My Take: Long Wharf Presents "El Coqui Espectacular and the Bottle of Doom" at SCSU

The show: “El Coqui Espectacular and the Bottle of Doom” by Matt Barbot

What makes it special?: The latest Long Wharf Theatre show and another new site for its nomadic productions.

What’s it about?: Alex (Jason Sanchez) , a young Nuyorican struggling comic book artist, living in Sunset Park, Brooklyn, creates a super hero — El Coquí Espectacular! . He’s a super-hero crime-fighter based on folk-lore imagery of a tree frog. But Alex takes it one step further and secretly dons a homemade masked costume to become his creation in real life as a protector in his neighborhood.

This mystery man becomes locally famous. His identity is accidentally revealed to his older brother Joe (Xavier Cano, excellent), a marketing exec for a major soda company, seemingly a token hire whose firm is not interested in his input. But Joe, conflicted with his own imposter syndrome, sees an opportunity to help his identity-struggling brother and his own career.

Assisted by a newfound friend of Alex’s, Yesica (Melissa DuPrey), a photographer with her own dreams and supported by his widowed mother Patricia (Susanna Guzman), Alex faces challenges to his values. But will he be his own hero? Will El Coqui defeat his arch civilian El Chupacabra and will Alex deal with his own bully (both foils played by Michael John Improta). And what about his bizarre plot to crash the Puerto Riocan Day parade?

Sounds intriguing but maybe ..er…cartoonish simple?:: One might think a show with a comic book subject might be, well, cartoony, or at least not particularly nuanced. But “El Coqui” is smarter than what one might expect given the subject matter. It playfully taps into issues of ethnic versus cultural identity (Alex quips that he’s “ "sorta Rican"), gentrification, assimilation — all without being too didactic —making it a richer but also enormously entertaining work. It’s a in a deliciously subversive, sharply written show with heart. In more ways than one, it’s a Marvel.

Performances?: All solid, believable, fun and feisty. But director Kinan Valdez hasn't reigned in Sanchez’ over-enthusiastic performance. Sanchez has youthful verve but always plays Alex at a 11-level (on a scale low 10; and in a small performance space), which gives the role with little variety or subtlety. At times, he is simply exhausting, making it difficult for an audience to thoroughly connect with the play’s central character. (He could be a bit nerdier or goofier or socially awkward, too. The handsome and strong-willed Sanchez looks too self-possessed to be such a vulnerable character. There’s not much difference between his superhero avatar and his everyday self.)

And production values?: For a found space not its own, the Long Wharf production values are fairly high and design-wise pretty sophisticated for the ad hoc venue They include Gerardo Diaz Sanchez’ set, Jiyoun Chang’s lighting, Charles Coes and Nathan A. Roberts’ sound design John Horzen’ projection design and Rea Brown’s costumes.

Bottom line: I recommend the show — the venue is a good one, too, with ample parking and a relatively easy- to-get-to location from. downtown New Haven. But instead a deeper review, I’d rather talk about another thought I had while watching the play.

Which is…?: Halfway through the show it occurred to me that this story, these characters, these themes — even the staging — would work better as a musical, where inner thoughts can be more (un)naturally presented in a more acceptable way, and going deeper into the emotions of the characters.

It would also ease some of the more self-conscious lines in the plays, awkward transitions and sudden changes of mood or tone. In a monologue, for example, a speech flatly expressing inner thoughts or feelings of a character can feel clunky. But in song, we accept a different reality and connect to it in a deeper way. These characters seem to be always one the verge of breaking into song anyway so why not let them?

The show’s characters, themes and story are also natural subjects for a musical. The show speaks with specificity of a changing neighborhood. (Chorus number!). It has action. (Superheroes!) It has (on page at least) spectacle. (The Puerto Rican Day Parade!). There’s also all sorts of antagonists, from corporate types, to neighborhood bullies, to fantasy villains. While I enjoyed the play, I felt many of the problematic issues in the writing could be solved and enhanced through music and dance.

Just a thought.

Who will like it? Superhero cmic book fans. Those wanting an entertaining show with a serious of purpose —-that isn’t too heavy-handed. Supporters of new work.

Who won’t?: Super villains.

For the kids?: Kids would greatly respond to it, especially teens and those facing identity issues (and what kid doesn’t?)

Info: The show ris 111 minutes and runs through February. 23 at the university’s The Lyman Center, 501 Crescent St, New Haven. Free parking is located in Lot 12, at the bottom of the hill in front of the Lyman Center. The entrance is located just past the guard shack on the right . Accessible parking is located behind the building. There will also be a drop-off section in front of the theatre.