The final theatrical performance for the Department of Theatre and Dance’s season, “M. Butterfly,” has finally arrived, albeit a week late. Its performance dates were originally scheduled to span three weeks, but have been cut down to two, which makes the need to see this production all the more urgent.

Upon entrance of the arena of the Playwright’s Theatre, the stage is decorated in oriental fashion with double-sided screens that act as entrance ways for the actors and dancers, decorated with a dragon crashing through the ocean, and a Japanese symbol hanging overhead.

The stage is separated by levels, which separates the cultures with the upstage representing mostly Eastern customs and attitudes and the downstage levels being the primary acting area of the Western characters.

Though the stage is impressive, when Jonathan Wright, who plays Monsieur Gallimard, the tragic protagonist, takes the stage, the performance space dulls in comparison. His calm, clear, and beautifully-toned voice leads the audience through the bizarre love affair he has with Song Liling or, as he prefers to call her, Butterfly.

Through his opening monologue, we find out that Gallimard is a fragile creature twittering with laughter between a sane and manic state.

The supporting cast includes Jennifer Kirkham, who plays Gallimard’s dutiful wife, and in a touching scene exhibits the voice of a woman scorned but still very much willing to remain beside her husband. Mary Anderson, also seen earlier this semester in “Cabaret,” plays three women, fictional or not, in Gallimard’s life, and adds a sexuality to the show that seems to slide under your skin instead of be in your face.

Brandon Rubin, Davia Sakanarai and Eric Esquer also contribute to the show through their strongly-delivered roles. Esquer especially stands out as Mark, Gallimard’s friend, as he gives Gallimard’s state of mind more of a tangible feel to the audience.

The dancers, including Robert Malone, Kate Castor and Melisa T. Visaya, bring a fun and creative touch to the show. They act as entertainment, but also as stagehands for the actors. Their movements introduce the scenes as well as reinforce ideas presented by director Barbara Norris, a graduating MFA student here at CSUS.

Sadly, the most important character, Butterfly herself, is not as easy to watch for the audience. Dennis Yep, a guest artist, cannot seem to meet the challenge of playing a female character. His movements are quite unnatural to watch when he is dressed as Butterfly. However, when he performs the same dance steps in a suit and tie he is much more graceful and believable. As Butterfly, most of his lines were lost to the audience due to his mumbling and his poor attempt at a feminine voice. Had Yep used his natural voice, it would be less of a strain on the audience’s suspension of disbelief. Yep’s best scenes lie in the second act, which takes place after he has made his transformation.

Although the scenes between Wright and Yep are strained, the magic of the show is not lost. The show itself is a gorgeous piece about gender roles and the racial differences between the East and West. Each character, including the dancers, brings a different point of view of how things are, how they should be and how they will be. This show is not to be missed.