Stage Review - The Da Vinci Code (Tacoma Little Theatre)
Stage Review - The Da Vinci Code
Presented By: Tacoma Little Theatre - Tacoma, WA
Show Run: October 24 - November 09, 2025
Date Reviewed: Friday, October 24, 2025 (Opening Night)
Run Time: 2 Hours, 30 Minutes (inclusive of a 15-minute intermission)
Reviewed By: Greg Heilman
Few stories have captured the public imagination like The Da Vinci Code. What began as a 2003 page-turner by Dan Brown became a global phenomenon, sparking endless debate about faith, art, and history’s hidden messages. The 2006 film adaptation turned those riddles into spectacle, but on stage, the story transforms once again — this time into something far more intimate and human. Tacoma Little Theatre’s current production, directed by Trina Williamson and running on stage in Tacoma through November 9, distills Brown’s labyrinthine mystery into a piece of theatre that’s sharp, visually clever, and surprisingly emotional.
First things first, though, and I feel I need to give credit where it’s due. Everyone who has participated in the creation of live theatre knows how it goes. It starts with read throughs, then the cast and crew eventually get to the stage, where blocking is added, and so forth through tech week, and up to opening. It’s hard enough to bring something to the stage in the best of times, but imagine doing so while the theatre is undergoing a major renovation, like TLT’s “Project Flush”, which involved gutting and remodeling the entire lobby area. It’s a project that not only forced Managing Artistic Director Chris Serface to push the planned season opener to the end of the schedule, but also very much put in doubt the opening of The Da Vinci Code. Having just received its occupancy permit the day of opening, everything seemed fine until a rainstorm pounded Tacoma, causing Chris to call all hands on deck to help mitigate water as it started to seep into the theatre. At the end of the day, with full marks to Chris, his team, Trina, her creative team and cast, and all involved, The Da Vinci Code opened on Friday as if nothing had happened. Not only that, for my part the production represents a return to form at TLT after what I felt was a bit of a miss with last season’s closer, Rocky. And while the source material, like with Rocky, here isn’t what I’d call top shelf, as compared to the book and film, what is being presented on TLT’s stage is something that works extremely well.
Regarding the source material, one thing that’s important to know going in is that audiences shouldn’t expect the fast pace and edge-of-your-seat excitement of the book or the film. The stage version feels more academic in nature — a slower roll, but once you recognize that, it becomes easy to enjoy on its own terms. The play captures the same overarching messages as the original works: the conflict between faith and reason, the hidden conspiracies of secret societies, and the reinterpretation of religious narratives by way of omission. It asks what happens when doctrine is shaped to serve ideology, and distills the point neatly in one line from the play: “Science and religion, two different languages trying to tell the same story.” It’s not always an easy story to watch — particularly in scenes where characters suffer for what they believe — but that speaks to how effectively this production presents these ideas and how well the cast that Trina has assembled delivers them.
Adapting a novel as dense as The Da Vinci Code for the stage is no easy feat. The script by Rachel Wagstaff and Duncan Abel trims the fat without losing the intrigue, focusing on the desperate chase between Harvard symbologist Robert Langdon (played here by Alan Peery) and cryptologist Sophie Neveu (Marisa-Clare Hissey) as they unravel a series of cryptic clues left behind by the murdered curator of the Louvre, Jaques Saunière (portrayed by W. Scott Pinkston). The story’s blend of religious history mystery remains intact, but what makes this production stand out is its restraint — it doesn’t try to mimic the cinematic dazzle of the film. Instead, it uses theatrical craft to conjure mood and mystery.
On the production front, Blake R. York’s set is not altogether complex, leaning heavily on the theatre’s digital display panel to provide scenic backgrounds and other contextual information. There are four doorways that break up the display wall, and while they sometimes interfere with the full breadth of the projection, Trina’s use of the doors in her blocking makes them work well for entrances and exits. The center pillar and doors do limit some of what could be achieved visually with the backgrounds, but the overall concept is functional and effective. Complementing the overall scenic design is Elijah Bellis’s lighting design, which is both subtle and essential, casting a chiaroscuro of enlightenment and secrecy. From a sound design standpoint, Lily Oellerich delivers a balanced mix. There were a few microphone issues on opening night — including some early moments when Marisa-Clare as Sophie was difficult to hear — but those were corrected by the second act. The voices of the cast are otherwise clear, and the balance of ambient sound, effects, and dialogue fills the theatre nicely. A particularly interesting device occurs in scenes where Langdon and Sophie uncover hidden messages; these are both displayed visually and voiced by members of a cloaked religious society in a rhythmic, chant-like tone. It’s a bold touch that adds atmosphere, though at times it feels a bit forced.
Completing the design of the play, Michele Graves’s costumes present a contemporary realism while honoring the symbolic undercurrents of the text. It’s a production design that excels in its simplicity and allows room for the mystery on stage to unfold without restriction.
The academic tone of the story is driven largely by Alan Peery as Robert Langdon. Alan plays the role with a sense of intellectual composure, portraying a man whose fascination with symbology and meaning borders on obsession but never loses warmth. His interpretation feels grounded — scholarly without pretension — and serves as an effective anchor for the story. He skirts with the “nerdiness” of his obsession, but cleverly never goes fully in on it. Marisa-Clare Hissey, as Sophie Neveu, is a strong counterbalance, her blend of precision and emotional vulnerability giving Sophie the credibility of a seasoned cryptologist and the heart of someone personally tied to the mystery. Her performance grows more confident as the story unfolds, particularly after intermission, when both the sound mix and her own rhythm settle comfortably into place.
W. Scott Pinkston provides a strong turn as Jacques Saunière, both in the early moments when his character’s demise sets the story in motion and later when his memory lingers as a guiding presence. Jacob Tice’s Silas is chilling and self-flagellating, a portrait of religious fervor and guilt that’s difficult to watch but impossible to ignore. Jim Mendoza gives Rémy a layered frustration that feels genuine, while Scott Welborn injects energy and urgency into the role of Bezu Fache, the relentless French police captain. Carrie Sleeper-Bowers is compelling as Sister Sandrine, delivering a quietly powerful performance that underscores the stakes of the mystery.
The supporting ensemble — Abby Brown, Michael Haven, and Kolten Tomlin — round out the world of the play with strong, detailed work that enhances each scene’s sense of movement and place. And then there’s Scott C. Brown as Sir Leigh Teabing. His performance is a highlight of the production — confident, magnetic, and intellectually alive. Scott captures Teabing’s brilliance and arrogance in equal measure, making him both a source of humor and a philosophical spark. His entrance injects a surge of energy into the play, and his command of the role is exactly what the production needs at that pivotal moment.
Tacoma Little Theatre’s The Da Vinci Code succeeds precisely because it doesn’t try to outdo its famous predecessors. Instead, it trusts its cast, its design, and its audience. By paring down the story’s global sprawl into something more personal and immediate, Trina Williamson and her team have created a production that’s less about cracking a code and more about decoding ourselves — our history, our beliefs, and the symbols we cling to. Through disciplined staging, thoughtful design, and a cast that balances intellect with heart, this Da Vinci Code is a mystery well worth solving.
The Da Vinci Code runs on stage at Tacoma Little Theatre through November 9. For more information, including ticket availability and sales, visit https://www.tacomalittletheatre.com/.
Photo credit: Dennis K. Photography
