Theatre Review: The Elaborate Entrance of Chad Deity

Chance Theater presents the Orange County premiere of The Elaborate Entrance of Chad Deity, a dramatic comedy about the professional wrestling world. The play written by Kristoffer Diaz was one of the final nominees for the Pulitzer Prize for Drama and received numerous “Best Play” Awards. Directed by Jeremy Aluma. Now playing at the Chance Theater in Anaheim, CA.

The stage is actually a ring, referee included (Matt Takahashi).

Growing up as a wrestling fan in New York, Macedonio Guerra (Rudy Solis III) eventually becomes what is known as a “jobber”, a wrestler that gets paid to loose against the wrestling superstars. His job consists of doing the heavy lifting: Making the superstar wrestlers look good every time they fight against him. Macedonio goes through the motions without complaining; he just does his job the best he can to satisfy his boss, Everett K. Olson (James Michael McHale), the CEO of the wrestling organization called The Wrestling.

The superstar of the organization is Chad Deity (Londale Theus Jr.), a wrestler with an elaborate entrance to the ring. Chad has a lot of charisma and is a fan’s favorite, but he is a bad wrestler. To preserve Chad’s stardom, Macedonio allows Chad to defeat him every single time, an arrangement that continues to bring considerable profits to Everett and his organization.

Besides Chad Deity, some of the other wrestlers are Bad Guy, Billy Heartland, and Old Glory (all played by Aaron McGee). Everett uses these wrestlers to provoke a reaction in the audience. The reactions, positive or negative, are always good for business.

Things change quite a bit when Macedonio meets Vigneshwar Paduar (RJ Navarra Balde II), an Indian American with a playboy attitude who owns a few businesses. Macedonio sees that Vigneshwar’s colorful personality can be an asset to the wrestling world and introduces him to Everett.

Even though Everett is reluctant at first, he decides to give Vigneshwar a chance. It is when trying to come up with a name and personality for Vigneshwar that Everett reveals his stereotypes, cultural insensibility, and straight out racism. He uses those elements to elevate what he considers American most inspirational values, usually at the expense of the non-white immigrant experience. Macedonio and Vigneshwar soon realize that they are both used by Everett to create an imaginary enemy in the collective consciousness of the wrestling fans. An enemy that needs to be defeated by the American values impersonated by Old Glory, Billy Heartland, and specially the champion, Chad Deity. And just like that, Macedonio becomes Che Chavez Castro (with a big sombrero) and Vigneshwar becomes The Fundamentalist (with a big turban). In light of the disrespect to their racial and cultural backgrounds, Vigneshwar decides to take a stand and challenge the status quo. Macedonio has now two choices: To follow Vigneshwar’s steps, or continue perpetuating the status quo.

Kristoffer Diaz offers a fascinating look at the professional world of American wrestling. A world that despite its theatricality, gives us a glimpse of American society stance on race, power, and politics. Jeremy Aluma‘s direction and interpretation of the play pull the audience into the story from the very beginning. In addition, the stage, the lighting, the sound design, and the outstanding performances of the cast all contribute to make this production a very enjoyable and entertaining theatre experience not to be missed.

The Elaborate Entrance of Chad Deity

Written by Kristopher Diaz. Directed by Jeremy Aluma. Cast: Rudy Solis III, Londale Theus Jr., James Michael McHale, RJ Navarra Balde II, Aaron McGee, and Matt Takahashi. Creative team: Scenic designer Fred Kinney, fight director Martin Noyes, projection designer Nick Santiago, lighting designer Kara Ramlow, costume designer Bradley Allen Lock, sound designer Marc Antonio Pritchett, stage manager Kaylee Mesa, and dramaturg Joseph Galizia. Executive Producers: Sophie & Larry Cripe. Associate Producers: Susan Bowman & Freddie Greenfield, Rachelle Menaker & Eddie Schuller, and Laurie Smits Staude. Producers for the entire 2022 Season: Bette & Wylie Aitken. Season’s associate producers: The Family of Mary Kay Fyda-Mar.