Honolulu’s 2015-2016 theater season is as diverse as ever — from Shakespeare and Agatha Christie to August Wilson and pidgin dramas — but some of the biggest changes are taking place behind the stage lights.
Joyce Maltby is gone from Hawaii Pacific University after 23 years as head of the college’s theater program, but an HPU spokesman said the shows will go on — titles and dates to be announced. (Maltby will be spending part of her retirement directing Terrence McNally’s "Mothers and Sons" at The Actors’ Group.)
Elsewhere, TAG is spending around $64,000 on improvements and upgrades that will bring its Iwilei theater into full compliance with city building codes.
"We are going to be broke for a long time after this is paid for," TAG Production Manager Laurie Tanoura said, adding that in the long run the expense will be worth it. The troupe’s current home is a much better fit than its original location on Keawe Street in Kakaako or its second location in Chinatown. Tanoura noted there is a ground-floor storefront location, validated parking, mall space available for parties and 24-hour security, and the renovations will provide increased seating capacity. She said landlord Castle & Cooke rents the space to TAG at below-market prices.
According to TAG President Eric Nemoto, the group’s next goal is to put a large sign outside the theater to make it easer to find.
At the University of Hawaii’s historic Kennedy Theatre, a new platform lift is being installed to create a traditional orchestra pit. The improvements will be ready for Main Stage’s season opener, the Stephen Sondheim musical "Sunday in the Park with George," on Oct. 23.
Also of note at Kennedy, Manager Marty Myers has retired after almost 30 years of service. His successor is UH alumna Jessica Jacob, formerly with Alaska Theatre of Youth and the University of Alaska at Anchorage.
Other major theater groups are looking forward to the new season as well.
"Ticket sales are going very well — we’re having a banner year," said Donna Blanchard, managing director of Kumu Kahua Theatre. "I’ve already heard from many people who have not subscribed in the past but want to for our upcoming season."
At Diamond Head Theatre, Artistic Director John Rampage is also upbeat.
"It’s only July, but season subscriptions and renewals are way above where they normally are at this point," he said.
Dwight Martin, producing director of Manoa Valley Theatre, said ticket sales for the current season are running a little under the sales goal, primarily because the goal was set higher than for the previous season. He added that MVT’s final show of the current season, Lisa Matsumoto’s "Once Upon One Noddah Time," which was almost completely sold out by the time it opened Thursday, would almost certainly make up the difference.
"We set ourselves a higher bar to reach, but in the big scheme of things, it’s going pretty good. We are close to where we were at this same point last year in our season ticket campaign," Martin said.
When it comes to picking their season lineups, Rampage, Martin and Blanchard agree that controversial productions with "adult" content — nudity, explicit sexuality, profanity and racial slurs — must be approached carefully in consideration of local audience tastes. Rampage said he consulted several people before deciding to remain true to the original lyrics of "Old Man River" when DHT presented "Showboat" in 2014. (Some modern productions use a bowdlerized text that deletes racial epithets.) Rampage said there was no debate about whether to use the "N-word" when DHT presented "To Kill a Mockingbird" in January.
"(It) was used constantly, and there was no fear of it. For one thing, a straight play versus a musical is different, and I think with our audiences, as long as it is not gratuitous — and I’m talking about some other words, too — as long as it is not gratuitous, audiences are OK with it. With ‘Mockingbird’ you can’t edit it. Racial prejudice is what the show is about."
Rampage said there were no complaints from audiences for either show.
"As far as nudity, one of the most successful shows we ever had was ‘The Full Monty’ (in 2005), but people knew coming in the door what to expect," he said. "I think when a theater has a problem is when you come in as an audience member expecting one kind of show and that’s not what you’re getting."
DHT is unlikely to face any such quandaries in its new season, which includes Broadway crowd-pleasers "The Mousetrap," "Camelot," "Promises, Promises" and "Mamma Mia!"
Blanchard said she received one angry call about the brief female nudity and relatively graphic rape scene in Kumu Kahua’s recent production of "Echoes of Dat Red Guitar," by Lee Tonouchi. It was the first time female nudity had been part of a Kumu Kahua production since the group presented "Obake" in 2003. "Sometimes you cannot tell a story in a viscerally moving way without such content," she said.
Male and female nudity has been seen a bit more often at DHT and MVT. Both groups presented "M. Butterfly" with its scripted full male and female nudity, and MVT is warning ticket buyers the nude scene in its upcoming production of "Equus," by Peter Shaffer, will be played as written.
"I do feel a responsibility to let people know in advance," Martin said. "Those quote/unquote ‘shockers’ are integral to the playwright’s storytelling, and we take them as part of the requirements of presenting the show.
"It’s interesting with ‘Equus’ they sent me a very specific rider that requires us to do it exactly as written. We cannot use body socks, we cannot do it behind a scrim. I haven’t before had a contract be that emphatic."
By way of contrast, when TAG presented "Equus" in 2001 in a theater barely larger than a living room, the nude actors worked behind a thin fabric scrim.
"I think people are far more open to edgy theater these days," TAG’s Tanoura said. "When we put a disclaimer about language or violence, it is usually a draw."
ALL THE WORLD’S A STAGE THEATRE COMPANY
927-7150, awstheatre.org
>> “Freud’s Last Session”
Sigmund Freud and C.S. Lewis engage in a spirited debate of contrasting world views — “Does God exist?” — while the British government is declaring war on Germany in 1939. Sept. 4-13 at Christ Centered Community Church, Diamond Head Theatre, 520 Makapuu Ave., and Sept. 18-20 at Kaimuki Christian Church, 1117 Koko Head Ave.
DIAMOND HEAD THEATRE
520 Makapuu Ave.,733-0274; diamondheadtheatre.com
>> “Sister Act”
Broadway adaption of the 1992 hit film about a would-be diva who witnesses a crime and takes refuge in a convent. Sept. 25-Oct. 11
>> “A Christmas Story, the Musical”
A boy growing up in the 1940s wants only one thing for Christmas: an official Red Ryder Carbine-Action 200-shot Range Model Air Rifle. Based on the 1983 film. Dec. 4-20
>> “The Mousetrap”
Agatha Christie’s classic drawing room mystery. Jan. 21-Feb. 14
>> “Camelot”
Lerner and Loewe’s 1960 Broadway smash about King Arthur, Guinevere, Sir Lancelot, Merlyn, Mordred and the Knights of the Round Table. March 25-April 10
>> “Promises, Promises”
An opportunistic executive allows his married superiors to use his apartment for their sexual adventures until he falls in love with his boss’s mistress; based on the 1960 Billy Wilder film, “The Apartment,” with music and lyrics by Burt Bacharach and Hal David, and book by Neil Simon. May 20–June 5
>> “Mamma Mia!”
ABBA founders Benny Andersson and Bjorn Ulvaeus lent their songs to Catherine Johnson’s story of a young woman who wants to learn which of three men is her biological father.
July 15-31
HAWAII PACIFIC UNIVERSITY
45-045 Kamehameha Highway,
375-1282; www.hpu.edu/theatre
Schedule to be announced.
HAWAII SHAKESPEARE FESTIVAL
The ARTS at Marks Garage, 1159 Nuuanu Ave.; hawaiishakes.org
>> “Commedia Rep”
Festival co-founder Tony Pisculli directs “free-wheeling adaptations” of Shakespearean “scenarios” improvised in the style of 16th-century commedia dell’arte theater. July 10-19
>> “Winter’s Tale”
A “genre-bending spectacle” about the inevitable cycle of loss and rebirth. July 24-Aug. 2
>> “Othello”
Jealousy, envy and one of Shakespeare’s greatest villains come together in this tragedy. Aug. 14-23
HAWAII THEATRE
1159 Nuuanu Ave., 528-0506; hawaiitheatre.com
>> “Honu by the Sea: The Musical”
Johnson Enos presents the latest version of his fanciful tale of sea life in Hawaii. Sept. 12-20
>> “The Magic Flute”
Young audience volunteers join members of Hawaii Opera Theatre’s Opera Express in a child-friendly adaptation of this Mozart masterpiece. Nov. 4
>> “Reeling”
Guest director Mark Branner and guest scenic designer Joe Dodd team up for a tribute to Buster Keaton and the golden age of silent movies. March 5-6
>> “Othello”
The teenage actors of the Hawaii Theatre Young Actors Ensemble present one of Shakespeare’s darkest tragedies. April 22-23
HAWAIIAN MISSION HOUSES
553 S. King St., 447-3916; missionhouses.org
>> “The Tempest”
William Ha‘o directs an outdoor staging of Shakespeare’s tale of Prospero, the rightful Duke of Milan, his daughter, Miranda, and his shattering revenge on their enemies. Aug. 7-22
HONOLULU THEATRE FOR YOUTH
Tenney Theatre,
229 Queen Emma Square, 839-9885; htyweb.org
>> “Anime Alice and Her Adventures in Wonderland”
Based on the novel by Lewis Carroll. For ages 5-plus. Aug. 14-Sept. 19
>> “Duke”
Actor/playwright Moses Goods explores the life and accomplishments of Olympic gold medalist Duke Kahanamoku. For ages 8-plus. Oct. 16-Nov. 14
>> “Rudolf’s Reindeer Games”
An interactive comedy extravaganza that includes singalongs and games. For ages 5-plus. Nov. 27-Dec. 12
>> “Mud Pies and Magic”
Can a great-grandmother teach her germ-phobic great-granddaughter the joys of making mud pies? What chance does a hyperactive troublemaker have of getting his older uncle out of the recliner? See this play and find out! For ages 5-plus. Jan. 15-Feb. 6
>> “The Tiny Tree”
A short, interactive show that explores what tiny trees and tiny children have in common and how to create the right environment for a tiny tree to flourish. For ages 3-plus. Feb. 20-March 5
>> “H2O: The Story of Water and Hawaii”
An interactive musical look at the cultural, historical, environmental and physical properties of water in Hawaii. For ages 5-plus. April 8-May 7
KUMU KAHUA
46 Merchant St., 536-4441; kumukahua.org
>> “Joker”
A married man has his life turned upside down when a friend from the Philippines finds him in Hawaii; by YiLong Liu. Aug. 27-Sept. 27
>> “My Boy He Play Ball”
Family bonds are strained when a local high school football star is forced to make a decision about his mainland college scholarship; a new play by Tammy Haili‘opua Baker. Nov. 5-Dec. 6
>> “Not One Batu”
An island family struggles to survive the “ice” epidemic in Hawaii; a new play by Hannah Ii-Epstein. Jan. 21-Feb. 21
>> “Pelicans”
Disaffected kids take on a bat-wielding mom in playwright Eric Yokomori’s new “darkly humorous revenge comedy.” March 24-April 24
>> “#Iambadatthis”
A young woman is completely connected to the grid but unplugged from life in this new “real-life comedy” by Susan Stanton.
May 26-June 26
LEEWARD COMMUNITY COLLEGE
96-045 Ala Ike St., Pearl City,
455-0011; www.leeward.hawaii.edu
>> “Frangipani Perfume”
Pacific island playwright Makerita Urale challenges the usual images of Pacific island women with energy, humor and biting satire. Sept. 17-26
>> “A Dark and Stormy Knight”
Hawaii playwright Kemuel DeMoville deconstructs the traditional 20th-century murder mystery with a story in which murder and mystery take a back seat to wacky situation and silly characters. Nov. 12-21
>> “Santaland Diaries” and “Seasons Greetings”
A Christmas season double bill by humorist David Sedaris that includes the story of a slacker’s experiences as a Macy’s elf. Dec. 3-5
>> Children’s theater piece TBA
Jan. 21-23
>> Second Annual Kikaha ka Manu Play Festival
LCC presents the winners of a competition for original plays written at least 60 percent in Hawaiian. Feb. 4-6
>> “Richard III”
One of Shakespeare’s greatest tragedies.
April 14-23
>> “Houseless in Paradise”
PlayBuilders of Hawaii presents a “readers theater” look at the experiences of the homeless in Hawaii. April 29
MANOA VALLEY THEATRE
2833 E. Manoa Road, 988-6131; manoavalleytheatre.com
>> “In the Next Room, or the vibrator play”
A proper scientist/doctor invents a electrical device for treating female “hysteria” in Victorian London in this comedy by Sarah Ruhl. Sept. 17-Oct. 4
>> “The Who’s ‘Tommy’”
The stage musical version of the classic rock opera. Nov. 12-29
>> “Harold and Maude”
A 19-year-old rich kid falls in love with a wacky octogenarian. Jan. 21-Feb. 7
>> “A Funny Thing Happened on the Way to the Forum”
A Broadway classic about a slave who attempts to win his freedom by helping his master win the girl next door. March 17-April 3
>> “Equus”
A psychiatrist attempts to treat a mentally disturbed teenager who has blinded six horses for no apparent reason; by Peter Shaffer. Note: Contains adult language and nudity. May 19-June 5
>> “Lysistrata Jones”
Athens University cheerleaders announce they will stop having sex with the basketball team until the team wins a game in this musical comedy adapted from Aristophanes’ classic Greek comedy. July 7-24
PALIKU THEATRE
45-720 Keaahala Road, Windward Community College, 235-7310; etickethawaii.com
>> “A Grand Night for Singing”
A celebration of Rodgers and Hammerstein’s greatest songs. Sept. 11-27
>> “Obake Tales”
Nick Logue and advanced acting-class students present Halloween ghost stories. Oct. 23-31
>> Spring drama production TBA.
March 11-20
>> Hawaiian Youth Theatre TBA.
Moses Goods directs an original play based on a traditional Hawaiian story. April 1-9
PLAYBUILDERS OF HAWAI‘I THEATRE COMPANY
96-045 Ala Ike St., Leeward Community College, and other locations; playbuilders.org
>> Events TBA.
THE ACTORS’ GROUP
Dole Cannery Square, 722-6941; taghawaii.net
>> “Storefront Church”
A mortgage crisis forces a Bronx borough president and a local minister to consider the relationship between spiritual experience and social action; by John Patrick Shanley. Sept. 4-20
>> “Raisin in the Sun”
TAG revisits Lorraine Hansberry’s 1950s Broadway classic about African-American life in Chicago during the mid-20th century. Oct. 23-Nov. 15
>> “A Celebration of August Wilson”
TAG celebrates its completion of Wilson’s 10-play “Pittsburgh Cycle” with a three-day fundraiser. Dec. 4-6
>> “George & Ira and Shari & Jim — The story continues …”
Shari Lynn and pianist Jim Howard return with a second installment of their cabaret-style look at the lives, the times and the timeless music of George and Ira Gershwin. Jan. 1-17
>> “The Realistic Joneses”
Two suburban couples with identical homes and the same last name are forced to decide between their idyllic fantasies and their imperfect realities; by Will Eno. Feb. 26-March 20
>> “The American Dream” and “The Zoo Story”
Playwright Edward Albee pokes fun at conventional expectations in “The American Dream” and then explores the dynamics of a confrontation between two men in a park with “The Zoo Story.” May 6-29
>> “Mothers and Sons”
Joyce Maltby directs Terrence McNally’s uncompromising story of a confrontation between a woman and her deceased son’s former lover — now happily married. July 8-31
UNIVERSITY OF HAWAII AT MANOA
Kennedy Theatre, 1770 East-West Road, 956-7655; eticketawaii.com
Main Stage
>> “Sunday in the Park With George”
A world-famous painting by French Neo-impressionist Georges Seurat is the inspiration for this Stephen Sondheim musical. Oct. 23-31
>> “Gorilla”
A young girl meets the world’s friendliest gorilla in this adaptation of the award-winning picture book by Anthony Browne, England’s former children’s laureate. Note: The one-act performance takes place in the UH “jungle” Art Gallery with floor seating. Dec. 12-20
>> “Subali-Sugriwa Hawaii: Battle of the Monkey Kings”
Two monkey brothers fight a powerful demon in this costumed staging of modern Balinese theater. Jan. 22-31
Earle Ernst Lab Theatre
>> “Butterfly”
Maseeh Ganjali directs a Persian fantasy about a butterfly and a spider. Sept. 18-20
>> “Too Much Light Makes the Baby Go Blind (30 Plays in 60 Minutes)”
The title says it all. Oct. 23-31
>> “Clowns After Hours”
“What happens to clowns when the sun goes down?” Watch as the clowns of UH take on topics not appropriate for children. Nov. 13-21
>> “One Flea Spare”
Four people are forced to coexist in quarantine during a plague epidemic in 17th-century London; by Naomi Wallace. March 30-April 3
| Schedules are subject to change; for updates, check theater websites, the Honolulu Star-Advertiser’s weekly TGIF entertainment guide, published Fridays, and honolulupulse.com, where you can also find stage reviews. |
