The opening scenes of the one-act production took me back to my childhood – a time of dress up, play and imagination. Plastic bottles donned in feathers became birds. A broomstick became a hunting shotgun. And a suitcase was reimagined as a horse or even a giant’s shoe. Shadow puppets flickering in the background helped set the scene.
It’s a style of theatrical storytelling that uses imagination and music to transform stripped down sets into rivers and mountains, and presents the same group of actors as a multitude of characters.
This was the setting:
Cat Stevens’ “How Can I Tell You” cushioned the sonic atmosphere as I settled into my seat.
String lights and lanterns dangled from the ceiling, and rope and fabric criss-crossed the set. A single floral pink dress hung from the rope on a hanger.
Instruments were strewn about the stage – bongos, a cajon and a piano – softly lit by hues of blue light. All would be played at some point in the production.
A bare-bones double staircase and platform formed the foundation of “the mountain.” Little did I know, “the mountain” would take center stage as both a set and personified character throughout the performance.
All these elements convey the Pigpen Theatre Company’s original approach to theatrical storytelling – stripped down, acoustic, lyrical, inspired by scraps and found objects. Alex Falberg, one of the founders of the company, describes their work in three words on the company website: Music, Stories, Nonsense.
“The Mountain Song” is the second Pigpen production to hit the stage at the Coronado Playhouse. “The Old Man and the Old Moon” was the first in 2019.
The seven collaborators who form Pigpen Theatre Company (Falberg, Arya Shahi, Ben Ferguson, Curtis Gillen, Dan Weschler, Matt Nuernberger and Ryan Melia) found their sound and vision as students at Carnegie Mellon University in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. There, they honed a resourceful and innovative approach to theatrical storytelling with puppets, shadows and tricks of light. It’s a style that pushes back on the big Broadway sound (and budget), opting instead for unconventional props and sets to help tell the story.
Their unique approach is rounded out with a folksy, acoustic and intimate sound celebrating the banjo, accordion and multi-part harmonies. They bolster the intimate storytelling by also relying on objects (like a floral dress in “The Mountain Song”) and skilled actors to make the props come to life. The best way I can describe their work is like telling stories and playing music around a campfire – cozy, compelling, at times eerie, and always collaborative.
But with fame and fortune, Pigpen Theatre Company expanded that vision and approach.
A musical adaptation of the book, “Water for Elephants,” made its way to Broadway with mixed reactions and reviews in 2024.
“The Mountain Song” harkens back to their original sound and approach: a small, multifaceted cast who excel at storytelling, music and acting.
“The Mountain Song” is the tale of a carpenter who climbs mountains and traverses rivers seeking his daughter’s wedding. The musical unravels like a storybook with unexpected characters who have their own quirks and backgrounds to share – from a shoe-less giant to a hungry coyote to a talking bird.
The bird sings the words, “all we have is all we know.” For the bird, played by Sarah Jane Salonga, all she has is flight. The mountain, played by Ferril Gardner, has stories that have remained unsung until an unplanned gift from the carpenter gives her a voice. She takes center stage as the narrator. This show, like other stories of adventure, is less about the ending and more about the journey.
The play dares you to imagine, tap into child-like curiosity and encounter each character. The stripped-down set and variety of random objects take on their own life, if you’re willing to see them in that light. The actors deftly infuse personality in each character – with their puppeteering skills and voices. They also remind you that we all have something to learn from nature, if you’re willing to listen and willing to get a different perspective or vantage point.
The simplicity of these characters’ backstories juxtaposes the difficult underlying themes that they navigate: loss, loneliness, grief and a state of being unrooted. But the topics and characters also remind you there is resilience, and there is almost always a helping hand.
This production, paired with the Coronado Playhouse, worked because of the intimate approach to storytelling. It fit the small theater setting.
As the story unfurled, I eagerly awaited the resolution. I won’t tell you how it plays out, but I would argue the ending felt a bit abrupt. The pacing of the show was quick, given the one-act structure.
While I would’ve appreciated more time and space to let the production breathe over the course of two acts, I walked away with ruminations that stuck with me in the following days – reminders to live with dreams and enjoy life’s moments of wonder.
“The Mountain Song” is playing in Coronado through May 18. For more times and ticket information, visit https://www.coronadoplayhouse.org
