Category: Stage

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‘RENT’ IS DUE AT KENNEDY THEATRE

“Rent,” the storied Jonathan Larson rock opera set in New York’s East Village and based on Puccini’s “La Boheme,” checks in on Friday (Feb. 28) at Kennedy Theatre at the University of Hawaii.

It’s a compelling exploration of crises and coping–talented young artists facing escalating cost of living, homelessness, displacement, mental health issues, and substance abuse. In short,  it’s a journey of self-discovery in the middle of the threat of  AIDS in the late 1980s and ‘90s.

“Rent” has been applauded for its ensemble traits, as depicted in the musical’s  charismatic anthem, “Seasons of Love.”

Expect timeless themes of love, loss, and friendship. “Rent” has been a Tony Award-winning show on Broadway and recipient of a Pulitzer Prize and also been transferred to the movie screen with its brand of  contagious vigor of Bohemian artists struggling to survive the ills of AIDS. The health issues then have parallels to the current challenges of the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic that started in 2019 continues to change the world, culturally and economically.

The Kennedy cast features, in order of appearance:

  • Ikaika Mendez, as Roger Davis.
  • Jack Romans, as Mark Cohen.
  • Ka‘enaaloha Watson, as Mimi Marquez.
  • Casey Kekoa Lauti, as Angel Dumott Schunard.
  • Dea So‘oalom, as Benjamin “Benny” Coffin III.
  • Keanu Roe, as Tom Collins.
  • Ainsley Shearer, as Maureen Johnson.
  • Daniella Addeo-Corte, as Joanne Jefferson.

The ensemble: Nadia Gene Amian, Rori Ann Barchers, Edward John, Kainoa Bonsell, Laniakea Chun-Rivas, Pono Cummings, Dylan DeAsis, Vanessa Gould, Sara Imata, Kylie Kwak, Casey Kekoa Lauti, Bryce Linsangan, Jessy Marny Pascua, Breanna “Kaponianani” Purdy, Tyler Shimabukuro, Evie Sweet, Hollee Temple, Anneliese Wirsching

“Rent” was the dream project of the inspired Larson, a playwright, composer and lyricist, and it previewed and opened at the New York Theatre Workshop on Jan. 26, 1996, a day before the show’s formal opening night – timed to the 100th anniversary of Puccini’s opera. Its formal Broadway debut, at the Nederlander Theatre, was on April 29, 1996, so Larson never saw his beloved show, which embraced social and cultural issues, along with substance abuse, and homophobia.

Kevin McCollum

“Rent” has Hawaii ties; one of the show’s award-winning producers is Kevin McCollum, formerly of Honolulu, who continues to be a prolific Tony Award-winning Broadway producer, whose credits include “Avenue Q,” “In the Heights,” “Something Rotten,” “The Drowsy Chaperone.” His current Broadway titles include “Oh, Mary!” and “Six.”

Joshua “Baba” Tavares, an assistant professor of acting, is director of the production. He portrayed Angel in the 20th anniversary national tour of “Rent” (circa 2019-2020), so the show is close to his heart. That touring company had a run at Blaisdell Concert Hall, and included the former Big Islander now teaching at the UH’s Department of Theatre and Dance.

So, Baba’s memories are vivid and lasting. Of “Rent,” he said: “It’s about love, relationships, healing, passion, and figuring out who we are – things that never stop being relevant or important. It’s uplifting, heartbreaking, and hopeful. It’s  also a great show for students to learn and grow from”…

And that’s Show Biz…

‘Rent’

A musical by Jonathan Larson, playwright, composer, and lyricist

What: A rock-opera, based on the Puccini opera, “La Boheme,” which explores life and challenges of Bohemian youths, in New York City at the time of the height of the AIDS crisis

When: Opening at 7:30 p.m. Friday (Feb. 28); repeats at 7:30 p.m. Saturday (March 1)  and again at 7:30 p.m. March 7 and 8, and at 2 p.m. March 9; pre-show chats at 6:45 p.m. prior to Saturday shows

Tickets: $25, adults; $22, UH faculty and staff, military and seniors; $10, other discount groups; $15, non-UH Manoa students, youths; $8, UHM student with valid ID

Special ‘Throwback Saturday performance, March 1; $15, adults; $10, discount groups; $5, UHM students

Reservations: https://hawaiiathletics.evenue.net/events/KT2

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SCORSESE MOB FILM TO SHOOT HERE

A not-yet-titled  Martin Scorsese crime drama, expected to be a $200 million project set in Hawaii, has been involved in a bidding war, with Netflix poised to land the movie.

According to Deadline, high bidders apparently have included Amazon, Apple, Warner Bros. and another unnamed studio, but why not? Besides director Scorsese, the film’s cast boasts Leonardo DiCaprio, Emily Blunt and Hawaii’s Dwayne Johnson.  The story –set in Hawaii of the 1960s and ‘70s — is about a mob boss (Johnson) who battles rival competitors for control of the shady underworld of Hawaii crime.

As Deadline described it, “The thumbnail description: Imagine Robert De Niro’s Jimmy the gent from ‘Goodfellas,’ but as a ruthless Hawaiian crime boss, based on a real figure, who battled encroaching rivals for control of organized crime in Hawaii.”

Martin Scorsese, director, with his mob film actors Leonardo DiCaprio, Dwayne Johnson and Emily Blunt.

Scorsese has enlisted Nick Bilton, a Vanity Fair journalist  and documentary filmmaker, to write the screenplay. If based on truth, the crime boss has not yet been identified but it’s possible that the character may be fictionized.

The film is targeting a shooting date in 2026 – and if it’s a set-in-Hawaii film, it makes sense it would be shot here, wholly or partially  – but timing will be a critical issue. DiCaprio  is committed to do  Damien Chazelle’s  “Evel Knievel on Tour,” a Paramount biopic on the stuntman, this summer, as well as another Scorsese project, “Devil in the White City” for 20th Century Studios.

The mobster to be portrayed by Johnson was formidable and powerful, who formulated the islands’ most notorious criminal empire, which launched warfare with mainland syndications, while fighting to preserve and fortify his ancestral cultural turf.

Alliances abound among the movers-and-shakers in the looming project. Scorsese and DiCaprio worked recently in their Best Picture nominee, “Killers of the Flower Moon” and earlier pics included “The Aviator,” “The Gangs of New York,” and the “Wolf of Wall Street.” Johnson and Blunt worked opposite each other in “Jungle Cruise” and will team up again in the forthcoming “Smashing Machine.”

The production team will include Scorsese, Johnson, Blunt, DiCaprio, Bilton, Dany Garcia, Lisa Frechette and Rick Yorn…

Season outlook

Lee Cataluna

Manoa Valley Theatre has done the unthinkable; it’s announced — to season ticket subscribers for now — half the production titles in its 2025-26 season.

Three shows are being announced now, to season ticket holders, with the final three TBA when the full slate is unveiled, The teasers: one is a local-style comedy by Lee Cataluna, popular in earlier stagings at Kumu Kahua, but the first time at MVT. A major musical will make its Hawaii debut at Manoa, and the third entry is a satire that played on Broadway last year.

Over at Diamond Head Theatre, there’s no leak or pre-announcements of its 2025-26 slate. There will be an invitational unveiling, March 2, with snippets of the future shared in a brief announcement program….

And that’s Show Biz…

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BRIGHT KIDS SECURES ‘GYPSY’ MUSICAL

“Gypsy,’ one of Broadway’s storied musicals, will be the I’m a Bright Kid Foundation’s summer attraction at Paliku Theatre at Windward Community College.

The show,  currently in a hit Broadway revival starring Audra McDonald, is a monumental theatrical creation, with book by Arthur Laurents, music by Jule Styne and lyrics by Stephen Sondheim. It is considered the mother of all musicals about mothers. It is a fable loosely based on the memoirs of striptease performer Gypsy Rose Lee, about her mother Rose, who aspires to help her daughters become stars. Clearly, the term “stage mother,” refers to Rose’s unbridled quest to bring the fame and stardom that eluded her to her daughters.

“Gypsy” boasts such legendary hits including “Everything’s Coming Up Roses,”  “You Gotta Get a Gimmick,” “Let Me Entertain You,” “Some People” and “Together,” as it glorifies the struggles of seeking the American dream.

Ahnya Chang, who choreographed IABK’s hit musical “Newsies” last year, will direct and choreograph this stage classic. Clarke Bright will be musical director and others on the creative team will be announced later.

The musical will run Aug. 8 to 24, with performances on Fridays, Saturdays and Sundays. Ticket sales will begin June 1, with further details to be announced.

Online auditions begin May 1, with tryouts set for Aug. 9 and 10 at Paliku Theatre.

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In other news, IABK will again present its cornerstone Summer Musical Theatre Arts Education Program  this summer, from June  16 to July 20 at Paliku Theatre. The program provides a supportive environment for students in grades 3 to 12 to gain confidence in performing arts techniques, learn vital teamwork and communication skills.

Registration is under way online at https://imabrightkid.org/summer-program/

The culmination of the program will be a show, “Junie B. Jones Jr.: The Musical,”  set for 7 p.m. July 25 and  2 p.m. July 26 and 27.

And that’s Show Biz…

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CALLAS SAGA MASTERFUL, CLASSY


Diamond Head Theatre’s “Master Class” — a Terrence McNally comedy-drama about real-life diva Maria Callas instructing operatic singers on the how’s and why’s of delivering an aria — is both masterful and classy.

Though it features music, it is not a musical. Though it is occasionally hilarious, it is not a comedy per se.  What it is, is a drama reimagining and reenacting Callas, the famed and often feared opera legend, as she conducts classes for two wanna-be opera sopranos and one tenor. It’s instructive, illuminating and inspirational.

Director Bryce Chaddick stages the one-set show in front of  a luxurious curved, 11-panel spectacle of warm wood (a splendid creation by set designer Randy Tandal), with lighting designed by Dawn Oshima (right and bright).  Midway through the production, the stage becomes La Scala, thanks to a vintage projection of the tiered seating. It’s a stunning high point of staging magic produced by a team of theatrical artists.

The acting is wonderful, too. Amy K. Sullivan is superb as Callas; she delivers her lines as monologues that reel off like conversations. You can envision the diva in action: chatty, charming and challenging her students to strive, drive and arrive at her level of expectation. She roars like a lion, often demeaning but not vicious. She has plenty of thoughts, one of the memorable being her stern advice: “You don’t have a look. You look very nice, I’m sure you are. You look very clean, very comme il faut (proper in etiquette and behavior) but you don’t have a look. Get one, as quickly as possible.

Amy K. Sullivan, in pantsuit, is Maria Callas, and Anna Young is the overdressed Sharon Graham, in “Master Class.” David Young, at the grand piano, is Manny Weinstock. Photo Brandon Miyagi, courtesy DHT.

Her look is alternately proper and demanding, soldiering through the sessions seeking hope and brilliance from her students, finding just a skosh of the kind of talent she once was. Ya don’t find pearls in all the oysters you seek.

Georgine Stark is Sophie de Palma, the first soprano;  she is fearful, gritty, but inexperienced, so eager to learn.

Anna Young is Sharon Graham, the second soprano; she is ambitious, somewhat thick-skinned, and overdressed in a gown that reflects obvious innocence. Callas promptly tells her, “Don’t wear anything like that before midnight at the earliest, and certainly not to class.”

Kasey Nahlovksy is Anthony “Tony” Candolini, the tenor; he has an obvious ego, occasionally begging for Callas’ thunderous responses, but he nonetheless delivers a solid voice.

David Young is Emmanuel “Manny” Weinstock, the accompanist who has worked with Callas before, endures the sass from Callas; and the aforementioned Tandal is the stagehand, who is commanded to bring Callas water, footstool and a cushion, fetching stuff like a trained pet.

Sullivan as Callas, gestures toYoung, as Sharon. Brandon Miyagi photo.

What to look for:

  • Callas’ inherent pride of conquest with her students, but with a veneer of vulnerability. She is somewhat a monstrous leading lady, now reduced to instructional icon, but she retains her glorious past. In one instance, he remembers, fittingly, that she was at the top of her form, thanks to her vocal cords. “That’s who I am; this voice,” she bellows, and yup, her voice defined her fame.
  • Her propriety and her ways of the past: in her initial appearance in the audition hall at Juilliard, she “shushes” the spectators – the live audience in the theater, and thus the audience witnessing her theatrics – to halt applause and hoots of her past fame.
  • That jewel of a stage design – simply perfection – is the basic background for the diva and her students. A circular magnifying glass adorns one sector of the stage; two curtains drop, separating on-stage action, and are part of the savvy, clean, and effective staging.

What to listen for:

  • The arias featured in the instructional moments: Sophie’s number is “Oh! Se Una Volta Sola…Ah! Non Credea Mirarti,” from Bellini’s “La Sonnambula;”  Sharon’s selection is “Nel Di Della Vittoria…Vieni! T’Affretta!” from Verdi’s “MacBeth;” and Tony’s tune is “Recondita Armonia,” from Puccini’s “Tosca.”
  • Though Calla’s voice is dormant as the resident master, her recorded voice onstage is heard in that splendid moment where she recalls she’s delivering an aria in the projected concert hall as she mimics The Moment. The applause is warranted.

What/who to cheer:

  • Other triumphs among the technical crew – costume design by Kanani Sato (bravo, for Callas’ pants-and-top garb, accented by a lengthy scarf); sound design by Mike Minor (clear, and on point), props design by Kyle Conner (stark, simple, comprising a desk and a chair), hair and make-up design by Mia Yoshimoto (suitable for the era of the ‘70s, but looks like now).
  • The one-man “orchestra:” Young, the aforementioned pianist, who provides class-worthy accompaniment and supportive opening comments about Callas’ conduct and expectations.

Further notations:

  • I saw the original “Master Class,” staged at the Golden Theatre in 1995, and the play won 1996 Tony Awards, including Zoe Caldwell ( Best Actress in a play, for her portrayal of Maria Callas) and  Audra McDonald (Best Featured Actress, enacting  Sharon) and McNally scored the Best Play trophy.
  • The plot is said to include antics of other divas of the period (Leontyne Price, Renata Scotto, and even possibly Joan Sutherland) and also features segments mentioning Aristotle Onassis, with whom Callas actually had an affair, but he moved on to Jackie Kennedy.

Curiously, “Master Class” goes down in history as a portrait of an operatic diva, whose luminous life and times included master-classing,  who chats about singing, focuses on the art of singing, but doesn’t perform  a single live note herself in this vehicle…

And that’s Show Biz…

‘Master Class’

What: A play by Terrence McNally, about Maria Callas and the master classes she headed, staged by Diamond Head Theatre

Showtimes: At 7:30 p.m. Thursdays, Fridays and Saturdays, 4 p.m. Sundays and 3 p.m. Saturdays, through Feb. 9

Tickets: $41 through $68, at www.diamondheadtheatre.com and (808) 733-0274

Running time: 2 hours, 35 minutes, with intermission

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TWO DRAMAS NOW BEING STAGED

Manoa Valley Theatre just launched “What the Constitution Means To Me,” which opened Thursday (Jan. 23), in its Hawaii premiere.

And Diamond Head Theatre presents “Master Class,” a Tony Award-winning drama about opera diva Maria Callas in her element, debuting tonight (Jan. 24).

‘Constitution’

Melinda Moore as Heidi Schreck, in “Constitution.”

“Constitution,” playing through Feb. 2, is a drama by Heidi Schreck, which examines the U.S. Constitution and explores its impact across four generations of women.

At MVT, the journey involves Melinda Moore, theater director at Punahou School, portraying Schreck, who shares the limelight with Ava Zoto, her actual student, playing the Student Debater. They pore over the nation’s blueprint, exploring a multitude of constitutional ideals.

The cast also features Mathias Maas as Mike.

Jeanne Wynne Herring is director, Aly Sutton is stage manager Ashton Botts is the dramaturg,  Vanessa Gould is assistant director, Michelle A. Bisbee is set designer,  Willie Sabel is scenic artist, Rob Duval is prop designer, Chris Gouveia is lighting designer and master electrician, Janine Myers is master electrician 2, Sarah Velasco is sound designer/engineer, Amber Lehua Baker is costume director,  and Denise-Aiko Chinen is assistant director and assistant stage manager.

Show times: 7:30 p.m. Thursdays, Fridays and Saturdays, and 3 p.m. Sundays, through Feb. 2. There also is a matinee at 3 p.m. Feb. 1. Tickets: $25 to  $47. Reservations: (808) 988-6131 or manoavalleytheatre.com

‘Master Class’

“Master Class,” a drama by Terrence McNally, premieres at 7:30 p.m. today (Jan. 24) at Diamond Head Theatre. It continues through Feb. 9, without the usual extention.

The show focuses on Maria Callas, the opera diva, as an uncompromising master teacher at an elite opera training program. The plot is inspired by a series of real-life master classes delivered by Callas in her prime at Juilliard.

Her students, often hilariously crushed but profoundly inspired by the diva, are soulfully uplifted by Callas, who inspires and transports her pupils into untold boundaries of artistic sacrifice and quality.

Bryce Chaddick is directing.

The cast includes Amy K. Sullivan as Callas, David Young as Manny Weinstock, Georgine Stark as Sophie de Palma, Randy Tandal as the Stagehand, Anna Young as Sharon Graham, Kasey Nahlovsky as Anthony “Tony” Candolini and Jennifer Hamm as the understudy.

The production runs through Feb. 9. Showtimes: 7:30 p.m. Thursdays, Fridays and Saturdays, 4 p.m. Sundays and 3 p.m. Saturdays. Tickets: $41 through $68, at www.diamondheadtheatre.com and (808) 733-0274….

Broadway grosses, week ending Jan. 19

While “Wicked” remains atop the weekly gross of Broadway shows, there’s been a switcheroo at No. 2. “Hamilton” has moved up a slot.

The Top 10:

1—”Wicked,” $2.425 million

2—”Hamilton,” $1.855 million

3—” The Lion King,” $1.754 million

4—”Gypsy,” $1.748 million

5—”All In: Comedy About Love,” $1.669 million

6—”The Great Gatsby,” $1.543 million

7—”The Outsiders,” $1.455 million

8—”Oh, Mary!,” $1.248 million

9—”Aladdin,” $1.147 million

10—”MJ The Musical,” $1.136 million

The complete list, courtesy The Broadway League:

And that’s Show Biz…