Like so many other theaters in March 2020, East West Players made the difficult decision to halt production on what was to be the opening night of the Tony Award-winning musical ‘Assassins’, with music and lyrics by Stephen Sondheim and book by John Weidman, directed by East West Players’ Producing Artistic Director Snehal Desai with musical direction by Marc Macalintal. And now, after an unprecedented 23 months, the doors of the David Henry Hwang Theater have opened again with a brilliant production of what has been called “a wickedly subversive spectacle exploring the national fixation on celebrity and its violent intersection with the American dream.”
‘Assassins’ is a darkly comedic musical that examines the motives of the nine notorious Americans who took their shot at the President of the United States. But it does not glorify their actions or promote gun violence. Instead, their motivations for taking such brutal action are parodied as if the characters are portraying themselves in a circus sideshow, allowing us to see their muddled minds and misplaced belief that killing a president would somehow change not only the world but their own lives for the better.
The returning 2020 production team includes an astoundingly talented 14-member cast: Trance Thompson (John Wilkes Booth, who takes on the role of leader of the pack, being the first presidential assassin), Gedde Watanabe (Charles Guiteau), Adam Kaokept (Balladeer/Lee Harvey Oswald, whose motivation to take aim at John F. Kennedy is imagined as being inspired by ghostly visits from all the other assassins), Joan Almedilla (Sara Jane Moore), Christopher Chen (Samuel Byck), George Xavier (Leon Czolgosz), Astoncia Bhagat (Lynette “Squeaky Fromme), Arvin Lee (John Hinckley, Jr.), and Aric Martin (Giuseppe Zangara). Ensemble members include Max Torrez (The Proprietor), Kym Miller (Emma Goldman), with Andrea Somera, Jalen Lum and Michael Cavinder.
Perhaps some of these assassins are unknown to you and will require a Google search. But rather than go into lengthy descriptions of each, there is one scene I do want to recount: the meeting of Arvin Lee as John Hinckley, Jr. and Astoncia Bhagat as Lynette “Squeaky Fromme during their duet “Unworthy of Your Love.” Both of these assassins took aim due to their obsessions with Jodie Foster and Charles Manson, hoping their presidential “shot” at fame would encourage the attention of their perceived loved one. Kudos to projections designer David Murakami for his eye-pooping 60s style lava lamp floating background which included both Foster and Manson images during this number.
In program notes, Director Snehal Desai shares, “It was this strange confluence of things; looking at American history through a different lens, the idea of the American Dream, and our worship of fame and celebrity, that made me sit up when I listened to the songs of ‘Assassins’. It shook me, it disturbed me, and most surprisingly of all made me laugh out loud.” I congratulate him on brilliantly sharing that experience with audiences who will learn, be shocked, and laugh at Sondheim’s clever musicality.
Musical director Marc Macalintal and his 5-piece house band fill the theater with the sheer brilliance of the score. Sound design by Cricket Myers welcomes the audience into the theater with old-fashioned circus sideshow music to set the mood. Costumes by Stephanie Nguyen perfectly communicate each assassin’s physicality, and properties designed by Glenn Michael Baker include more guns than I would ever want to see anywhere else with Firearms Master Kevin Matsumoto preparing each actor to appropriately handle their weapon. Or in Sara Jane Moore’s case, to accidently fire it at the most inappropriate of times!
Outstanding technical merits include an astounding two-level, multi-compartment scenic design by Anna Robinson, colorfully lit by Wesley Charles Siu Muen Chew and transformed with projections designed by David Murakami. Special recognition must go to movement direction by Preston Mui and Jasmine Rafael for the constant entrances and exits of the assassins through the many doors on the two-level set.
‘Assassins’ continues through March 20 at 8pm Thursday to Saturday, with 2pm matinees on Saturday, and 5pm performances on Sunday at the David Henry Hwang Theater at the Union Center of the Arts at 120 Judge John Aiso Street, Los Angeles, CA 90012 in Little Tokyo. Ticket prices range from $50 to $75 available online at eastwestplayers.org or by calling (323) 609-7006. And attention Sondheim fans: there is a wonderfully entertaining production of ‘A Little Night Music’ by Knot Free Productions at Greenway Court Theatre (Fairfax near Melrose) through March 13 with tickets online at bit.ly/NightMusic2022 or by phone at (323) 673-0544. Proof of vaccination and photo ID required for admittance and masks must be worn indoors at all times at both productions.
