Review: Zomo the Rabbit at Imagination Stage

As my toddler stuffed fistfuls of frosting in her mouth, I couldn’t help think of Zomo the Rabbit, the deliciously fun Theater for Young Audiences play that we saw earlier. Not just because she was living up to her nickname The Shark as the red buttercream stained the lower half of her face a blood crimson. But also because she and I were enjoying the cake the way each of us enjoyed the show; I nibbled at the complex and fruitful layers of plotting, folkloric symbolism, and masterful design, while she snarfed down the exuberant fun, delightful dancing, and trickster goofs of the play.

Zomo the Rabbit is a remix in many senses of the word. This production is a remount of a Helen Hayes nominated 2009 run, but it is also a redux of a West African folktale, which was originally about why rabbits run so fast from other animals.

Here, writer Psalmayene 24 has dubbed over that intention with something more present: a legend about the invention of a new cultural art form. Zomo’s subtitle “A Hip-Hop Creation Myth” doesn’t mean that it is a DJ’s spin on creation, but rather a myth about how hip-hop itself was created. To summarize, Zomo the Rabbit feels bad because the other trickster gods (Raven, Reynard the Fox, and Anansi the Spider) reject him, so he goes to Sky God for help. She sends him on a fetch-quest for three items: Big Fish’s dancing shoes, Wild Cow’s spray paint cans, and Leopard’s turntable. Zomo tricks the animals out of their beloved possessions, but feels bad about acquiring them through nefarious means. So, when Sky God offers him power in exchange for the items, he rejects her offer and gives them back to their owners. The animals all become friends again, and with their powers combined (Big Fish’s b-boying, Wild Cow’s tag art, Leopard’s DJ skills and Zomo’s rapping,) they fuse the four fundamental elements of hip-hop into one celebratory whole.

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The Shark, who is admittedly a little young for this Ages 4 and Up production, didn’t quite pick up on the nuance of the show’s reframing of the history of hip-hop. But Zomo the Rabbit had yet another layer that she did gravitate to, the setting of Washington, DC. She was thrilled that Big Fish lives in the Southwest Fish Market, where she had just learned to slurp up clams (what can I say, she’s a Shark). She loved that the characters used the Metro and recognized the sounds and sights integrated into the design. And now she wants to go the zoo to see Wild Cow (and, yes, there are cows at the National Zoo).

From my critic’s chair, these layers are not only deep enough to provide ample entertainment for parents of any disposition, they are clear and expertly expressed in a way that appeals to all ages. Tiffany Quinn’s choreography shows off the exceptional skill of the ensemble while also finding accessible teaching methods for interactive portions while hiding gem-like references to old school break dancing. Similarly, the music by Nick “tha1da” Hernandez bops while shifting between classic boom bap and more up-to-date chill jazzy riffs. The Shark was mesmerized throughout, which is a feat rarely accomplished, made even more exceptional because this was her first show with an intermission.

Raymond O. Caldwell, Artistic Director at DC phenom company Theater Alliance and director of Zomo, shows off exceptional skill here, with pacing that drives, but doesn’t lack thoughtful moments. He has taken Psalmayene 24’s smart text and done what the best directors do well: find purpose and its clear expression in each moment. A great example of this is at the return from intermission, which begins with Sky God’s yoga class (mentioned in the first act), that settles the crowd, gives the trickster rabbit a quiet space to turn topsy-turvy, and a reconnection with the plot as it has transpired. That’s flow, power and grace, all in a single short scene.

Zomo the Rabbit: A Hip-Hop Creation Myth closes March 22, 2020. DCTS details and tickets

It’s difficult to praise all of the wonderful aspects of this production: the wild and eye-catching set, the cleverly indicative costumes, the boffo and amusing characterizations by the ensemble. But it would be remiss to not acknowledge the exceptional acting work done by Gary L. Perkins III as Zomo. The toughest part of reaching a young audience member like the Shark is the slipperiness of their memory, by Perkins has stuck with her. His humanizing portrayal of the trickster, with fun-loving aplomb, genuine regret at wrongdoing, the desire to help and make right even when a situation might feel overwhelming all resonated with the Shark.

More than that, his infectious charisma and identifiable storytelling has allowed me as a parent to use the lessons of the play more effectively in teaching my daughter. It’s a gift from him to us, as much as Zomo the Rabbit is a enormous gift to parents and children and the DC theatre scene, one that can be yours through March 22.

Zomo the Rabbit: A Hip-Hop Creation Myth by Psalmayene 24. Directed by Raymond O. Caldwell. Music Composed and Directed by Nick “tha1nda” Hernandez. Featuring Gary L. Perkins III, Melissa Carter, Unissa Cruse, Jonathan Atkinson, and Inés Domínguez del Corral. Set and Projections Design by Nate Sinnott. Costume Design by Madison Booth. Choreography by Tiffany Quinn. Sound Design by Justin Schmitz and Tosin Olufalabi. Lighting Design by Sarah Tundermann. Produced by Imagination Stage. Reviewed by Alan Katz.