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Article: Looking westward; Park Square and Theater Mu were seeking a show that would appeal to both of their audiences. Stephen Sondheim's "Pacific Overtures" fills the bill.(VARIETY / FREETIME)
- Article from:
- Star Tribune (Minneapolis, MN)
- Article date:
- January 2, 2004
- Author:
CopyrightCOPYRIGHT 2004 Star Tribune Co. This material is published under license from the publisher through the Gale Group, Farmington Hills, Michigan. All inquiries regarding rights should be directed to the Gale Group. (Hide copyright information)
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Byline: Graydon Royce; Staff Writer
At first blush, Commodore Matthew Perry's opening of Japan in 1853 wouldn't seem the stuff of musical theater. The naval commander promoted U.S. interests, establishing a coal depot for U.S. steamships and inquiring after the welfare of shipwrecked American sailors. When do we start singing, boss?
Go beyond the superficial, though, and the profundity of the excursion emerges in layers. Japan had shut itself off from the world for more than 200 years and faced gunboat diplomacy that would drag it into the modern age. For the United States, Perry's visit marked a critical moment in the slow shift away from Europe and ...