The story centers around four main characters all of who live ordinary lives in New York City in 2005. 2010 Pepperdine alumn Scott Takeda stars as one of these four, showcasing his acting and singing ability. He plays the role of Warren, a silly twenty-something wandering through life and having a difficult time finding his place in the “big picture.”
He is humorous most of the time, yet still manages to tug on the emotions of the audience as they watch him try and fail and then finally succeed in garnering the attention of Deb (Julia Cho), a high-energy, spunky, and thoroughly entertaining twenty-something who falsely believes she has her place in the big picture nailed down.
The humorous and lighthearted interaction between Deb and Warren is nicely contrasted with the more serious relationship of Claire (Helen H. Ota) and Jason (Michael C. Palma), who introduce the audience to the more serious side of ordinary.
The theater sits about 80 people, making the audience interaction with the actors up-close and personal. The stage is simple, with just a piano, a set of stairs, and a simple “apartment,” made up of two chairs and a table.
The execution is also simple, with musical introductions of the characters taking up approximately the first 25 minutes of the show. There is no dialogue and the entire story is told through song. This simplicity led to the performance’s effectiveness, as it mirrors the greater message of the production.
“There is something about appreciating the simplicity of life,” said Director Peter Kuo. “That’s what I really like about this show…it teaches us to stop and smell the roses.”
And for some involved with the production, like Scott, it was the message and the music that made the show so much fun to be a part of.
“I love the music. It’s really fantastic,” Scott said in an interview. “In this show I relate a lot to my character. All of the characters in the show are trying to find their life story and it applies to me kind of where I am in my life trying to find acting work after graduation and what not.”
Some of Scott’s previous credits include Mysterious Skin, Ching-Chong Chinaman, The Chinese Massacre and Wrinkles.
Ordinary Dayswas originally produced and performed by Pennsylvania Centre Stage at Penn State University in 2007. The show runs at the Imagined Life Theater in Los Angeles through June 10, 2012. (Photos courtesy of Keri Kaba-Dien).
