An epic in literature becomes an epic onstage. Adapted by Frank Galati, John Steinbeck's The Grapes of Wrath retains its power on stage when directed by Claudio Raygoza for Ion Theater. It is currently playing a limited run at the Tenth Avenue Theater in downtown San Diego.
With a cast of 23, many playing multiple roles, and three musicians bridging and underscoring dramatic moments, this production is a true epic. While the main story is happening in one area, many of the other areas have their own stories transpiring. At one point, downstage an important dialogue takes place, while upstage a young mother screams through the birth of her still-born child.
Most of the major dramatic points of Steinbeck's great novel are in Galati's adaptation. Raygoza's multi-level set with suggestive walls and entrance areas works extremely well.
Starting in Oklahoma, the large group heads out to California in a beat-up truck. A wall becomes the truck bed; a steamer trunk becomes the engine compartment. The dark mood of some moments in the story is enhanced by very dark, moody lighting. There are moments when only a few flashlights illuminate the action.
The cast is excellent, from the seasoned actors to the younger talent. One would think The Grapes of Wrath is probably not holiday fare; however, as we watch the characters struggle against multiple adversities and persevere, knowing that the years after the depression would eventually bring them success, it does give hope. The book, published at the very end of the depression, was made into a play in 1988 and a teleplay in 1991.
Shulamit Nelson's costumes are absolutely perfect for the period and the story. The folk music setting the scenes rings true. Musicians, Sylvia Enrique, Bob Smith, and Blair Whitcomb, also provide original scores.
Galati's script, Raygoza's interpretation, and the talented cast have given Steinbeck's work an excellent presentation. We can easily empathize with characters' travails. The locals' hatred and treatment of the "Okies" is a sad period of our history. The heroics of these people traveling from their dust-bowl homes to a new land, only to get abused, cheated, and even killed is dramatically staged.
With intermission, the play runs just over two and a half hours. Even as their struggles exhaust us, we're treated to some of the best theater of the season and certainly the best ensemble work to date. Do not miss this production.
