Slimmer ‘Aida’ still tells heavy tale

The populist reworking of star-crossed triangles and pyramids that is “Aida” returns to several Southland venues with a new look and feel, courtesy of an original production from Kansas City-based Theater League. It’s a capable though rarely magical effort, best approached on its own terms rather than with Broadway-caliber expectations.

Tackling the epic Elton John-Tim Rice romance musical without recourse to the producing umbrella (and deep pockets) of the Walt Disney Co. was a gutsy move for Theater League, a presenter of civic light opera-level road shows. Seizing the opportunities afforded by its new Equity touring contract to amortize costs over a wider range of locations, the company’s sizable investment is apparent in the production values and solid lead performances on display first at the Thousand Oaks Civic Arts Plaza, then moving to the Long Beach Terrace Theater and on to the Pasadena Civic Auditorium.

Still, it’s immediately apparent that this “Aida” isn’t in the same theater league (sorry) as the megabuck spectacle that played the Ahmanson Theatre in 2001. In place of slyly modernist stylistic flourishes, this one takes a more straightforward approach to its costumes and scenic design, drawing on the traditional scholarly wellsprings that have shaped our images of ancient Egypt: “The Ten Commandments,” touring King Tut exhibits, the Luxor Hotel in Vegas.

Dazzling special effects like the famous floating bathers in the swimming pool as seen from above in “My Strongest Suit” have been cut back to more budget-friendly scale (in this case, a fashion show runway parody).

Visual inventiveness, however, isn’t the primary objective here. Amid the requisite quasi-biblical breastplates, tunics and portable painted flats of temples, palaces and tombs, Andy Ferrara’s staging focuses on telling the story, whose operatic roots entail far more maturity and depth than other theatrical offerings from the Disney dream factory.

In the title role, Melodye Perry brings smoldering confidence and a lovely singing voice to the Nubian princess torn between loyalty to her people and love for Radames, the handsome Egyptian warrior who has enslaved her.

In a case of life imitating Broadway legend, understudy Craig Cady ably covers the part of Radames for Jaymes Hodges, sidelined for the time being by an onstage injury. His portrayal hits the right mix of compassion without sacrificing virility.

Sobering issues of interracial taboos, domination and submission, and class conflict all shape the characters’ destinies in this sobering show, which has more thematic affinity with “The King and I” than with “The Lion King” -- especially in its celebration of the human capacity for self-transformation in the face of adversity.

Radames’ growing recognition of the injustice and oppression inherent in the system he represents movingly parallels Aida’s ability to go beyond her hatred for the Egyptian conquerors to see the heroism in her lover.

Covering the greatest distance is Egyptian Princess Amneris (Lesli Margherita), the would-be rival for Radames’ affections, who evolves from self-absorbed fashion plate to wise ruler.

Supporting cast standouts include Jeffrey Rockwell as Radames’ traitorous father and Ron Kellum as Aida’s fellow slave and stalwart confidante. In his brief stage time, Marc Cedric Smith’s dignified presence as Aida’s father is undermined when he pushes his escape raft away from Aida even as he’s supposed to be reaching for her (surely there’s a more convincing way to stage this).

The greatest limitation, however, is inherent in the show itself -- John’s bland pop score and Rice’s cliched lyrics do not further the substantive currents of the exposition-heavy book by Linda Wolverton, Robert Falls and David Henry Hwang. When characters achieve their pivotal recognitions during song rather than through song, that’s never a good thing in a musical.

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‘Aida’

Where: Terrace Theater, Long Beach Performing Arts Center, 300 E. Ocean Ave., Long Beach

When: 8 p.m. Friday, 2 and 8 p.m. Saturday, 2 and 7 p.m. Sunday

Ends: Sunday

Price: $15 to $48.50

Contact: (213) 480-3232, www.ticketmaster.com

Running time: 2 hours, 30 minutes

Also

Where: Pasadena Civic Auditorium, 300 E. Green St., Pasadena

When: 8 p.m. Jan. 21, 2 and 8 p.m. Jan. 22, 2 and 7 p.m. Jan. 23.

Ends: Jan. 23

Price: $20 to $51.50

Contact: (213) 480-3232, www.ticketmaster.com