“Minimalist” is the word Jon Eidson uses to describe Color and Light Theatre Ensemble’s upcoming performance of “Company.”
“It’s a relatable show, wonderfully honest, witty and smart,” said managing director Joanna Syiek. “Which is why I wanted to bring it to UCLA.”
“Company” is a 1970 Tony Award-winning musical written by Broadway legend Stephen Sondheim, running Jan. 9-10 in the Ackerman Viewpoint room.
The plot revolves around Bobby, a bachelor approaching his 35th birthday, and his five sets of married friends, who are struggling to decide how a relationship should work in a modern day world. Bobby’s married friends want to know why a man with three girlfriends is not ready to make a serious commitment. Bobby, a third wheel on many different occasions, battles with his need to be free and the pressure of finding a life partner, through musical numbers such as “Being Alive” and “Someone Is Waiting.”
With the streets of New York as a backdrop and a highly sophisticated musical palette, “Company” is really just a story about people.
“It’s not just about relationships or marriage, but about people and the connections we make,” Eidson, who plays Bobby, said. “Each character brilliantly represents a cross section of life, not necessarily exciting or boring. It represents reality and the intricacies of reality and explores all different kinds of relationships ““ with people, society and self.”
The musical poses more questions than answers: What does it mean to be alive? To grow up? To have a relationship with someone? Is marriage for you or is just being with someone enough?
“The show asks the big questions and allows you to reflect in a way that most shows don’t,” Syiek said. “Anyone can go in, put themselves in the shoes of the main character, and walk out with questions about themselves.”
Color and Light Theatre Ensemble is a relatively new endeavor. Conceived in May 2009, the student-run theater group strives to provide intimate, honest and real shows.
“Sometimes the best theater is about people and their stories and their emotions, and connecting with the audience,” said Nina Herzog, who plays Kathy, one of Bobby’s three girlfriends. “The reality of theater is you don’t need millions of dollars and huge sets in order to make an impact. We’re doing it in an intimate space with a few people in the audience. It’s a small company, we’ve all worked hard, and I think that it will be a powerful performance.”
The small-scale interpretation not only fits the themes of the show but also the budget of the brand new theater company.
“It’s obviously not a big-budget venture, but the great thing about that is there is less smoke and mirrors to distract from what’s going on onstage. It will be a great connection for the audience to see this small, minimalist show, instead of a giant musical with all that over the top glitz and glamour,” Eidson said.
“We are becoming adults, learning about relationships, exploring, dating. And we are a body of diverse people in all different places emotionally, feeling that we want very different things out of relationships,” Herzog said.
“It is powerful because we are at a point where we can see this and learn from it before we walk in to those relationships ourselves.”