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<\/a>(Photo by T. Charles Erickson)<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n
Acknowledging there are many versions of the tale, \u201cThe White Snake\u201d is a transformation story.<\/p>\n
White Snake (Amy Kim Waschke) grows weary of thousands of years in the mountains. Fascinated with human kind, she slithers down the mountain in company of a feisty companion, Green Snake (Tanya Thai McBride, who creates an endearing character, part of which is her edgy voice).<\/p>\n
Having transformed themselves into human form, the two pose as mistress and servant, with Green Snake taking on the more daring and confrontational tasks. Along the way to civilization, they encounter Xu Xian (Jon Norman Schneider) who ferries them across the lake and loans White Snake his umbrella, a transaction during which their age-old, foreordained attraction manifests itself.<\/p>\n
Though Xu Xian is a lowly chemist\u2019s assistant, White Snake weds him and \u2014 again through magic \u2014 provides enough funds for a home and their own pharmacy, which is a raging success due to White Snake\u2019s healing abilities. The evil abbot of the local Buddhist temple, Fa Hai (Matt DeCaro), knows of White Snake\u2019s true identity and sets out to ruin her marriage, success and happiness. She must go on a perilous journey to find the one remedy that will cure Xu Xian. As with all fables, there are many messages to the beholder; among them, we love the one we love, sometimes at our own peril; but in the grand scheme of things, love triumphs.<\/p>\n
In the unfolding, Zimmerman employs music, dance and pageantry, all supplied by her dazzling and sincere company, two of whom are veterans of the Ashland and subsequent productions, and the artistry of Ostling and the original design team comprising costume designer Mara Blumenfeld, lighting designer T. J. Gerkens, sound designer and composer Andre Pluess, and projection designer Shawn Sagedy. Many of the effects are as magical as the tale.<\/p>\n Initially, I found myself impatient with what seemed like overuse of parasols and puppets (snakes can do only so much); however, the story eventually overcame its means of telling, and the visual and aural, sans parasols and snakes, began to enthrall. The pageantry, which employs battle, lanterns and movement, is thrilling.<\/p>\n<\/a>