Melinda Lopez as Mariana, Al Rodrigo as Papi and Joel Perez as Henry. Photo by Rich Soublet II.Most people have watched at least an occasional cooking show, but I for one have never witnessed the familial relationships of cooking shown in “Stir,” the world premiere of a new Old Globe Theatre commission by contemporary playwrights Melinda Lopez and Joel Perez.
“Stir” shows us Lopez and Perez as stars, playing brother and sister Mariana and Henry, separated by distance and circumstance but talking about and demonstrating cooking, in this case beans. Occasionally their father Papi (played by Al Rodrigo) shows up as well. Papi is more concerned that the remains of his wife have never been properly interred anywhere, and he needs to decide where those remains should be placed.
So: food, death, familial relationships and how to cook beans are all on display at the same time through May 26 at the Globe’s Sheryl & Harvey White Theatre.
An interesting combination, no?
Originally commissioned and produced as a digital production in 2021 by the Huntington Theatre Company, the setting moves from 2021 in Orlando, Florida, to Ithaca, New York and Zoom so you’ll also see computers onstage.
The production is bilingual, the conversation zippy and often amusing (some of which confuses people like me, not used to language-shifting on a dime), and the overall production fun to watch. Kudos to set designer Diggle, who made quick changes seem easy to do.
Lopez’s Mariana is the typical older sister who wants to take charge and is pretty much allowed to do that by brother Henry.
Perez is adorable as Henry, with his purposely wild hairdo and, shall we say, colorful costumes. He’s been walking around with a carafe of mom’s ashes in his backpack since she died.
Rodrigo’s Papi doesn’t have a lot to do, but he does get some good lines – and knows what to do with them.
Christopher Vergara also gets applause from me for the costumes that look just right, and to Cha See for the lighting and Fabian Obispo for the fine sound design.
There’s a lot of love on display in “Stir,” along with cooking, family heritage, bilingual conversation and computers. Kudos to all for a fun evening in the theater.
The details
“Stir” plays through May 26 at the Globe’s Sheryl & Harvey White Theatre, 1363 Old Globe Way in Balboa Park.
Performances Tuesday through Thursday at 7 p.m.; Friday at 8 p.m.; Saturday at 2 and 8 p.m.; Sunday at 2 and 7 p.m. Also Sunday, May 22, at 2 and 7 p.m.
Tickets: www.TheOldGlobe.org or (619) 234-5623
Most people have watched at least an occasional cooking show, but I for one have never witnessed the familial relationships of cooking shown in “Stir,” the world premiere of a new Old Globe Theatre commission by contemporary playwrights Melinda Lopez and Joel Perez.
“Stir” shows us Lopez and Perez as stars, playing brother and sister Mariana and Henry, separated by distance and circumstance but talking about and demonstrating cooking, in this case beans. Occasionally their father Papi (played by Al Rodrigo) shows up as well. Papi is more concerned that the remains of his wife have never been properly interred anywhere, and he needs to decide where those remains should be placed.
So: food, death, familial relationships and how to cook beans are all on display at the same time through May 26 at the Globe’s Sheryl & Harvey White Theatre.
An interesting combination, no?
Originally commissioned and produced as a digital production in 2021 by the Huntington Theatre Company, the setting moves from 2021 in Orlando, Florida, to Ithaca, New York and Zoom so you’ll also see computers onstage.
The production is bilingual, the conversation zippy and often amusing (some of which confuses people like me, not used to language-shifting on a dime), and the overall production fun to watch. Kudos to set designer Diggle, who made quick changes seem easy to do.
Lopez’s Mariana is the typical older sister who wants to take charge and is pretty much allowed to do that by brother Henry.
Melinda Lopez, Al Rodrigo and Joel Perez in "Stir"
Photo by Rich Soublet
Most people have watched at least an occasional cooking show, but I for one have never witnessed the familial relationships of cooking shown in “Stir,” the world premiere of a new Old Globe Theatre commission by contemporary playwrights Melinda Lopez and Joel Perez.
“Stir” shows us Lopez and Perez as stars, playing brother and sister Mariana and Henry, separated by distance and circumstance but talking about and demonstrating cooking, in this case beans. Occasionally their father Papi (played by Al Rodrigo) shows up as well. Papi is more concerned that the remains of his wife have never been properly interred anywhere, and he needs to decide where those remains should be placed.
So: food, death, familial relationships and how to cook beans are all on display at the same time through May 26 at the Globe’s Sheryl & Harvey White Theatre.
An interesting combination, no?
Originally commissioned and produced as a digital production in 2021 by the Huntington Theatre Company, the setting moves from 2021 in Orlando, Florida, to Ithaca, New York and Zoom so you’ll also see computers onstage.
The production is bilingual, the conversation zippy and often amusing (some of which confuses people like me, not used to language-shifting on a dime), and the overall production fun to watch. Kudos to set designer Diggle, who made quick changes seem easy to do.
Lopez’s Mariana is the typical older sister who wants to take charge and is pretty much allowed to do that by brother Henry.
Perez is adorable as Henry, with his purposely wild hairdo and, shall we say, colorful costumes. He’s been walking around with a carafe of mom’s ashes in his backpack since she died.
Rodrigo’s Papi doesn’t have a lot to do, but he does get some good lines – and knows what to do with them.
Christopher Vergara also gets applause from me for the costumes that look just right, and to Cha See for the lighting and Fabian Obispo for the fine sound design.
There’s a lot of love on display in “Stir,” along with cooking, family heritage, bilingual conversation and computers. Kudos to all for a fun evening in the theater.
The details
“Stir” plays through May 26 at the Globe’s Sheryl & Harvey White Theatre, 1363 Old Globe Way in Balboa Park.
Performances Tuesday through Thursday at 7 p.m.; Friday at 8 p.m.; Saturday at 2 and 8 p.m.; Sunday at 2 and 7 p.m. Also Sunday, May 22, at 2 and 7 p.m.
Tickets: www.TheOldGlobe.org or (619) 234-5623
(photo: Melinda Lopez as Mariana, Al Rodrigo as Papi and Joel Perez as Henry.
Photo by Rich Soublet II.)
