The Green Bird’s opening weekend success

The Theatre Department’s production of “The Green Bird” had a successful opening weekend Feb. 17 and 18, filled with laughs, surprises and self-awareness.  

 The encapsulating play used fourth-wall breaks as a means to engage and connect with the audience. Programs were not handed out to attendees for a more immersive and believable connection to both the characters and story. A self-proclaimed “fairytale on crack,” the tale takes place in the Kingdom of Monterotondo.  

 While King Tartaglia is away at war, Queen Ninetta is left in his stead. In his absence, the kingdom is overthrown by the villainous, yet stylish, Tartagliona, who buries her daughter-in-law, Ninetta, in the bowels of the castle. Meanwhile, the secret orphaned children of the king and queen are groveling away in the home of two washed-up clowns. 

 The show features a series of misadventures, a surprise visit from a childhood friend, and a chaotic pop-number from a serpentine witch. The children, Barbarina and Renzo, work with their adoptive parents to return to their biological parents and rightful rulers of the land. Upon their arrival and with the help of the Green Bird, order is restored. 

 Consistently throughout the performance, new and colorful characters were introduced by the admittedly unreliable narrator, Calmon, a statuesque orator both physically and comedically. Masterful sets were decorated by stunning costume design that displayed the talent in Coastal Carolina University’s Theatre Department. 

 The show was highly self-aware, finding ways to interact with its audience in an organic and believable way, including giving out free balloon animals during intermission. In many ways, the show broke rules in theatre. As it was said best by Calmon himself, “just think about it, nobody said no to this.” 

 Full of genre-blending jokes and characters, the comedy was a triumph of showmanship that would excite children and adults of all ages. The Green Bird performances will continue Feb. 23 and 24 at 7:30 p.m. in the Edwards Black Box Theater.