WE’RE LIVING IN the last few magical weeks before the lead curtain descends once again and plunges us all into seasonal affective disorder. The only thing you can do to prevent this crippling illness is to cram as many outdoor activities as possible into what little time remains. The Northwest Asian American Theatre’s production of The Fantasticks is a perfect excuse to get out of the damn house.
The show is being staged among the murmuring brooks and rustling leaves of the tranquil and charming Japanese Garden at the Washington Park Arboretum. Okay, maybe musical theater isn’t your thing, but who can resist watching a kimono-clad girl tiptoe around a koi pond before she bursts into song? How can you harden your heart to the clanging foils of a good sword fight? The entire cast, garbed in traditional Japanese attire, are uniformly excellent and bring a playful energy to the absurd shenanigans the show requires. Katie Topper, as the teenaged Luisa, infuses her performance with the hormonal mania that only first love can bring. With Luisa seeming so delighted, suddenly bursting into song comes as close to making sense as it probably ever will.
But be warned: The only seating available in the garden is whatever you carry in, which in my case was my poor rumpus maximus. Though I enjoyed watching the sun go down in the garden while people sang around me, I did not much like my one fancy skirt acting as a sponge. Bring a blanket, bring a folding chair–better yet, bring your parents who are visiting from out of town. This sweet summer pleasure may not have a lot of substance, but then again, neither does a watermelon.