William Francis McGuire and Sharon Omi as the Solicitors with Richard Doyle as Ebenezer Scrooge.
By J.K. YAMAMOTO
South Coast Repertory is marking the 45th anniversary of its production of “A Christmas Carol” with performances through Dec. 28.
For cast member Sharon Omi, this will be her return to the show after 31 years.
Like many people, her connection to the Dickens classic goes back to childhood. “It means more to me now than it did as a kid. Our holiday show was always ‘The Nutcracker’ and my intro to ‘A Christmas Carol’ was Mr. Magoo — who I LOVED.”
The animated musical starring Mr. Magoo (voiced by Jim Backus) first aired in 1962.
In her first appearance in SCR’s “A Christmas Carol” in 1994, Omi played Mrs. Cratchit, the wife of Scrooge’s clerk. “It’s a completely different experience to play the track I am on currently, which is very festive! While I was Mrs. Cratchit I had no idea that the other actors were getting to have so much fun.”
Since then, she has worked with SCR on such shows as Eleanor Burgess’ “Galilee, 34” and Keiko Green’s “You Are Cordially Invited to the End of the World!” but she is getting reacquainted with “A Christmas Carol” after a long absence.
“I play a few characters — Mrs. Fezziwig, who throws the best Christmas parties! I base her on my mother (but with a hat and a better dress). My parents always threw the BEST Christmas Eve parties,
Mom had seven brothers and sisters and I had bunch of siblings and cousins and then they all had children. I think we were up to around 40 people!
“I also play a solicitor trying to get a donation from Mr. Scrooge, and a scavenger who loots his booty for a few coins. I’m learning different accents and wearing some fabulous costumes. It’s all very fun!”
This year’s show features other returning cast members. “Richard Doyle was the Ghost of Christmas Past and is now a brilliant Scrooge! Richard Soto, originally Young Scrooge, is now a funny and inspiring Ghost of Christmas Present, and the amazing Hisa Takakuwa has gone from the role of Sally to director extraordinaire.
“I feel like I’ve landed in a time machine. It’s a wondrous thing to watch artists evolve in time-lapse photography!”
Omi hopes to work again with Takakuwa, who was a cast member for 14 years and assistant director for 14 years. Now in her fifth season as director, she manages a large cast of 34 actors, including 16 children who alternate performances.
“This is my first (time with her) and I hope it is the first of many. There are so many elements to this show and so many children. I admire her ability to keep everything soaring and moving towards a deep yet humorous telling of a morality tale that is a caution to all of us in these dark times — while at the same time keeping us all happy.”
Sharon Omi (right) played Mrs. Cratchit in the 1995 production.
“For this 45th-anniversary production, I am thrilled that we have some wonderful ‘new’ cast members joining us again,” Takakuwa said. “Our ‘new’ cast members have all appeared in ‘A Christmas Carol’ at some point in their and our history and are happily returning home to SCR for the holidays this year.
“This carries on a wonderful tradition of actors moving and growing within the production over these many years. In fact, most of the current company has played multiple roles during their tenures in the production, including Richard Doyle, Larry Bates, Bill McGuire, Richard Soto, Nick Slimmer, Jennifer Parsons, Erika Schindele, and Diana Burbano.
“The company is truly a family of artists deeply invested in sharing Dickens’ timeless story of redemption and the Christmas spirit with the families of Orange County.”
The Theatre Scene
Omi has extensive experience performing with both Asian American and mainstream theatres in the Bay Area and Southern California.
“As far as Asian American theatre goes, L.A. can’t be beat. East West Players is always doing great new work and I am excited by the appointment of Lily Tung Crystal as artistic director.
“Jon Lawrence Rivera at Playwrights Arena has always been a champion of new Los Angeles-based writers, many of whom are Asian American, and Artists at Play brings us a new AA play every year.
“I’ve been spending a lot of time in the Bay Area lately and I love going to see theatre when I’m there. There is a lot of new work being produced and it’s always with an eye to the content and artistry of the play. In L.A. I sometimes feel that plays are chosen as vehicles for actors, and that is not as interesting to me.”
Asked what plays have been most memorable for her as a performer, Omi responds, “I love plays by Japanese American writers. It’s one of the main reasons I’m still an actor.
“I graduated high school with a passion for theatre. I couldn’t get cast in college and gave it up. Then I saw Lane Nishikawa do ‘Life in the Fast Lane’ (a one-man show) and I was so inspired by the fact that this actor, who I didn’t know, was doing a show about me. That play spoke directly to my experience in a powerful way and I wanted to be involved in a career where I could possibly do the same thing.”
One of her favorites is “You Are Cordially Invited to the End of the World,” which recently won three Orange Curtain Awards for best original Orange County show, best writing (Green) and best featured actress (Omi).
Green’s play is a dramatic comedy about a family experiencing the last year of life with their dying father, who has Stage 4 cancer and desires to spend the last moments of his life saving the environment, while others in his family grapple with what that all means for them and the universe.
Omi’s other favorites include Wakako Yamauchi’s “And the Soul Shall Dance,” Ken Narasaki’s “Innocent When You Dream,” Philip Kan Gotanda’s “The Wash,” Velina Hasu Houston’s “Tea,” Rick Shiomi’s “Rosie’s Cafe,” and Narasaki’s “No-No Boy.” She adds that her non-JA favorite was Chekhov’s “Uncle Vanya.”
She played the title role in “Rosie’s Cafe,” a prequel to Shiomi’s “Yellow Fever,” a mystery featuring Japanese Canadian private eye Sam Shikaze.
“We recently did an audio version of ‘No-No Boy’ with L.A. Theatre Works, which is excellent!” Omi says. Based on John Okada’s novel about a Nisei struggling to transition to post-war life, the play also featured Narasaki, Kurt Kanazawa, Emily Kuroda, John Miyazaki, Joy Osmanski, Sab Shimono, Greg Watanabe and Paul Yen.
“On film, my all-time favorite is ‘Eat With Me’ (2014). I play a mother with a bit of a Scrooge complex (available to stream on Amazon). And ‘Terminal USA’ (1993), a crazy JA film by Jon Moritsugu that reminds me of ‘Twin Peaks.’”
Omi doesn’t have a project lined up after “A Christmas Carol,” but she’s open to suggestions. “I’ll tell you what I’m wishing for — a brand-new Japanese American play with an amazing role for an old Sansei actress.
“I’d love for my daughter, (actress and playwright) Rosie Narasaki, to write me something, but she says she won’t do it ’til I’m gone! I hope she changes her mind.
“I’d also love to curate a series of readings of Japanese American plays at the Japanese American National Museum. Wouldn’t that be great?”
Show Details
South Coast Repertory is located at 655 Town Center Dr. in Costa Mesa, at the Bristol Street/Avenue of the Arts exit off the San Diego (405) Freeway in the David Emmes/Martin Benson Theatre Center, part of the Segerstrom Center for the Arts. Parking is available on Park Center Drive, off Anton Boulevard.
Performances are Tuesday through Thursday, at 7 p.m.; Friday at 7:30 p.m.; Saturday at 2:30 and 7:30 p.m.; Sunday at 12 and 4 p.m. (matinee only on Dec. 28).
Tickets range in price from $43 to $128, with discounts available for children under 12. Tickets may be purchased online at www.scr.org or by phone at (714) 708-5555.
Additional festive experiences:
Hot Chocolate Bar in the lobby, pre-show and during intermission. Served in a 45th-anniversary mug with your choice of toppings and syrups. $15
Selfies with Santa, 6 to 6:50 p.m. in the lobby on selected weeknights: Dec. 17, 18, 22, 23. Get a limited-edition 45th-anniversary sticker. When Santa is away, Santa’s Station remains open for selfies.
The Handbell Carolers, 1:30 to 2:30 p.m. outside on Ela’s Terrace on Dec. 13 and 20. A four-part mixed quartet combining harmony, handbells and humor.
Vocalist Debbi Ebert in the lobby on Dec. 14 and 21. She will perform a selection of holiday jazz hits accompanied by a live pianist.
Specialty Holiday Cocktails available at all performances include Marley’s Ghost and The Scrooge-driver. Patrons must be 21+ and are encouraged to enjoy responsibly.
Advisory: Ages 6 and up. Children under 6 will not be admitted. Everyone, regardless of age, must have a ticket, sit in a seat and be able to sit quietly through the performance. This show contains smoke, haze and strobe effects.
Running time: Approximately two hours including one 15-minute intermission.