‘La Posada’ still ‘Magica’ in its eleventh season

Tom Titus

More than a decade ago, while Octavio Solis was writing a play

commissioned by South Coast Repertory as a Latino companion piece to

the company’s then 15-year-old holiday show “A Christmas Carol,” his

wife was working on a creation of her own.

While Solis was creating a teenage girl named Graciela, or Gracie,

as his leading character, his wife coincidentally chose the same name

for their soon-to-be-born daughter. Today both Gracies are 10 years

old, and the one in Solis’ “La Posada Magica” is entertaining SCR

audiences once again -- for the first time under the playwright’s

direction.

In this 11th annual production of “La Posada” and the third on the

company’s Julianne Argyros Stage, a few embellishments have been

added by the playwright/director, such as a Las Vegas-like background

for one character’s comic production number and a laugh-inducing

reference to Little Saigon. But by and large, it’s still the same

heartwarming story of faith lost and regained on Christmas Eve.

The ageless Tiffany Ellen Solano, who has been playing the

14-year-old central character since 1999, once again is luminescent

in the role of a girl so embittered by the death of her baby brother

that she attempts to sabotage the neighborhood posada, or recreation

of Joseph and Mary’s search for an inn. Solano’s fervent passion and

her superb singing voice are centerpieces of this inspiring

production.

Crissy Guerroro, who logged four seasons as Gracie, is luminous as

Mariluz, realistically portraying Mary on this pilgrimage since her

own delivery also is imminent. Mauricio Mendoza lends strong support

as her husband.

Sol Castillo, making his fifth appearance as Refugio, the

semi-delinquent rock musician, still stops the show with his “I’m

Your Lovin’ Santa” solo. Miguel Najera projects a wise, authoritarian

figure as the “Jefe” or leader of the procession.

Veterans Denise Blasor, in her ninth appearance, and Carla

Jimenez, in her fifth, are a pair of comic delights as two chocoholic

ladies and, in a fantasy sequence, two lisping widows sharing the

same shawl. Kevin Sifuentes is solid as a conscientious security

guard who doubles as an irate, lonely old man and, with Castillo,

shares the duties of a pair of nefarious night creatures.

Musical director and composer Marcos Loya has been a constant

since “La Posada” first took the SCR stage, and he shares

accompaniment duties with Lorenzo Martinez, another “Posada” veteran.

Their preshow presentation is calculated to put the audience in a

holiday frame of mind.

Scenic designer Christopher Acebo and lighting designer Lonnie

Alcaraz offer a shimmering showplace splendidly supported by Shigeru

Yaji’s imaginative costumes. The show may be 11 years old, but new

atmospheric elements are added for each season.

“La Posada Magica” may lean a little heavy on the occasional

Spanish dialogue for some viewers’ comprehension, but the intent is

never in question.

* TOM TITUS reviews local theater for the Daily Pilot. His reviews

appear Fridays.