Seven Actor/Musicians Charm Us with Story-Telling, Shadowplay, Puppetry, and Music

The Old Man and the Old Moon

Old Globe Theater, San Diego

Through June 18^th

Article by Cathy Breslaw

 The west coast premier of The Old Man and the Old Moon is a charming and romantic musical play for audiences of all ages.  From the moment the audience is seated, they are entertained with original folk music  played by the actors on a combination of various instruments. This unusual beginning immediately bonds the audience to the actors on stage. With minor technical exception, this play directed by PigPen Theater Company(and Stuart Carden) could have been produced long ago.  There are no whistles and bells of high technology and yet the production is highly entertaining for contemporary audiences.  Using a combination of shadowplay, puppetry, and physical acting, seven talented actor/musicians bring to life a mythological tale of a husband whose job it is to monitor the moon, refilling the light that spills out each night. His wife, feeling neglected and alone, decides to leave home on a journey by boat.  When her husband learns this, he sets off on a journey to find her and bring her home.  He leaves his post as “moon caretaker” and the world plunges into darkness. The play centers on the husband’s voyage across land, air and sea and the challenges he encounters along the way.  Throughout the play the seven actors play a variety of instruments including guitars, banjos, accordions, drums, and piano – to original folk music. The creative team brings an imaginative and magical experience with lighting (Bart Cortright), Scenic and Puppet Design(Lydia Fine), Sound design( Mekhail Fiksel, and Stage Production (Libby Unsworth). The seven actors began their unique brand of theater and music while attending Carnegie Mellon University School of Drama in 2007. The synergy and connection among the ensemble is palpable as the play moves naturally through the fabled tale they weave. (Alex Falberg, Ben Ferguson, Curtis Gillen, Ryan Melia, Matt Nuernberger, Arya Shahi and Dan Weschler) The Old Man and the Old Man is a musical folktale taking audiences on an odyssey of highs and lows, humor and touching moments.