Miracle Theatre Productions bills “Das Barbecã,” its current Theatre in Old Town entry, as a “rib-ticklin’, knee-slappin’ musical” that “sparkles, entertains and delights.”
It is, and it does “” at the very least, any comedy taken from Richard Wagner’s “Ring” opera cycle and set in rural Texas gets points for the idea alone. Suddenly, Wagner’s tragic lovers and villains are the good ol’ boys and girls next door, and the composer’s central focus “” a golden ring that grants the power to change the world “” is now an innocuous wedding band and the catalyst for a serious romantic feud.
Jim Luigs’ story and lyrics may be a tad self-involved, but their continuity complements Scott Warrender’s bawdy score. And to boot, five actors are responsible for some 30 roles “” a tour de force the likes of which this venue may never see again.
Literalmente.
The 250-seat Theatre in Old Town is part of San Diego’s Old Town State Park, within which Sacramento offers several items for bid every 10 years in accordance with California law. This time, those items include the venue. Deadline for bid submission, which opened in April, was June 20 “” and Miracle producing director Jill K. Mesaros and artistic director Paula Kalustian opted not to compete. The building’s state of repair, and the costs involved in correcting it, deem the project out of reach.
“What they wanted just doesn’t fit with who we are and what we do and how we want to spend our resources,” Mesaros said.
The bid proposal mandates $370,000 in capital improvements over a 10-year contract. That expenditure, Mesaros said, doesn’t include the expenses involved in bringing the 27-year-old building up to municipal code and making the venue’s rest rooms and business office accessible by today’s architectural standards and under the Americans with Disabilities Act.
Under the proposal, the state would also receive 3 percent of the gross ticket receipts and would require the company to mount six hours of interpretive programming each week, designed to educate patrons on Old Town’s emergence in the late 19th century.
“That’s tough when you’re trying to produce theater, especially commercially,” Kalustian said. “We’re not a nonprofit, so we don’t have any kind of outside funding other than ticket sales. That was not only prohibitive to us, but also not interesting to us.”
Mesaros said one entity has placed a bid on the property. No other information was immediately available, although an electronic document shows that San Diego’s Cygnet Theatre has posed a number of questions regarding the state’s request for proposals.
Miracle Productions has produced theater at the building since 1992 and is the only company among several to note commercial and artistic success there. Accordingly, Mesaros voiced concern about the venue’s future amid the state’s focus on interpretive programming.
“If it goes back into the business of being just part of a state park, that’s sad,” she said. “It’s a lovely venue that has become a treasured venue to San Diego audiences.”
“It’s been challenging for us to be in a historic state park, but this is a natural transition for us,” Kalustian added. ” Businesses do change. Businesses grow. We have some exciting things planned that we couldn’t do at this venue. Maybe two years ago we would have felt a little more victimized, but we just don’t now. We’re ready to expand, to move on, to try wonderful new things.”
Mesaros said that Miracle may be close to an agreement on a new venue. She declined to reveal its location.
Meanwhile, “Das Barbecã” is the latest in a litany of entries that mark Miracle’s place in local circles “” it’s lusty, loud and exceptionally polished, with a simplistic story inside a universal theme. And now, its entertainment value includes posterity as perhaps its strongest element.
The review material is based on the performance of June 24. “Das Barbecã” will run indefinitely at Theatre in Old Town, 4040 Twiggs St. Ticket prices range from $31 to $45, with discounts available for seniors, students, active military and groups of 12 or more. Tickets may be purchased at (619) 688-2494 or online at www.theatreinoldtown.com.