Serendipity’s ‘Wrinkle’ Fails to Make the Grade

The Serendipity Theatre Co.’s production of “A Wrinkle in Time” at the Coronet Theatre deserves an A for ambition, but for execution, this dark, sketchy version of Madeleine L’Engle’s award-winning novel for young teen readers doesn’t make the grade.

Translating the demanding epic to the stage is the first hurdle. L’Engle’s science-fiction fantasy involves nothing less than a spiritual conflict between good and evil, physics, travel in the fifth dimension, mystical beings, cosmic revelations, child geniuses, rebirth, the pain and pleasure of growing up and messages of self-esteem.

Sam Kuglen, who wrote the adaptation, valiantly tries to fit it all into a 90-minute minimalist format: super-intelligent children aided by mysterious beings find their vanished scientist father and themselves, battle the evil entity threatening Earth and learn both the power of love and of “tessering”--”wrinkling” the fabric of time to travel through space.

Trying to cover the high points, however, Kuglen’s treatment ends up as a series of exclamation points. Audience members who haven’t read the book must follow along as best they can.

Julie Ferrin’s monochromatic, gloomy set adds to the confusion. Ken Realista’s varied light design and strobe effects are not enough to transcend the monotony, while director Gary Bolen and the cast only intermittently sell the idea that by shifting position from here to there on the empty set, the characters are moving through time and space, hopping from planet to planet.

Two nice visuals brighten things up briefly. Patrick Cummings’ transition from odd rag-bag Mrs. Whatsit to the celestial courier is awkward, but his stage-wide wings strike a noble image. And Diane Benedict, who plays the mother, makes a memorable sight in her duo role as giant, pincer-clawed Aunt Beast, who is as kind as she is grotesque. Daphne McInnis did the costumes; Eugene Rubenzer is credited with mask design and construction.

Tamara Hoffman as angry Meg, Thomas Odell as little brother Charles Wallace and Alex LaFlamme as sensitive Calvin do a respectable job; David Prather, Cummings and Jee as the celestial visitors are quaint rather than cosmic.

’ ‘A Wrinkle in Time.” Coronet Theatre, 366 N. La Cienega Blvd., Los Angeles, Fridays at 7 p.m., Saturdays at 2 and 7:30 p.m., Sundays at 1 and 4 p.m. through Feb. 14. $12 per adult; $6 for children ages 13 and under. Recommended for ages 7 and up. (310) 652-9199.

Children’s Book Art Fans: The artwork of award-winning children’s book illustrators Leo and Diane Dillon will be exhibited at the Every Picture Tells a Story gallery in Hollywood through March 7.

The multicultural works on display by the husband-and-wife team include original paintings for Nancy Willard’s “Pish, Posh, Said Hieronymus Bosch,” illustrations that were inspired by Japanese woodcuts for Katherine Paterson’s “The Tale of the Mandarin Ducks” and art for Leontyne Price’s adaptation of “Aida” and for Virginia Hamilton’s “The People Could Fly,” a book of classic African-American legends.

The Dillons, winners of the Caldecott Medal and the Coretta Scott King award for best illustrated children’s books, will make a public appearance at the gallery on Saturday from 6:30 to 9:30 p.m.

Information: (213) 962-5420.