Wednesday, October 29, 1997
‘Just Too Cool’ plays to young viewers
THEATER: A new show caters to those who are too old, yet too
young
By Kristi Nakamura
Daily Bruin Contributor
There is an awkward time in life when we are too old to be
considered children, but not quite grown up enough to be
acknowledged as adults. The issues of adolescents are complex,
unique and often misunderstood by those who have forgotten that it
is sometimes difficult to be young. Trying to deal with parents,
teachers, friends, first loves and popularity can be
overwhelming.
Just across the street from the Hanna Barbera Studios in
Hollywood is a place where adolescents can go with their families
to see some positive role modeling. At the cozy Theatre West, Mary
Garripoli’s musical "Just Too Cool" offers the audience a look at a
strong central female character who is neither infatuated, bulimic
nor moronic.
Garripoli wrote the book for the show after discovering that
there was a scarcity of live entertainment for her 11-year-old
daughter. She decided to take matters into her own hands, writing a
play she felt would be both enjoyable and suitable.
"Just Too Cool" is a lively and creative show. Although geared
towards a young audience, the show has enough humor to keep older
audience members entertained. The musical numbers are simple, but
each has a lesson that gently persuades the audience without
preaching or moralizing.
At first, the stage seems overly dominated by the lime-green
lockers and multicolored blocks that serve as desks, tables and
even a bus stop bench. And the sound quality of the music is
mediocre at best. But when the actors bring the stage to life with
their intensity and drama, these minor technicalities are lost in a
sea of enthusiasm.
The characters are simple and stereotypical, but endearing in
their own ways: Rainbow Daffodil Furstenberg is the coolest girl in
school; Delilah plays the best friend; Tox is the quintessential
rebel "bad-boy" boyfriend; Matt is the sweet, science-nerd
boyfriend, and, of course, we see dear old mom and dad.
All of the actors are expressive and actively engaged with the
audience. Young girls seated in the front rows catch a glimpse of
Furstenberg’s dilemma over which guy to choose when the popular Tox
casually singles them out to flirt with in his "It’s Gotta Be Tox,
Tonight" rock song. After all, it is a rush to have the cutest,
most popular boy single you out for attention, even if we already
know he isn’t very nice and Matt is obviously the better
choice.
Mom and dad are delightfully clueless hippies, to the
embarrassment of their daughter Furstenberg. Their foray into
past-life regressions is irresistibly humorous. Even though mom and
dad often seem oblivious to Furstenberg’s problems, there is never
a moment when the audience doubts the sincerity and strength of
their love.
The plot is predictable and cliche in a charming sort of way,
like one of the old family-oriented ’80s sitcoms. And, of course,
Furstenberg works out all of her problems in the end, choosing the
nice boy who treats her well over the self-centered Tox. She learns
to respect her parents’ wisdom and makes amends with her best
friend, as they realize their own self-worth. After all, the boy
they have been fighting over is not worth ruining their friendship
for.
The sporadic references to pop culture and the ongoing attempts
at rock-stardom give "Just Too Cool" a different twist. It is a
sort of live combination of "Growing Pains" and "California
Dreams," with a strong intelligent female main character.
Some of the pop-culture references fly over the heads of the
intended audience and seem to be aimed at an older crowd. Not too
many 10- to 14-year-olds can remember Milli Vanilli or Megadeath,
and even Sting is a little before their time. Older audience
members will appreciate the comic value, though.
By the end of the show, everything has worked itself out
perfectly. Even the disrespectful Tox manages a quiet apology to
the girls. The sugar-coated ending gives the audience something to
feel good about as they walk out of the theater.
Not only have the characters in the play learned something, but
hopefully the audience has too. "Just Too Cool" presents the
heart-warming message that "everyone is cool in their own way,"
tinged with humor and a strong role model. It is a welcome message
for the friends, family, and especially the adolescents, who are
trying to find their own balance between individuality and
conformity.
The people behind Theatre West’s new Youth Theatre program
understand and sympathize with the problems adolescents have. "Just
Too Cool" is a prime example of their attempt to reach out to the
10- to 14-year-old age group with love and patience.
THEATER: "Just Too Cool" at Theatre West, 3333 Cahuenga Blvd.,
runs at 12:30 p.m. Sundays through December. Tickets are $8. For
reservations or information, call 213-851-7977.
Theatre West
Rebecca Lane (left) and Laura Wolfe play confused adolescents in
"Just Too Cool."