Again at Theatre Mu

If you have some time and space this weekend, do yourself a favor and try to show up early for the show to get on the waitlist for a standby ticket to Theater Mu’s original musical Again this weekend - closing performance is 4/16.

In Again, a young filmmaker dealing with cancer makes a documentary about another cancer survivor. The show explores the things in life that are worth saving, and the things that are okay to let go of.

Seeing brand-new musicals is a rarity these days - Again is a great example of why theaters should keep striving to do it. Theater Mu delivers a powerful and funny show while continuing to tell important stories by and about underrepresented groups.

Melissa Li (composer) and Katie Ka Vang (playwright) have created a story that, while sometimes having predictable emotional pay-offs, is still a joy to watch.

Li’s songs are by and large very good – some weren’t super memorable, and the song about constipation, (“Constipation”) while hilariously funny, seemingly came out of nowhere and unfortunately didn’t further the plot along. On the flip side, songs like “Santorini” and “Be the Boss of Your Life” had a wonderful balance of humor and groundedness.  “Are You Fucking Kidding Me” and “Lifeboat” were also highlights, with the skilled actors infusing every note with emotion.

Every cast member is a very strong actor and singer, but the standout is Melody Her, who plays Quest. Her interpretation of Quest is the perfect mixture of quirky and funny without being over the top. She (quite literally), bounced and danced through the whole show with passion and poise, while still finding moments of stillness and vulnerability.

Dexieng Yang, who plays Mai See, was wonderful in her emotional scenes.  Her beats and transitions in particular were at their best when emotions were running high in the script.  Her connection with the other actors was palpable and drove the story forward exactly as was needed. In songs on her own, Yang could’ve used some higher stakes and more vocal energy, but overall, she was a lovely emotional backbone to the show.

Pagnia Xiong plays Shia, and she is a master of communication through song. The acting in the flashback scenes could lean a bit toward over-the-top, but Xiong is clearly a performer with strong acting chops. As previously mentioned, her performance of “Lifeboat” was a standout moment in the show. The raw vulnerability shown through both her acting and singing in that song affected everyone in the audience.

Aaron Komo plays multiple characters, and each showed off his comedy skills in a new way. Though at times his approach to humor was a bit on the predictable and obvious side, Komo still delivers much-needed levity to the show. We only wish he got to sing more!

Again is adeptly directed by Nana Dakin, whose passion for the show you can feel in every scene. Dakin’s direction particularly shines when it comes to the connections between characters.  The relationships are built in a very real and heartfelt way; the tech elements contributed to this feeling as well. The blocking could sometimes be a little clunky and limiting, especially in songs, but both the emotional and humorous beats were spot-on, leaving us with a highly impactful story.

The band is made up of Bob Kelly (piano/conductor), Eri Isomura (drums), Teiana Nakamo (cello), Kyle Simons Baker (guitar), and Shawn Wang (bass). They did a wonderful job on all the music with the help of Denise Prosek (music director) and Bronwen Chan (orchestrator). The band was great at supporting the singers without overpowering them.

Alice Endo's set was very clever, using little details to indicate the changing of location and time. There were many transitions with many moving parts which, while distracting at times, were well-rehearsed and relatively quick.

Erik Paulson’s lighting was very effective at indicating time and place shifts. There were several moments during songs when it seemed like the lighting should’ve shifted a bit more sharply to match the energy of the music.  Aside from the transitions, however, the colorful and fun lighting was wonderful at helping convey emotion and move the story along.

While not exactly the most complicated show to costume, the highlight of Khampian Vang’s costume design was the snail, which was very funny and memorable. The character of Shia’s costume seemed like it could’ve used a little more with layers or accessories to add some visual interest and help support her character as being older and more sophisticated.

This is a musical that is brimming with passion and love; plus a healthy helping of humor on the side. Our reviewer, Cranberry Scone, says that you know a show is good when it makes you laugh and cry within the same 10 minutes. Again by Theater Mu did just that.

You should see this show if:

You love snails, you have dealt with or are close to someone who chronic illness, and you want to support new work!

Content Heads Up:

Terminal Illness

Rating:

4/5 Scones

-Review by Cranberry Scone & Raspberry White Chocolate Scone