‘Around the World in 80 Days’ at Cabrillo Playhouse

OC Theatre Guild
1 minute ago
4 min read

Some stories are built for spectacle. Others are built for imagination. Mark Brown's stage adaptation is both.

From left: Patrick McMahon and Adam Furguson. Photo courtesy of Cabrillo Playhouse

By MaryAnn DiPietro

A train, an elephant, a ship and nearly 40 colorful characters appear and disappear in the blink of an eye. And somehow, it all happens on the intimate stage of Cabrillo Playhouse in San Clemente.

"It's basically the magic of theater," director Frank Minano said. "We have eight performers creating 39 characters. They're creating different people, different atmospheres, ships, trains, elephants, storms – all kinds of things. That's what makes this show so much fun.”

Based on Jules Verne's classic novel, the story follows English gentleman Phileas Fogg, who bets that he can travel around the world in just 80 days. Joined by his valet, Passepartout, Fogg races across continents while dodging delays, disasters and a detective who believes he's a criminal. What begins as just a bet soon becomes a journey of friendship, love and discovery.

"It's about someone who loves challenges," Minano said. "He takes on this wager to prove himself. But along the way he discovers friendship, love and realizes there's more to life than just winning the race.”

Many audiences associate “Around the World in 80 Days” with its iconic hot air balloon, but don't expect one to fly across Cabrillo's stage.

"When people think about the story, they always think about the balloon," Minano said with a laugh. "There's actually no balloon in this adaptation. Mark Brown included the elephant instead. I'm not sure why he left the balloon out, but I can promise there are plenty of other surprises.”

From left: Richard MacPherson, Mikayla Lohman and Rebecca Leeds. Photo courtesy of Cabrillo Playhouse

Originally written for five actors portraying 39 characters, Minano expanded Cabrillo's cast to eight performers, creating even more opportunities to find the fun.

"It gave us a little more room to play," he said. "Comedy changes over time. What's funny today might not have been funny years ago, and vice versa. Having more actors lets us create even more personalities and different styles of comedy.”

The production embraces an over-the-top theatrical style inspired by Monty Python and commedia dell’arte.

“It's a fast-paced comedy," Minano said. "A lot of the script is really a blank canvas. Like Shakespeare, directors can interpret it in different ways.”

For Cabrillo's production, that interpretation takes on a playful steampunk aesthetic.

"We're using a steampunk style throughout," he explained. "Acting blocks become boats and trains. We have theatrical devices that fit that world and work hand in hand with the Victorian period. It's all about letting the audience's imagination fill in the rest.”

Minano serves as production manager and musical theater emphasis director at Azusa Pacific University and co-founded Inland Valley Repertory Theatre (IVRT) with his wife, which recently celebrated its 36th anniversary. While he directs regularly there, Cabrillo Playhouse has become one of his favorite places to create theater.

"I always enjoy working here," Minano said. "Working with Michael Lopez, the artistic director, and everyone at Cabrillo feels like you're on vacation every time you drive down for rehearsal."

From left: Dani Bustamante and Patrick McMahon. Photo courtesy of Cabrillo Playhouse

One of the challenges Minano has faced in this production is the comedy itself.

“It never comes easily. You don't really know if something is funny until there's an audience sitting there," he said. "If you hear laughter, that's your review.”

That relationship between performers and audience is especially meaningful inside Cabrillo's intimate 70-seat theater.

”The venue changes everything," Minano said. "Right after this, I'm directing ‘Young Frankenstein’ in a 550-seat theater. Here, every gesture, every expression, every joke lands differently because the audience is so close.”

Audiences will also experience Cabrillo Playhouse's recently upgraded technical capabilities.

"The playhouse expanded its roof, and now there's a much more elaborate lighting and sound system," Minano said. "That gives us so much more room to play with those elements.”

"I hope people come with their friends and families," he said. "Maybe they'll remember trips they've taken together or adventures they've shared. Theater has a wonderful way of bringing back those memories.”

Like Phileas Fogg's remarkable journey, Cabrillo Playhouse's “Around the World in 80 Days” is about far more than reaching the destination. It's about embracing the unexpected, laughing along the way, and discovering that a little imagination can transport you anywhere. With inventive stagecraft, boundless energy and a company of actors playing nearly 40 unforgettable characters, audiences won't need a passport or a hot air balloon to experience a grand adventure.