'The Prince of Egypt' is Royally Good at Trinity United - Review
'The Prince of Egypt,' at Trinity United Presbyterian Church is shown the love and dedication to a biblical epic like no other parish.
An acquaintance of mine, knowing that I am also a Christian, invited me to attend her performance in, “The Prince of Egypt,” at Trinity United Presbyterian Church in Santa Ana, CA. Based on the DreamWorks animated feature starring the late Val Kilmer as both Moses and the voice of God alongside Ralph Fiennes as Ramses, the musical tells of the Biblical epic regarding the Exodus. My acquaintance (who refuses to be named) was part of the ensemble as both a Hebrew and Midianite dancer and it was a pleasure seeing someone I know contribute to such a remarkable production, let alone one put on by a church.
Prior to the performance, Rev. Glyn Norman welcomed the audience and offered a warm opening blessing. One detail piqued my curiosity. Given that the church is named, “Trinity United,” I expected the prayer to conclude with an invocation of the Holy Trinity. Instead, Rev. Norman ended with, “in Jesus’ name.” As someone who is not Protestant, I assumed there was a theological reason for doing so, though I did not have the opportunity to ask him following the performance.
Directed and choreographed by Deana Occhipinti, “The Prince of Egypt,” stars Eli Zarubin as Moses and Jamieson Hein as Ramses. Their performances anchor a production that captures both the spectacle and the humanity of the biblical story.
It was refreshing to hear a Moses sung by a commanding baritone voice truly worthy of leading his people from bondage. Zarubin timbre commanded authority within the role while Hein’s soaring tenor beautifully complements him. Their harmonies perfectly reflect the bond and eventual divide between the two brothers. The thoughtful use of costume colors, with the Hebrews dressed primarily in red and the Egyptians in blue, subtly reinforces the growing separation between the two peoples.
Brooke Metoyer is delightful as Tzipporah, bringing wit and a big personality every bit as vibrant as the character deserves. Lola Janji makes Miriam wonderfully endearing, giving the role as the only one who still has faith in her brother and her god. Clara Powers delivers one of the evening’s most moving performances as Yocheved, Moses’ mother, as you feel her longing for the freedom of her children. Patrick McBrien is delightfully easy to hate as the scheming High Priest Hotep while Aaron Calderone is wonderfully pessimistic as Aaron, Moses’ brother. Faith Blaney shines as Nefertari and the entire ensemble deserves enormous praise for bringing this epic to life.
Perhaps the production’s greatest achievement is its sheer scale. With a cast of more than forty performers, the overwhelming majority of whom are parishioners, Trinity United Presbyterian Church has demonstrated just how much talent exists within its own congregation. Community theatre often succeeds because of passion rather than resources and this production has both in abundance.
Equally impressive was the decision to stage the musical on a thrust stage. With audience members surrounding three sides of the performance space, the cast had to remain constantly aware of sightlines while navigating numerous entrances and exits. Stage manager Giliana Dancy had her work cut out for her coordinating such a large company through the demanding staging, yet everything flowed with remarkable precision, with only a couple of people tripping.
I wish I could recognize all fifteen-plus members of the set construction crew individually because every one of them contributed to creating a believable world along the Nile. David “Gurn” Kaniski’s production design is stunning, transforming the church hall into ancient Egypt. Occhipinti and Don Pierce demonstrate an excellent eye for fashion with costumes that effectively distinguish Hebrews from Egyptians while remaining visually striking. David Blaney’s sound design ties the entire production together beautifully.
One of the evening’s biggest surprises came from the orchestra. Before realizing there was a live ensemble, I genuinely believed the performers were singing to professionally recorded backing tracks. That illusion is a tremendous compliment to musical director Sandra Rosales and the exceptional musicians: Jon Lindfors on piano, Steve Kim and Garrett Young on synthesizers, Luka Romero on guitar, Max Juarez on electric bass, Linda White on flute and percussion and Dan Meland on drums and percussion. The ensemble played with such precision that it was difficult to believe there were only six instrumentalists producing such a rich sound.
If I had one small observation, it concerns the percussion. During the more SWANA-inspired musical passages, bongos were used where a traditional doumbek would have produced a more authentic sound. It is an incredibly minor detail that most audience members would never notice, but as someone who is of SWANA ancestry it stood out to me.
Ultimately, however, that tiny observation is overshadowed by what is an astonishing production. Trinity United Presbyterian Church’s “The Prince of Egypt,” is a heartfelt, visually impressive and musically outstanding retelling of one of history’s greatest stories.
Through inspired direction, exceptional performances, stunning production values and the dedication of a congregation that clearly poured its soul into every aspect of the show, Trinity United’s “The Prince of Egypt,” proves that extraordinary theatre can flourish anywhere. It is a testament to faith, community and the transformative power of live performance.
“The Prince of Egypt,” has concluded their run at Trinity United Presbyterian Church, however the parish is celebrating its 150th anniversary. If you are seeking a Calvinist parish or interested in visiting one of Orange County’s oldest churches, visit Trinity United Presbyterian Church at ttps://trinityconnection.com/.
5 out of 5 ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️