Recently the California Regional Theatre, better known as CRT, performed their newest musical Tarzan in PV’s Center for the Arts (CFA). It was based on the story Tarzan of the Apes by Edgar Rice and the Disney children’s movie Tarzan. The CRT production was directed by Bob Maness.
The set was a group of scaffoldings with old wood and vines to resemble a jungle and Tarzan’s home. It was quite a change from the set previously seen on the stage from PV’s A Midsummer Night’s Dream.
The play opened up with Tarzan’s mother and father arriving in Africa after being shipwrecked. Tarzan’s father was played by PV’s very own Phil Morgan, the CFA’s Facility Director. As they built their home, gorillas began to swing, run, and dance across the stage. The leaders of the family of gorilla’s, Kala and Kerchak, join the group with their own baby gorilla, played by Kyra Verkuyl. A leopard enters and takes off with the Kala’s and Kerchak’s baby. After the Tarzan’s parents are done with their home, the leopard attacks them, leaving Tarzan an orphan.
Kala (Lauren Thompson) adopts the human baby. Thompson sings “You’ll Be In My Heart” as she carries her new son. The next scene opens with Tarzan as a child, living with his gorilla family. Young Terk (Mia Clarke) assists young Tarzan (Luciano Castaldo) when he is being picked on by the other gorillas. This led into the next musical number, with Clarke and Castaldo singing “Who Better Than Me.”
There were a series of other songs until Terk and Tarzan emerge as adults, played by Kendall Young and Logan Hansen. They continued the wonderful performance started by Clarke and Castaldo.
The show continues with Tarzan eventually meeting the English expedition crew. Jane (Courtney Barnett), Mr. Porter (Craig Brainbridge), Clayton (Ben Okun), and Clayton’s men (Tanner Hansen, Olivia Thompson, Jared Rogerson), are visiting Africa in search of gorillas.
Having never seen people before, Tarzan is curious and begins to befriend Jane and her father. But, at the same time, Kerchak is concerned about the danger the humans could bring and Clayton wishes to capture a gorilla to sell.
The show continues with a large array of entertaining songs and dance numbers. The relationship between Tarzan and Jane progresses until the two begin to fall in love with each other, much to the gorilla family’s dismay. Finally, Tarzan tries to show the humans where his family is living thinking that Jane will stay in the jungle with him if he does. But, the plan goes awry when Kerchak is shot and killed by Clayton. Tarzan decides to stay in the jungle, and after more thinking, Jane chooses to stay with him.
Tarzan was an incredible performance and a job well done by the CRT. Everything from the music and singing to the set and lighting. It was emotional and funny at the same time. A lot of work clearly went into the show and it turned out perfectly and got great reactions from the audiences.
