“Disruption, A Musical Farce” is the name of this year’s production by the famed San Francisco Mime Troupe.
The collective returns for a one-night performance at the Ukiah High School Cafetorium on Saturday, July 26 with music beginning at 1:30 p.m. and the performance at 2 p.m.
Alica M.P. Nelson is playing the role of Zubari Macintosh, a Silicon Valley-esque “tech genius” hired by the Mayor’s office to bring “optimization” and “efficiency” to San Francisco. In her real life, she is a member of the Red Ladder Theatre Company, which brings the arts to at-risk populations. Nelson is a graduate of Boston University, where she received her BFA in Acting, and has worked as an actor and teaching artist throughout the Bay Area, with a focus on students in preschool and kindergarten.
“My mom is an actor and a director, and my late dad was a musician, so growing up, my house was an arts hub,” she explains. “I was doing visual art since I was a child, and continued with dance.” She spent 10 years training in ballet before she realized she wanted to find another creative path, which led her to musical theatre. “I discovered that commercialized musical theater in America wants a very particular sound on stage. All the lead singers are usually up in the mezzo soprano range, and I have a deeper voice.” She put the dream of musical theatre to rest and decided to focus on acting, where she found her footing.
“I really began to enjoy physical acting and clowning. I went abroad to Italy and Greece, where I studied classical theatre and Comedia dell’Arte.” It was there she found her muse. “From there, I came right back home,” she smiles.
Nelson recalls attending Mime Troupe shows with her mother. “I can remember seeing all the greats.” In the summer of 2022, Michael Gene Sullivan, the Troupe’s resident playwright, actor and director was looking for a “20-something, kind-of-depressed millennial,” says Nelson. “I got the role and I loved it. I loved everything about the Troupe- how hands-on the group is, how current, how everyone keeps their finger on the pulse, enabling the creation of shows that are absolutely in the moment. Being in the collective has been a full-circle experience for me.”
Disruption follows the lives of four people- Augie, played by Jed Parsario, the child of immigrants who works at a San Francisco diner, his friend Elizabeth, played by Lizzie Calogero, Hector, played by Sullivan- a police officer grappling what it means to be a gay, African-American cop, and Nelson’s character, Zubari.
“Augie believes in helping people on the ground, doing things like assisting his elderly neighbors survive the budgetary cuts. But San Francisco is going through the boom of ‘how can things be fixed?’ My character comes from Silicon Valley and has the job of ‘fixing’ San Francisco. Whether she’s qualified to take that on is up to audience,” Nelson smiles. “As Hector grapples with being a gay, Black cop, is he on the right side of history? Elizabeth is our chaotic neutral. She wants to protest, make statements, burn it all down. All these people intersect. Their paths cross in Augie’s diner, which leads to events that alter the courses of their lives.”
The play is written by Michael Gene Sullivan, with additional dialogue by Marie Cartier. This marks the 66thsummer season of the Troupe and Sullivan’s 30th play that he has written or co-written.
Nelson loves being a part of the Troupe- not just for the opportunity to be on stage, but because she is a part of a group of people committed to using the arts to educate and thought-provoke as well as entertain.
“The arts are such an undervalued avenue towards learning and information. The Troupe is so unique. We come together, learn something new and find community within that experience. Not every theater company functions as a collective. Collaboration is an inherent part of the experience.” Nelson explains that Sullivan and Cartier put together the story for the summer shows. “Then the actors read it. We have ‘table-work’ conversations where we sit and talk about the show. We flag things that might be of interest to a particular actor. Augie is Philipino, so Michael asked Jed for a saying used by his family that would fit Augie’s character. This type of collaboration adds a very real layer to the characters.”
Another interesting element is that the shows always reflect the sociopolitical events of the day. “So often, one of us will say, ‘Did you see today’s headline? I guess we’ll have to include this change in the show.’”
Daniel Savio, the Troupe’s composer and lyricist is known for his knack of creating perfect music for the show themes. “Daniel finds the ways so that everything works the best for these people in these bodies- while emphasizing rhythm and timing. We’re known for our great sound effects. And there’s Michael, looking in from the outside, keeping us on track. We practice collaboration in service of telling our story.”
Over the decades, there is always a gradual turnover of collective members. “Our hope is that we’ll keep bringing in younger people who will become the people who will be around for a while. It’s a concern, because we’re all observing the closure of established, storied theatre companies, some which have been around for 50 years. We’re always thinking about how we can maintain our company for the long run- looking for where we will go to get arts funding and inviting people to be a part of the collective.”
Arts-based funding cuts have already affected the Troupe, which resulted in some revenue loss. “Luckily, a couple of anonymous donors and the City of San Francisco have really helped us out. Arts Council funding has been drastically cut for many companies.”
Sometimes, the weight of being a legendary political bullhorn takes its toll upon Troupe members. “In rehearsal, we talk about this- how we are sometimes exhausted. We wonder about how to continue doing this- performing, telling stories, doing what we love- as we continue to be let down by the current news cycle. Like everyone, we have our bills to pay, kids to take to soccer. Yet the world keeps moving. Life keeps happening, and it can be paralyzing to think about what our government is doing here and in other countries. Ultimately, this is why art is such a valuable tool to remind us of our humanity. We’re all going through it together, regardless of whatever side you may be on. We’re all striving to live our lives, and art saves lives. It reminds us we are human, with shared experiences. I always feel that if by doing a show, it leads someone to do more to help their community, I’ve done my job,” Nelson concludes.
Though shows are always free, the San Franciso Mime Troupe appreciates any and all contributions. The suggested donation for the Ukiah performance is $20 and website registration is appreciated. For information visit www.sfmt.org.
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