Category: Stage

Hawaii actor Marc delaCruz was performing as Alexander Hamilton in the Broadway hit, “Hamilton,” nearly two weeks ago. But he only did Act 1 – with reason.

It’s the leading role, originated by the author, Lin-Manuel Miranda, and delaCruz had been understudying the part and even played the role a few times since he joined the company more than four years ago at the Richard Rodgers Theatre on Broadway.

On Dec. 19, however, after completing Act 1 as Hamilton, delaCruz  became an unsung hero. Cast member Kyle Scatliffe, normally enacting the Marquis de Lafayette and Thomas Jefferson, became ill midway in the show and had to exit the production by Act 2.

Enter, delaCruz. Because he had also understudied Lafayette and Jefferson, plus King George, he was the go-to-guy that evening, winding up playing three different lead roles, saving the day since he was the only one able to take over the dual roles assigned to Scatliffe.

Standbys don’t often have such short notice to live up to the show biz adage, “the show must go on.” Turns out that another ensemble performer, Alexander Ferguson, was the only available actor ready to step into the shoes of Hamilton, normally portrayed by Miguel Cervantes, who was off that evening. And Adam Ali Perez had to cover Ferguson’s ensemble slots.

Such is the dynamics of standbys and swings, who learn different roles just in case of these unexpected switcheroos. It’s not common for such abrupt changes, between acts, but it happens. I experienced similar change of actors this past summer, when the leading actress in “Some Like It Hot,” apparently took ill by intermission, and her standby answered the call. An announcement was made prior to the start of Act 2 that a sub was filling in for the leading lady to complete the show.

DelaCruz earlier made history when he was the first Pinoy from the Big Island to play the “Hamilton” lead as a standby in the original Broadway company.

Another island actor, Joseph Morales, has been the only other Hawaii actor doing the titular role, first as an understudy in the Chicago company, then as a touring Hamilton crisscrossing the nation.

BroadwayWorld spoke with delaCruz  about the nature and impromptu inner-workings of being a standby on Broadway. 

DelaCruz usually receives adequate notice if he’d have to take on a role other than the ones he portrays.  So, he checks his email and phone but, in the past, commonly with a half-hour notice to prep for a fill-in.

“The most challenging part is not always knowing when you’ll be on, but still needing to be ready,” said delaCruz. “Sometimes we know in advance if the onstage actor has a personal day or vacation scheduled, but most of the time we don’t know we’re on until the day of the show. I’ve gone on with less than half hour notice and jumped in mid show a few times.”
He monitors his cell phone and wakes up daily, wondering  “Will I be going on this intense emotional journey today?”

A standby has to stay active, exercise and vocally warm up and sing every day. “I review music on a regular basis and stay up to date with notes given from the show, ” he said, and he must report to work daily, whether he’ll be on or not. “Swings can watch the show and keep up with what’s going on onstage, or I’ll watch parts of the show from the house.”

He has admiration for his fellow cast members and appreciates the opportunities he’s had to learn the intricacies and complexities of the show.

“This job has stretched me further as a performer than I ever thought I could go,” he said.

“Hamilton” has multiple swings and standbys who are ready to roll when needed, so “any one of these covers would have done what happened (on Dec. 19) beautifully. “I just happened to be the one in the hot seat that night,” said delaCruz…

All about Eve

In years or decades past, Waikiki would have had scores of New Year’s Eve attractions, large or small.

This year, the countdown shows are few.

Kimie Miner (pictured) headlines a show 7:30 p.m. tomorrow night (Dec. 31), at the Hilton Hawaiian Village lawn. Mana Music Strings provide the accompaniment.

The Green headlines two performances at 8 and 11 p.m. tomorrow night (Dec. 31)at Blue Note Hawaii, at the Outrigger Waikiki resort. The group also performed last night (Dec. 29) and will be onstage again at 6:30 and 9 p.m. today (Dec. 30). The gig is mostly sold out, so check with Blue Note for availability of loge and bar area seating. …

And that’s Show Biz…

I had no clue about “Clue,” a black comedy based on a Hasbro-Parker Bros. board game, now at Manoa Valley Theatre. Missed the 1985 movie, too, so this was a wholly mysterious endeavor for me.

It’s a whodunnit, set at the Tudor Mansion, on a stormy, dark night, where six mysterious guests are invited to a dinner party.

The arrivals are a motley crew with outrageous names and eccentricities who are greeted by an equally suspicious butler, Wadsworth (played by a woman, Emily Steward, superb with a British accent), and served by French maid Yvette (Presley A. Wheeler, convivial and agile).

Rob Duval, director, smartly maintains a brisk tempo, to keep the uncertainties bouncing like a ping pong ball.

Discomfort and suspicion rule, as the guests arrive, one by one, clueless about what will be in store. Their queasiness keeps the momentum going:

Professor Plum (Lee Nebe, a perfect off-kilter shrink).

Mr. Green (Malachi McSherry, a harried gay Republican).

Miss Scarlett (Shannon Winpenny, appropriately glorious and sexy).

Mrs. Peacock (Suzanne Green, hilarious as an alcoholic).

Mrs. White (Therese Olival, a multi-time divorcee).

Colonel Mustard (Mike Poblete, hilarious and somewhat of a dimwit).

Their host, Mr. Boddy (Ryan Phillips), is found dead when the lights go out.

Welcome to the quest to find out who the killer is. The ensemble of diners don’t bring appetites; they arrive with questions and doubts, seeking answers to bona fide questions. Are their Washington ties a clue to their unlikely invites?

Amid the fear and farcical mood, the cast consistently display skillful comedics, too. Antoinette Lilley as the cook shines and also turns in a memorable “Singing Telegram” delivery.

Since this is a farce, anything and everything can happen. Possible murder weapons appear (rope, pipe, candlestick), and the body count rises (hidden beneath a blanket on a couch, farcically become “props” in brisk living room poses).

Willie Sabel’s marvelous set gives breadth and breathing space—and allows many moments for manic running – with a full corridor on the second-tier wall of the theater — and lower pockets for communal chatter, races to and from secret and known doors. Notice the overhead chandelier, too, since it will have its moment of glory, too.

In a play with a blackout or two, Chris Gouveia’s lighting is spot-on bright, and coupled with Sarah Velaso’s sound design, the tech work shines, too.

Costumes by Maile Speetjens and hair and makeup by Lisa Ponce de Leon define the characters in the era of the Red Scare.

Paranoia prevails in the ranks; and perhaps in the audience, too. And even the clueless can enjoy the fun in “Clue.” I did.

Apparently, a few earlier productions of this work applied the “Edwin
Drood” element where the audiences help resolve the murderer. Not in this one, however.

—————————————

“Clue”

What: A whodunnit farce, inspired by the board game “Clue,” adapted by Sandy Rustin from Jonathan Lynn’s screenplay, with additional material by Hunter Foster and Eric Price.

Where: Manoa Valley Theatre.

When:  Opened Nov. 16; continues through Dec. 3; shows are at 7:30 p.m. weekdays and Saturday Dec. 2 and  3 p.m. Saturdays and Sundays; includes extended playdates.

Tickets: $25 to $48, at https://ci.ovationtix.com/35307/production/1151704 or (808) 988-6131.

Rob Duval (pictured below) has been named artistic director at Manoa Valley Theatre, following the recent resignation of executive director Kip Wilborn.

The position is somewhat new to MVT, where Duval has been serving as production manager.

Attorney Jeff Portnoy, a veteran MVT board member and many times the group’s board chair, said, “For some time, Mānoa Valley Theatre has been considering the appointment of an artistic director. With the hiring of Rob Duval, that decision was easy. He brings decades of theater experience in this community, as an actor, director, teacher, administrator, and producer, and working hand in hand with our new executive director, Kathleen Young, this team is ready to take MVT to new heights.”

Duval is a veteran director and actor, with credits at MVT and Diamond Head Theatre. He helmed such MVT hits as “The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-Time,” “The Rocky Horror Show,” “The Who’s Tommy,” “The 39 Steps” and “Baskerville: A Sherlock Holmes Mystery.” At DHT, he directed “Guys and Dolls,” “Lend Me a Tenor,” “Noises Off,” “Dirty Rotten Scoundrels” and “The Mousetrap.”

As an actor,  he starred in “To Kill a Mockingbird” at DHT, “The House of Blue Leaves” at Hawaii Pacific University, and “The Elephant Man” at MVT.

He’ll be seen as a Snobby Tourist in Disney+’s live action feature, “Lilo & Stitch,” based on the popular animated series.

He also has been a teacher at Iolani School. …

Readers Theatre nestles at TAG

The Windward Readers Theatre has found a comfy city home – TAG, aka The Actors group at Dole Cannery in Iwilei — for its ongoing series of shows.

Next up: “About Time,” a warm dissertation of aging between a couple struggling with life and love as they face mortality,  at 7:30 p.m. Monday through Wednesday (Nov. 27, 28, 29).

The piece, by Tom Cole, will be directed by stage veteran Vanita Rae Smith, who has tapped a pair of theatrical vets —  retirees Dwight Martin and Joyce Maltby (pictured here) –to portray the couple facing challenges of aging.

Performances are in the Brad Powell Theatre.

Tickets: $20, available at https://fareharbor.com/embeds/book/tag/items/486451/calendar/2023/11/ …

On the road again…

Entrepreneur Jack Cione (pictured below) is on the road again. Well, on the high seas again.

He’s leaving today (Thursday, Nov. 2) on a 25-day Norwegian cruise, initially taking another ‘round the neighbor islands trek, with Tahiti and the South Seas as his final destination.

Cione, an Arcadia resident, will utilize the journey to tweak his script entitled, “Sweet Leilani,”

hoping to eventually find a venue for the show.

“I have to get away,” he said of his frequent ocean vacations, because he no longer can fly on long trips without a stopover.

He also has logged a string of staycations, monitoring Waikiki room rates. The last was at the Kahala Resort. …

Broadway grosses for week ending Oct. 22

It was pretty much a replay of last week: the leaders still lead. The lion still is king of the Broadway jungle, but the witchery of “Wicked” – celebrating its 20^th anniversary – could join the million dollar club next week.

The Top 10:

1 –“The Lion King,” $2,064 million.

2—“Wicked,” $1,922 million.

3—“Merrily, We Roll Along,” $1,840 million.

4—“Hamilton,” $1,767 million.

5—“Sweeney Todd, the Demon Barber of Fleet Street,” $1,583 million.

6—“MJ the Musical,” $1,579 million.

7—“Aladdin,” $1,264 million.

8—“Moulin Rouge: the Musical,” $1,118 million.

9—“Harry Potter and the Cursed Child,” $1,113 million.

10 –“Back to the Future the Musical,”$1,055 million.

The full list, courtesy the Broadway League:

And that’s Show Biz. …