Review: WHITE ROOSTER at Lookingglass Theatre Company
The production has been extended until April 26th at the Water Tower Water Works
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Lookingglass Theatre Company begins its 2025/26 season with the world premiere of WHITE ROOSTER in the Joan and Paul Theatre at the Water Tower Water Works. Three years after his Lookingglass premiere with LUCY AND CHARLIE'S HONEYMOON, Matthew C. Yee returns not only as a playwright but to make his directorial debut. The production embraces Lookingglass’ core values of transformation and imagination, immersing audiences in a gothic folk-rock atmosphere filled with striking visual spectacle.
Min (Sunnie Eraso) is determined to leave her supernatural, gold-obsessed mining town. When a mining accident results in the deaths of her father (Mark L. Montgomery) and her lover Pong (Reilly Oh), Pong’s grandparents (Louise Lamson and Daniel Lee Smith) insist she remain on their farm to care for them. She is eventually forced into a ghost marriage with a rooster in Pong’s place. When it is revealed that Pong’s spirit possesses the rooster, and long-buried family secrets come to light, Min must confront both the paranormal forces around her and the weight of her past in order to claim a future of her own.
Yee succeeds in crafting a story that blends Chinese mythology, Western Americana, folk music, and personal experience, supported by sound designer and co-composer Justin Cavazos. He brings together a versatile ensemble skilled in comedy, puppetry, and music. As Min, Eraso grounds the production, serving as a voice of reason amid the play’s surreal world. Karen Aldridge, as Min’s mother, delivers a layered performance balancing emotional depth with moments of humor and physical storytelling through puppetry. Strong musical and comedic contributions come from Elliot Esquivel (Fang/Wu), Mark L. Montgomery (John), Reilly Oh (Pong), Louise Lamson (Judy), and Daniel Lee Smith (Hao/Ba). At this performance, understudy Harmony Zhang offers a haunting portrayal of June, capturing both the supernatural presence and emotional ache of abandonment.
The visual elements of WHITE ROOSTER are particularly compelling. Hannah Wien’s eerie lighting design, combined with Caitlin McLeod’s inventive puppetry, creates a world that is difficult to look away from. These elements are unified by Natsu Onoda Power’s immersive set design, Mara Blumenfeld’s striking costumes, and the energetic choreography by Artistic Director Kasey Foster, resulting in a dynamic and cohesive atmosphere.
Ultimately, WHITE ROOSTER is an ambitious production fully embracing its strangeness while remaining rooted in themes of grief, love, and self-determination. Yee’s directorial debut marks a bold step, inviting audiences into a world that is as haunting as it is imaginative. With its rich design and layered performances, White Rooster lingers as both a spectacle and a story with emotional resonance.
WHITE ROOSTER performs until April 26th at the Joan and Paul Theatre at the Water Tower Water Works. For more information about Lookingglass Theatre Company, visit the organization’s official website.
Photo Credit: Ricardo Adame and Justin Barin
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