Classic romantic swashbuckler and a contemporary dark comedy, both opening this week, seem unlikely to have much in common. But both are built around central characters dealing with physical problems and the angst of being in love.
"Cyrano de Bergerac," featuring Patrick Page in the title role, opens Wednesday on the main stage of Simmons Pioneer Memorial Theatre, a Pioneer Theatre Company production directed by Artistic Director Charles Morey.
David Lindsay-Abaire's acclaimed "haunting and hilarious" comedy, "Kimberly Akimbo," opens Tuesday at Salt Lake Acting Company, with Jayne Luke in the title role as a 16-year-old afflicted with a Progeria-type disease.
The theaters are two of Salt Lake City's biggest professional venues.
PATRICK PAGE last appeared on the Lees Main Stage of Simmons Pioneer Memorial Theatre as "Richard III" in 1999. And he's not unfamiliar with "Cyrano." In PTC's 1988 production, he played Cyrano's friend and confidant, Le Bret.
"Chuck (director Morey) and I have been talking about this for quite a awhile," Page said before heading off to rehearsals. "He called me in January and said he was thinking about doing it this season, but at that time I was negotiating to go into the Broadway company of 'The Lion King.' " (Page has been in the national touring company of "The Lion King," playing Scar; he'll move to Broadway after his run in "Cyrano.")
"Six weeks ago," Page said, "we finally hammered it out, and immediately Chuck began putting together his cutting of the script."
By the time he arrived in Salt Lake City for rehearsals, Page had most of the script memorized. He said he "would grab friends from 'The Lion King' cast and they would help me."
He noted that when Edmond Rostand's first staged production of "Cyrano" opened in Paris more than a century ago, there were apologies all around about fears that it was a complete turkey — but the finale was greeted with an hourlong ovation.
As soon as Page arrived in Utah, the Pioneer Theatre Company costume shop went to work fitting the actor with the title character's infamous, elongated nose.
"Cyrano is a love story, a really deep one," Page said. "I've wanted to play it for years. I was going to do it in Cedar City a few years ago, but something came up."
Page was recently married to Paige Davis, well-known host of Lifetime's "Trading Spaces" decorating show. They met while both were performing in Disney's touring production of "Beauty and the Beast."
Thinking back, Page said, "I didn't really know about love to play this part until now. It's exciting to have it come along at this point in my life."
"This is a big show," adds director Morey. "It ranges from very intimate scenes to huge, epic battles. What really makes it special is that it has great heart. That's what attracts people to it; it's a great love story and a great adventure."
Morey's cast also includes Tari Signor as the beautiful Roxane, who is sought by both Cyrano and handsome young cadet Christian (James Knight), with Remi Sandri as Vicomte de Guiche, also a rival for Roxane's affections, and Bryan Hicks as Le Bret.
Other Equity players include Craig Bockhorn, Margaret Crowell, Mark Gollaher, Justin Ivie, Paul Kiernan, Morgan Lund, Richard Mathews, Paul Mulder, David Spencer and Kevin Orton.
George Maxwell is designing the scenery, with Carol Wells-Day costuming the show's 54 characters, and Amanda French designing nearly two dozen wigs, plus beards, mustaches — and one very large nose.
"OH, MY GOODNESS, what a challenge," well-known local actress Jayne Luke says about playing the title role in "Kimberly Akimbo."
"I've always felt like a 16-year-old in a 53-year-old body," she said, "and I'm darned proud of it.
"The director (Keven Myhre) is not that concerned about the numbers. I'm not having my hair sprayed white. His focus is about a young spirit in an aging body. It really is a great role, but even more than the role itself, the play is so cleverly written."
Even though Kimberly is the play's focal point, her family and the people around her are highly dysfunctional. "There's a lot of comedy in it," said Myhre. "It's a coming-of-age story of a 16-year-old girl discovering love for the first time amidst her chaotic family life."
The cast includes Coleen Baum as Kimberly's mother, Pattie, a pregnant hypochondriac, and Kurt Proctor as Buddy, her father, an aimless guy who sort of bumbles through life to avoid making choices. Wendy Wilde plays Kimberly's Aunt Debra, a homeless woman hoping to relocate from New Jersey to Miami, and who keeps coming up with various schemes to get there. David Fitzer plays Kimberly's love interest, Jeff. (He's noticed her in biology class, and they meet by chance at the Zippy Burger, where he works.)
In her most recent SLAC performance, Luke played a feisty Italian mama in "Big Love" who threw tomatoes all over the stage. "In this one she just throws a couple of fits," said Myhre.
"You can take the most dysfunctional family in the city, then tweak things a bit, and it can be comical," said Luke. "With the right kind of writing, they can be presented in a humorous way.
"We are all taken by surprise by the aging process. You look at older people and tell yourself, 'That will never happen to me,' but it will. What the playwright has done is look at the inner rage; your body doesn't do what it used to. That's true of any kind of health problem with aging. My father was enraged by the aging process, but my mother is 93, and she's still a survivor. She still strives to maintain a quality of life."
One central theme in the play is that, amid all their dysfunctional problems, Kimberly's family has overlooked her 16th birthday. "That's a major transition period in American society," said Myhre, "and it's a turning point that her parents have missed out on."
If you go . . .
What: "Cyrano de Bergerac"
Where: Simmons Pioneer Memorial Theatre; 300 S. 1400 East
When: Wednesday through Oct. 11, various times
How much: $20-$39
Phone: 581-6961
Also: Free post-show discussion Oct. 4, 5:10 p.m.
E-mail: ivan@desnews.com