Theater artist greets new year with high hair drama

All those promises you’ve made to yourself — stress less, take care of yourself, do what you love — all those typical New Year’s resolutions? Friston Hookano has gotten a jump on them already.

As you’re reading this, Hookano is probably peacefully working in the studio in his Village Park garage, happily creating a gravity-defying, one-of-a-kind wig for a drag queen.

Well, it doesn’t have to be for a drag queen. It can be for a Broadway-style musical or a night out clubbing or just for dressing up at home. Why not look glamorous while vacuuming the living room?

Hookano has long been involved in theater, both as an actor and a designer. He has won nine Po‘okela Awards from the Hawaii State Theatre Council for best hair, makeup and wig design, and estimates there were years when he created 100-150 wigs for a theater’s season. He often was backstage for each performance, pinning, combing and powdering the actors to make sure they looked perfect.

“In the theater setting, I had to help tell a story through hair and makeup. It was my job to help the actor ‘believe’ the character he or she is portraying,” Hookano said.

But in October, Hookano, 55, told friends he had to stop.

“One of the main reasons I left the theater work was mainly to focus on me and regaining my strength since suffering from a big heart attack in August 2015,” Hookano said. He went back to work after his initial recovery, but though he loved what he was doing, he realized that he needed to work at his own pace. “I miss the people very much, but I have to say that I am the happiest and healthiest I’ve ever been in a long time.”

So now, he makes wigs. Big wigs. Beautiful wigs. Wigs that seem to transform the wearer from an ordinary human into a larger-than-life character or magical being.

He already had a successful store on Etsy, the online marketplace for handcrafted products, where his steampunk jewelry designs have racked up thousands of sales. This month, he opened a second Etsy store, calling it Wig Designs by Friston.

He works with synthetic hair, which holds a style much better than human hair. After selecting a color, Hookano adds body and curls by carefully steam-setting the hair using a clothing steamer (he says curling irons will burn the wig). He thinks of each wig as a sculpture. He shapes, pins and trims until he gets the look he wants. Then, he says, “I’ll blast that girl with half a can of hairspray!”

Packing a large wig for shipping may be the most challenging part of the process. Unlike the Halloween wigs for sale in pop-up costume stores that come in flat plastic packages, these wigs have to arrive in perfect, full-bodied glory. Hookano has figured out a way to pack even the biggest profusion of hair. “I’m not revealing this method. It goes to the grave with me,” he said. “But my wigs have already been safely delivered via priority mail to a seasoned drag performer in Las Vegas.”

Tonight, some of his huge hair pieces may be out celebrating the new year in a big way. Hookano likes to think of his creations going out into the world and making lives a little more magical. He has no desire to wear any of the wigs himself, though. He’s happy making others look fabulous.

Reach Lee Cataluna at 529-4315 or lcataluna@staradvertiser.com.