VanLoan

vanloan@nyconstage.org

The ubiquitous Alex Timbers strikes again. After overseeing the thought-provoking, eye-opening Hell House at St. Ann’s Warehouse in Dumbo, he also successfully transferred his hit from this year’s New York Musical Festival, Gutenberg! The Musical! to an off-Broadway house. Now, he has revived the satiric holiday classic that put him and his hip company, Les Freres Corbusier on the must-see performance art map.

Originally staged in 2003, A Very Merry Unauthorized Children’s Scientology Pageant at the NYTW (which promises to be an annual event) is the life story of L. Ron Hubbard the science fiction author who is also founder of the so-called religion Scientology. Using the format of a grade school pageant, Timbers has assembled 10 children (ages 8 through 13; with little or no acting training) to portray L. Ron Hubbard and the various people who inspired him on his “journey”.

The book, music and lyrics are by Kyle Jarrow are based totally on the teachings and writings of L. Ron with no attempt to comment or parody. Placing them in the “mouths of babes” was Timber’s concept. This works like a charm since the founding precept of the Church of Scientology is that one needs to return to the innocence of childhood to cope with the stress of the adult world. Therefore, there is no need for lampooning or exaggeration because we have Hubbard’s principles coming with the utmost seriousness from children.

This terrific production is also enhanced by the non-professionalism of the children. Lines are sometimes botched, glances for approval are sent out to the audience and entrances are at times less than fluid. It just makes them more endearing and with the Hubbard dialectics coming from the tiny voices utterly hilarious. One of the many highlights comes late in the show when L. Ron Hubbard (played with an ambitious, nerdy concentration by William Wiggins the most accomplished of the cast) is called upon to defend the validity of the religion. Several of the young cast is called upon to play John Travolta, Kirstie Alley and Tom Cruise (the most famous of Scientology’s followers) to uproarious results.

But, finally, the best thing about the piece is by using children (in all their undeveloped innocence) the cult-like qualities of this controversial religion come into deep focus. Without overtly condemning Scientology’s capacity for preying on the vulnerable; by using the most vulnerable; it does just that. It’s both very funny and frightening at the same time. And those kids are just having a ball !!

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