stein (Gabriel Marin), confronts Jack, threatening to fight with him, raising the specter of a catastrophic game-changer. A gun is pulled, two men face off and suddenly an element of dire adversity changes the entire momentum of the play. Knowing Gotanda as well is we do, Karen and I were now excited and alert as the mood had shifted and we were now looking forward to an even greater surprise in the second act.
The second act brings even more brilliantly orchestrated surprises as Jack Heller, his ex-wife, Abby (Rosnia Reyolds), Jack’s son, Edward (Craig Marker), his daughter Sophie (Arwin Anderson), his son’s wife (Zarah Mahler), find their private family Christmas party on their yacht thrown into an uproar.
Director Rick Lombardo has selected an outstanding cast and pulls together an excellent production. In addition, his team of collaborators, including Robin Roberts (Scenic Design), Cathleen Edwards (Costume Design), and David Lee Cuthbert (Lighting and Media Design), have created a very exciting visual experience.
“Love in American Times” is another building block in the exciting foundation of work that will someday prove Philip Kan Gotanda to be one of our most exciting contemporary American writers. This very powerful play continues Tuesday evenings at 7:30 p.m., Wednesdays through Saturdays at 8 p.m., and with Sunday Matinees at 2 p.m., now through June 5th. Tickets may be purchased on line at http://www.sjrep.com/ or by calling (408) 367.7255. Tickets range in price between $29 and $74 each, with a $6 discount for all senior tickets. The San Jose Repertory Theatre is a beautiful facility, easy to reach and always rewarding. The San Jose Repertory Company Theatre is located at 101 Paseo de San Antonio, between 2nd and 3rd Streets, one block north of East San Carlos Street in San Jose. There is multi-storied public parking structure at the corner of East San Carlos Street, between 2nd and 3rd streets.