The (New) Musical Man

The Music Theatre of Southern California has slated Southland premieres of two new musicals this year--the group’s first extended attempt to present fresh material in addition to revivals.

The process begins Sunday with a one-time-only concert production--complete with full orchestra--of the new “Mim” in the group’s home base at San Gabriel Civic Auditorium. A full production of “Mim” is planned for January 2002. As with all of the company’s productions since 1998, it will be seen not only in San Gabriel but also for a weekend at the Alex Theatre in Glendale.

The group’s other Southland premiere will be “Honk!,” a musical based on “The Ugly Duckling,” in October--one month before another production of the same show opens at International City Theatre in Long Beach.

In a recent conversation, M. Roger Lockie, executive producer and music director of Music Theatre since it was founded in 1983 (under the original name of the San Gabriel Civic Light Opera), said that “Mim” is a musical about Mary and Joseph, named after the diminutive for Mary’s Hebrew name Miriam. The book is by Stephen H. Gariepy, the music and lyrics by Ronald H. Owen.

Question: “Mim” sounds like a Christmas show that’s a couple weeks late. Is it?

Answer: It was not written as a Christmas show. While it was first produced in Cleveland in December 1996, two of its other three productions [in Chicago and Pittsburgh] were in July.

Q: But the material sounds Christmasy.

A: It’s the love story of Mary and Joseph, in the year before Jesus was born. The authors look at it as a historical musical drama, like “Les Miserables.” The birth occurs onstage at the end, but there are no shepherds or wise men.

Q: Is it more of a Christian believers’ show, like “Godspell,” or more distanced, like “Jesus Christ Superstar”?

A: Jesus is seen as the coming messiah. But the authors didn’t write it as a church vehicle. I’ve got Jewish performers in it, and they’re loving it.

Q: Do subscribers really want to see new work or do they subscribe to see classics?

A: We all struggle with that question. We hear: “Why do we have to see ‘My Fair Lady’ for the 43rd time?” But when you present new work, you have a heck of a time selling it. They love to come into the theater singing the lyrics. New work can shut you down, if you make a fatal mistake. The sequel to “Annie” practically bankrupted several companies, including [the now defunct] San Bernardino Civic Light Opera. It’s hard to figure out far in advance what people want. Look at the canceled shows on TV. You have to be very careful.

Q: So why do new work?

A: To expand our horizons, to introduce new works to the public. Sometimes they work. “Phantom” [the Arthur Kopit/Maury Yeston version] was very healthy for all the theaters that did it. To do two new works in the next year gives me a rebirth, an inner excitement.

Q: If there were a law forbidding new musicals, would the musical genre survive?

A: People would be very imaginative in redoing the old works, like “Carnival,” which is hardly ever seen and which we will do in July 2002.

Q: Has your company’s expansion to the Alex Theatre been successful?

A: Oh yes. The Alex pulls audiences from places we weren’t pulling from.

Q: Some previous producers of musicals at the Alex said the stage wasn’t big enough.

A: It’s larger than the St. James in New York, where “Oklahoma!” debuted. “Les Miz” wouldn’t fit, but if I ever get the rights to do it before I die, we’d have the Alex subscribers come to San Gabriel.

Q: Is there a difference between the two audiences other than addresses?

A: The Alex audience has maybe a little more theatrical experience.

Q: Do you see the work of other musical companies in L.A.?

A: Civic Light Opera of South Bay does really good work. We have a little cross-town rivalry. But I don’t fear other theaters, though it gets a little confusing when we’re all trying to do the same shows.

Q: If you could do any relatively new shows, regardless of rights, what would they be?

A: “Les Miz.” “Miss Saigon.” “Ragtime.”

* “Mim,” San Gabriel Civic Auditorium, 320 S. Mission Drive, San Gabriel. Sunday, 3 p.m. $20-$35. (626) 308-2868.