New Malibu Repertory Company Presents 'The Shadow Box'
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SECTION INSIDE People Dining & Entertainment Sports B Pet Pourri Classified The Malibu Times | January 17, 2008 L ife & Arts Bringing African New Malibu repertory company Roots and Shoots presents ‘The Shadow Box’ to Malibu Two locals launch a make our lives better.” new repertory company A visitor from One of Cosmos’ projects Tanzania shares the was nominated for a Volvo in Malibu with an Adventure Environmental award-winning play. worldwide message Award in 2004 and involved of conservation and a nonconfrontational effort By Melonie Magruder to solve a centuries-long Special to The Malibu Times social cooperation. problem between Tanzanian By Melonie Magruder farmers and a local scourge— Special to The Malibu Times bands of marauding baboons. hen Michael Cristofer’s “The baboons would play “The Shadow come down from the hill and WBox” debuted at Los eus Cosmos, a slight, eat all the crops and steal the Angeles’ Mark Taper Forum soft-spoken 23-year- farmers tools and clothes,” in 1975, it struck a chord with Dold from the Mara Cosmos said. “So the farmers audiences. It quickly moved to region of Tanzania in Africa, would burn the hillside for- Broadway, garnering a Pulitzer has traveled more than ests where they lived. But the Prize and Tony Award for 10,000 miles to share a mes- baboons would not go away. Best Play and was made into sage of environmental con- They would hide and then a Golden Globe-winning and science and a model of social come down to steal the farm- Emmy-nominated film, direct- cooperation with Malibu. ers’ vegetables again. It was a ed by Paul Newman. Cosmos is an ambassador cycle that didn’t stop.” All this from a play writ- for the Jane Goodall Institute. The 177 students involved ten about Cristofer’s personal Recently arrived from the in Cosmos’ Roots and Shoots experience of two close friends Musoma Rural District in program developed a plan to dying. northeast Tanzania, Cosmos educate local residents, refor- “But this play’s not about came to work with the local est the burned-out hillside death,” director Richard chapter of Roots and Shoots, and plant crops in the hillside Johnson said. “It’s about hope. a youth-directed branch of jungle that fed the baboons. It’s about carpe diem. It’s Cast members Will Carney and Pamela Donnelly in “The Shadow Box.” The play opens Jan. 18 at the Malibu Stage Company. Goodall’s worldwide environ- “We explained that the about living your life to the mental awareness organization. baboons would just keep com- fullest before you die.” Local resident Gloria Van ing back to steal their food Johnson, a film and televi- plays and decided to launch the out in a time when America was Santen, who founded the if they burned the forest,” sion actor, returns to his the- Zuma Repertory Theatre’s first uncomfortable with the issue Malibu Roots and Shoots Cosmos said. “But Tanzania is atrical roots with the opening season with a complex piece of mortality. Then the AIDS chapter called The Zumers, is famous for our animals and we of “The Shadow Box” at the that would “give everyone on epidemic spawned a new era of hosting Cosmos. must protect them. So if their Malibu Stage Company this stage a chance to spread their “It’s about hope. theater and social commentary “Deus has presented his food is already up in the for- week. wings and participate in some- on the subject, including Larry various Tanzanian projects to est, they won’t come to steal Johnson and producer thing that truly serves the tal- It’s about carpe Kramer’s “The Normal Heart” students at local schools and from the farmers.” Victoria Sterling, both Malibu ent we have.” and Tony Kushner’s play series is working with our Zumers Most people were recep- residents, formed a new theater Indeed, the cast bios for diem. It’s about “Angels in America.” chapter that is made up most- tive to the plan and soon company this year, the Zuma “The Shadow Box” are heavy Psychiatrist Elisabeth ly of Malibu High students,” cassava, cashew, cucumber Repertory Theatre, determined, with resumé mentions of Kübler-Ross published a Van Santen explained. “It’s and cacti were flourishing in as Johnson said, “to bring top- Julliard, The Actor’s Studio, living your life to groundbreaking study titled part of a worldwide outreach the hills again. The baboons notch, Broadway-quality the- Chicago’s Steppenwolf and “On Death and Dying” that effort to make young people were satisfied, the farmers’ ater with professional actors to Goodman Theatres, and inter- the fullest before famously categorized the five aware of how they can help crops were safe and the con- Malibu.” nationally known films. stages of grief into denial, not just their own environ- servation efforts of a group Whereas Malibu has seen As Sterling said, “I might you die.” anger, bargaining, depression ment but the whole world’s.” of children have preserved plenty of professional-quality have spent years in TV devel- and acceptance. Cosmos, who speaks native habitat for future gen- “one-offs” and play readings opment, but I’m doing theater DIRECTOR RICHARD “But the last of those is English and Swahili, first erations to enjoy. featuring the talents of well- because this is what I love.” JOHNSON hope,” Johnson said. “And this became interested in the Jane “Our plan also helps wild known actors such as Ed Asner, Accordingly, “The Shadow play is filled with it.” Goodall Institute when he goats, monkeys, birds and nungu Kathleen Quinlan and Martin Box” is a true ensemble piece Malibu resident and actor contributed sketched-from- nungu,” Cosmos said. “I can’t Sheen, a true repertory theater set in a hospice for people suf- Howard Ferguson is featured memory illustrations of local think of the English word.” has been difficult to organize. fering from terminal illnesses. in the play and agrees with his wildlife to a foundation pub- After a brief chat with Van “I wanted to change that,” The play’s three featured fami- director. “This piece may be 32 lication at age 11. Cosmos Santen, he smiles. “Oh, it’s a Johnson said. “I don’t want to lies confront the emotional wife, ‘You know, we’re all ter- years old, but it is not dated at described his experiences of porcupine.” have to drive to Hollywood to miasma of end-of-life decisions minal.’ Doing this play makes all,” he said. “There are a lot of working in rural African vil- Van Santen brought Cosmos see great theater when we have for both patients and their me appreciate all the little people in this country dealing lages to encourage conser- to Malibu to inspire her Roots such outstanding talent here in loved ones. The results are sor- things she does for me. Life is with terminal illness. And their vation and preserve unique and Shoots members. “We help Malibu.” rowful, ferocious and surpris- ephemeral. What we strive to families. It’s all still pertinent.” local wildlife habitats. the Park Service in replanting So he tacked up some post- ingly funny. play in every scene is the uplift- Ferguson said part of his “When I saw what the native plants and in protecting ers around town last summer, “Yes, it’s about mortal- ing angle, so you can say ‘Yeah, preparation for his role was in Goodall Institute does, I the endangered Channel Island looking to find a core reperto- ity, but there’s great joy in it,” I’m dying’ with a smile.” reading literary critic Anatole started to wonder how I could Fox,” she said. “Every year, we ry group, work-shopped some Johnson explained. “I told my “The Shadow Box” came See The Shadow Box, page B4 bring Roots and Shoots to teach about foxes at the Santa my village,” Cosmos said. “I Barbara Zoo’s Fox Festival. So thought that if I could work Deus’ work in his country mir- with kids my age, they could rors a lot of our efforts here.” On the move and ‘Off the Hook’ have a meeting of minds with Cosmos has found America INSIDE their parents and we could See Roots and Shoots, page B12 By Carla Fischer Special to The Malibu Times s an expression, “off the hook” is a spin-off from Athe word “noise,” mean- ing that “you’re the bomb.” You’re doing something most people aren’t doing, and lis- tening to things most people Roaring twenties at the Los ignore. Angeles Master Chorale. Ronn Davis calls his new show, opening this Saturday Malibu Seen, B2 at L.A. Contemporary in Los Angeles, “Off The Hook” because, he said, “My new paintings allow me to pay atten- tion to where I am and to things that are not clearly definable. I’ve always been fascinated with the discarded. Being attract- ed and annoyed by things are equally important.” “I’ve always been conscious of the insignificant things in life MHS girls basketball opens as being the most important,” “The Fly,” by Ronn Davis, will be on display at the artist’s solo exhibition “Off the Hook” at L.A. Contemporary opening Saturday. league play with win. Davis said. Sports, B12 The artist calls most of Photo by Melonie Magruder his work representational. surface.” a lot. I’ve always slept about Deus Cosmos with Malibu resident Gloria Van Santen. Cosmos, Agnes Stevens, founder of Regarding his painting, “The His paintings are also three hours a day since I was who is from Tanzania, works with the Jane Goodall Institute’s School on Wheels, nominated Fly,” Davis said, “I’m fasci- about movement, he added.