By Christina Carrick
Mama Tomcat’s Flying School at Orem’s Noorda Blackbox Theater at UVU in Orem is a small-scale production with a big heart and lasting impact. I took my daughters–aged four, seven, and eight–and each one was captivated throughout the entire production. My four-year-old woke me up this morning by eagerly asking, “Can we see Mama Tomcat again?!”. Today is the show’s last day in Orem and there are two performances.
Mama Tomcat is the story of Zorbo, the tomcat who happens upon a dying seagull. The seagull entrusts Zorbo with her unhatched baby and uses her dying breath to make him promise to care for the baby bird and to teach it to fly. Fortunately, Zorbo has a crew of fellow tomcats who dedicate themselves to both helping him care for the egg and seeing his promise through. Once the bird hatches, she immediately imprints on Zorbo and declares him to be her mama. What follows is an exciting narrative of a mixed-species adoptive family and the lesson that being from two worlds makes you more connected and never less.
Ammon Jenkins plays an engaging and empathetic Mama Tomcat/Zorbo. He is incredibly believable as the New York City tomcat with a heart as big as Manhattan. The friendly chemistry between him and baby bird Lucky (Morgan Jepson) is tangible and you find yourself cheering for the success of this uncommon family bond. Jepson is charming and endearing as Lucky. Though you know it’s a grown woman under the mask, you feel empathy for her plight as a young bird and her performance allows you to suspend reality long enough to believe that she really is a little bird who is unsure of her place in a big world.
A lot of credit goes to Adam Gowers, Sarah Harvey, Kathy Reynolds, and Bradie Anderson for perfecting various accents to give their characters a lot of dimension. Harvey, Reynolds, and Anderson each play more than one role seamlessly. Gowers brilliantly plays “Einstein”, the German cat who can read and has all the answers. Harvey is both a menacing street rat and reliable Uncle Sal. Reynolds plays the other rat as well as Uncle Admiral, an Irish cat with a long history at sea. Until the end of the show, I didn’t even realize that Harvey and Reynolds were acting interchangable roles because they gave unique identities to each character so effectively. Anderson starts with a short part as the dying mama bird, but then plays the very fun and coy Lucinda, the neighboring tomcat and Zorbo’s girlfriend. She was playful and brought an exciting energy to the stage.
The theater itself is just a large room with black walls, with the square “stage” flanked by rows of folding chairs. Though the setting was so incredibly basic, you feel as though you are in the show as the characters are immediately in front of you throughout the entire production. The actors’ big personalities fill the room and you don’t miss extensive sets at all. Maddie Ashton, the scenic designer, makes all the right choices to transport the audience into the world of the tomcats.
One of the most interesting and effective choices this production made is using classroom instruments for the sound effects. We stayed for the Q and A with the playwright and production crew after the show so my four-year-old could ask the question that was burning in her mind during the whole show: “how did you make the seagull noise from all over?” . They took the time to explain a lot of their tricks for making convincing sound effects using surprising instruments. Director John Newman created a show that inspires creativity in young minds and makes them feel as though they could tell their stories as well.
Mallory Goodman made incredible costume choices. Though the costumes seemed minimal, they told each character’s story very effectively. My favorite costume was that of Lucky, the baby bird. She seemed to literally shine with young innocence and wonder because of the bright white and glittering costume, along with the flowy, pastel wings. Each cat had very simple elements added to give their character a personality before they even opened their mouths to speak.
Mama Tomcat’s Flight School is an uplifting story of love and dedicated friendship that both young and old desperately need right now. It is only one hour long and the pacing really helps children feel mesmerized by the story. If you live in the Orem area and are looking for an inexpensive way to have a terrific arts experience with your children, this is an hour of your day that will be incredibly well spent, so come check out Mama Tomcat’s Flying School.
UVU Department of Theatrical Arts Presents Mama Tomcat’s Flying School.
UVU, 800 West University Parkway, Orem, UT 84058
November 30, 2018-December 1, 2018, 2:00 PM, 6:30 PM
Tickets: $5
UVU School of the Arts Facebook Page
Mama Tomcat’s Flying School Facebook Event
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