Time Well Spent
Posted by Jon Michael Hill on 11/13/2008As Kafka on the Shore approaches its closing on November 16th, we are made strikingly aware of the fleeting nature of the Theater. Instead of discussing the interpretations of Haruki Murakami’s novel or Frank Galati’s beautiful vision of that novel, I want to talk a little about the family unit that is developed in working on a show like this.
Throughout this process I have become accustomed to making extraordinary leaps in logic and/or consciousness. From the beginning we all made the choice to be absorbed by this disturbing, confusing, delicate, gorgeous, violent, and dreamlike world Murakami created. We have lived in this world for over two months. It is my firm belief that there is a bond that forms when people do something this weird together. We share in each other’s amazement and wonder at what we’re involved in, and when audience members leave the show we’ve worked so hard to realize for them, we share in each other’s disappointment and understanding. I often come off stage to pass David Rhee (Nakata) on his way to an entrance. We used to exchange words of encouragement, but we’ve reached a point where all that is needed is a simple, wordless exchange of understanding.
With the gloomy advance of closing night on the horizon, this family decided to live in the “pure present” and celebrate each other’s company in the time we have left. How does the cast of Kafka on the Shore and all their beloved understudies celebrate? I have one made-up word for you: Maddenfest!
John Madden, the popular and often annoying football commentator, has been the voice of the video game since the early or mid-90’s. My fellow commissioner Andy Pang decided it would be fun to order pizza and chicken wings and have ourselves a friendly tournament that matched old veterans against first-timers and battle-hungry amateurs.
With bellies full and Spirits high the first round competition commenced. On the left side of the living room the fresh-faced Gerson Dacany (Oshima) was matched up against the also inexperienced Ben Veatch (U/S Nakata). It was a close, hard-fought battle, but under the guidance of the football guru, me, Gerson was able to pull out an upset victory against Ben 14 to 10. At the same time a favorite to win it all, Steven Yeun took on the sweet Christine Bunuan (Setsuko and young Ms. Saeki). With coaching from commissioner Andy, Christine quickly established herself as a force to be reckoned with as she scored first on the confident playboy, but in the end experience proved essential in this low scoring defensive battle that ended with Steven on top 9 to 7. The next match up was a riveting confrontation between Mary Ann De la Cruz (Mimi, Colonel’s Girl), Lisa Tejero (Ms. Saeki) and her other half Ben. With Ben at the helm and Steven coaching Mary Ann, these two played a barn burner of a game that ended up going into overtime as Team Tejero pulled out the sudden death victory with a close score of 13 to 7. Commissioner Andy Pang (Otsuka, Kawamura, Hoshino) showed no mercy as he bullied the less experienced Bob Fairbrook (U/S Colonel Sanders) into a heartbreaking loss 17-0. Then, in a stunner, our cherished dresser Jamie Amadio served up a healthy beating to the trash talking but delightful Freddie Sulit (U/S Hoshino).
Round two was riddled with controversy and heartache. Aiko Nakasone (Sakura) received a first round bye because of an odd number of players, but was coached into a 6-0 victory by me, in the second round over Gerson. Take note that I am now 2-0 as a coach. Then tragedy struck as I, also considered likely to take home the trophy, lost to Team Tejaro who was being represented by first time Madden prodigy Helen Young (U/S Ms. Saeki). In the biggest upset of the night, I fell to Helen by a score of 13-0. Then the tournament caught upset fever as Jamie took down the highly skilled Steven in a thrilling overtime heart-stopper! Jamie marched down the field to victory beating Steve 20-14.
Round three was short and very sweet. In absence of Team Lisa I suited up in place of the still shaky Helen. In poised, expert fashion I was able to defeat Aiko thanks, in part, to a coaching mistake from commissioner Andy. Nonetheless, I advanced Team Lisa to the championship with a modest score of 10-7. But the most thrilling upset of the evening was at hand! Jamie Amadio, with a spark of relentless fervor, dominated and destroyed all hopes of a championship for the depleted Andy Pang, punishing Andy in a shocking upset 35-7.
In a rather unexpected championship game we had two novices, Jamie and Helen, face off in a grueling defensive battle in which Helen was able to sustain her drive to hold on for a close 7-0 victory (under my coaching of course)! Jamie tasted defeat for the first time but was happy to receive the consolation Fuzzy Dice, which she wanted anyway, and the soft-spoken Helen reigned supreme as the Ruthless Football Queen of Maddenfest!
If this acting thing doesn’t work out, at 3-0 it seems I have a future in coaching beginners in Madden football. Reflecting back on the hours spent preparing and participating in my first Maddefest, I can’t help thinking that this historic night was time well spent with people I care very much about. And even though it is the cast that you see on stage every night, I was proud and overjoyed to see a hardworking understudy and the friendly neighborhood wardrobe girl take the spotlight.