wayneharada.com

It’s not too often that three members of one family wind up performing in a hit musical.

But the Hicks family – dad, mom and daughter – is enjoying the experience of working together in Diamond Head Theatre’s “Les Misérables,” a bona fide audience favorite. The production has been held over several times, with the final show set for Aug. 23. No sense trying to score tickets; the musical has been a sell-out since it opened  in July.

Daughter Lainey Hicks, who is cast as the adult Cosette, has the largest role among her clan, and performs “A Heart Full of Love”  and “In My Life.” She recently completed her  freshman year at the University of Northern Colorado, and apparently had submitted a video audition tape for “Les Miz,” because she was away at college and unable to try out in person.

“We didn’t tell her she got cast, until she was home,” said Mary Chesnut Hicks, her mom and a theater veteran in local stage productions. She is in the ensemble in “Les Miz” and  has many costume changes, and she’s constantly all over the stage, with cheerful singing and spirited dancing,

Dad Kalani Hicks is Montparnesse, in Thernardier’s gang in “Les Miz,” but has performed in a number of shows over decades, often with his wife.

For DHT’s fall season opener, Mary Chesnut Hicks is already prepping for next biggie, appearing as Golde, the wife of Tevye (Garrett Hols), in the popular  “Fiddler on the Roof,” launching DHT’s 2026-27 season, on Sept. 25…

The “Fiddler” principal cast:

Garrett Hols, Tevye;

Mary Chesnut Hicks, Golde;

Marie Staples, Tzeitel;

Salote Vgaha’I; Hodel;

Anya Teruya, Chava;

Hayden Lau,  Shprintze;

Leia Kandell, Bielke;

Kara Katayama, Shprintze/Bielke (understudy/alternate);

R. Andrew Doan, Lazar Wolf;

Betty Bolton, Fruma Yente;

Ricky Kozafk, Perchik;

Karsyn Wentzell, Fyedka;

Kyle Conner, Motel;

Ricky Kozak, Perchik.

Ensemble and featured roles:

Emily SL Silver, Shaindel;

Beatrix Colvin, Rivka;

Ron Heller, Rabbi;

Presley Wheeler, Mendel;

Lee Nebe, Mordcha;

Callie Doan, Surcha:

Andrew Cheng, Shloime;

Nikki Bagaw, Berille;

Al Linton, Nachum:

Brianna Johnston, Mirala;Aidan Cheng, Hershel;

Sydney Branch, Bluma:

Elodie Moranf-Rey, Sima;

Joshua Michaels, Moishe;

Celia Chun, Fredel:

Charlie Barnhill, Yitzuk;

Brandon, Brandon;

Noah Alcantara, Schmeril:

Brianna Johnston, Mirala:

Aidan Cheng, Hershel;

Sydney Branch, Bluma;

Elodie Moran-Rey, Sima.

The creative team:

Roberta Stephens Satori and David  Weaver, co-directors.

Roberta Stephens Satori, choreographer;

Jenny Shiroma, music director….

The playdates: Sept. 25 through Oct.11.Single ticket sales begin Aug. 17.

Tickets: $39 to $66; single ticket sales begin Aug. 18.

Visit the DHT box office at www.diamondheadtheatre.com or call (808) 733-0274…

And that’s Show Biz…

Who: Went to see my cardiologist, Dr. Gregg Yamada where I had  an EKG test in his office.

What: Dr. Yamada hastily called Queen’s ER, made arrangements to quickly report to ER, for ultrasound testing on my sciatic right leg to detect possible blood clots.

When: Tuesday, Aug. 4.

Why: I discussed my earlier and somewhat traumatic ER visit on July 17,  which was preceded  by a painful plane ride home from York.

Where: Queen’s ER is where you seek treatment but need blind faith —  to wait at least half a day.

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Unless you’re bleeding or have a life-threatening event like a heart attack, the Queen’s ER is not a place you want to be as you await medical attention.

I was somewhat lucky this time; a doctor’s insistent call is like getting an upgraded room; by the time I reached the ER, the check-in desk had my name, medical cards data, and even weight, because of my previous visit. I was wheelchaired into one of those cubicles with a gurney-bed, and the partitioned space is like a private suite of sorts.

The last time I was there, I had to do the manual check-in, and I was wheeled to  an uncomfortable hard-plastic seat against the hallway, where other folks awaiting attention were side-by-side in the corridor.  There’s little or there’s no privacy or an amenity like a comfy mini-sofa.

Patience and perseverance are virtues when you’re admitted to ER; you wait and wait and wait some more. I was there for five hours in July, where the doctor checked out my severe right leg pain, and prescribed 2.5 mg of oxycodone for relief. It worked, but not for long. I must have been traumatized by the pain, because I didn’t – maybe couldn’t? – make a trek to the hallway restroom, and the hallway was frigid because of the air-conditioning. I was just about ready to request a blanket, when a nurse came by to advise that I would be released shortly, which was about 15 minutes later.

I share these reactions just in case you wind up at Queen’s ER.  It is unlike TV Emergency Rooms, certainly not like “The Pitt,” the remarkable HBO Max streaming show with overstated tension and high ratings which has jump-started Noah Wylie’s  career with Emmy Awards to boot.

At my most recent visit on Aug. 4, I was offered (ditto, my wife) a heated blanket for comfort, and I was able to recline and “sleep” while I waited and waited for some medical attention.  About two hours later, someone came to draw blood, and I suggested which vein should be poked, since that’s where all my blood checks function best. Six vials were taken, and then the waiting continued.

For the record, I visited the restroom three times; a wheelchair was parked in front of my portal, but for third trek, Vi had to go searching for an available wheelchair. When I returned from my pee biz, a nurse —  unsure who she was, or her work status —  made a snarly comment, “You going again?”  I said,  “It depends. I don’t know for sure.” To which she surmised, “We should bring you a bottle,” and disappeared down the hallway, never returning with the suggested “bottle.”  I thought her attitude, given the situation, was negative and nasty and shamelessly unprofessional.

I was getting a bit hungry, but there’s no snack window or any kind of food service in ER, so Vi trekked  to the Starbucks concession inside the main lobby of Queen’s and she had to take a round-about  route, because the lone public elevator, which connects ER with the Queen’s main lobby and valet parking. I don ‘t suggest packing a bento if you’re bound for the ER, but a snack or two might be kosher. FYI, ER has been under construction renovation for months now, and no one seems to know when the job will be completed and when the lone elevator will be functional again.

During the fourth hour of waiting, someone finally arrived to do the ultrasound test to detect blood clots, if available.  The device included little metallic heads that are run up and down, with gel, down the leg; there’s a round of strange noises, and the procedure lso is recorded on a computer screen.

So with this ultrasound test over, I figured I might see the light at the end of the tunnel. But had to wait some more for the results. I don’t recall the time, but happily, two aides soon stopped by to say, “no clots.”  Or translation: “You will be released.”

Earlier, I had asked several nurses about what kind of timetable I would be facing, and all of ‘em said these tests done when it’s time to do them; and  there’s no rule on who or what  will be on the agenda, so yes, patience is what you need to get through the day.

After about five hours, a nurse brought the documents for patient release, so I was finally able to check out and grab a meal. The nurse was kind enough to whisk me on a wheelchair through the back roads of Queen’s Hospital, to head – with valid ID she could  swipe to open doorways to access elevators – to reach the Same Day Surgery region, which is a stone’s throw from valet parking. I pray and hope that I don’t have another ER visits anytime soon; I’ve had my quota for the year.

For all the times that I’ve seen and have become absorbed in the mythic narrative and provocative themes  of “Les Misérables,” I’ve always felt that the symbolic barricade –where lives of actors intersect and intervene – was a key character and force that helped define the Victor Hugo story.

In Diamond Head Theatre’s mostly brilliant staging of “Les Miz,” the world’s most popular love story unfolds  — with words and music by Alain Boublil and  Claude Michel Schonberg — and retains the power and potency of a wartime  epic that combines the compelling story of political idealism, redemption, sacrifice, social injustice, romance and death.

The centrifugal force is that blessed barricade, a hallmark of all “Les Miz” productions, because a lot happens on, in, and around the life-changing epicenter of the battles.

But DHT’s barricade is somewhat underwhelming in this production; set designer Willie Sabel’s creation comprises sectors of stairs and portals seen throughout the set movements, with a few add-on household “debris,” but the structure lacks evidence of throw-away junk and scars of a battle. Shouldn’t  the barricade reflect pockmarks from wayward war bullets, broken or burnt pieces of lumber, and other elements of a structure that has earned its battle stripes?

The barricade is where  Gavroche (Maliona Na’aauoa, a she, did the role at the performance I attended, but she alternates with Philex Kepa), risks limbs and life, climbing down the enemy side of the barricade, to gather unfired ammo to toss to the soldiers – and where Gavroche is shot.

Further, Eponine (Ainsley Shearer) takes a bullet at the barricade too, the first victim of the battle.

Of course, Valjean delivers his show-stopping “Bring Him Home” in  the shadows of the barricade when the students rest amid the comfort of the barricade, and that moment is a key demonstration of the magnetism running through the corridors.

The unexpected fall of the revolutionary soldier Enjolras (Mike Broud) and the sacrificial demise of Eponine  (Ainsley Shearer) suggest that the barricade also is an unintended showcase of political martyrdom.

Director-choreographer Doug Kreeger has gathered a splendid circle of actors including the likes of Fedorov, making his DHT debut in the pinnacle role that requires strength and passion, and the sweet voice demonstrated in “Bring Him Home” is the “pièce de resistance’’ in the soundtrack.

Ver, the second lead character who, as, Javert also projects a remarkably compelling voice; he shares a gentle side, too, demonstrated by his luminous strength in that  vocally glowing “Stars.”

Kreeger, as director and choreographer, is a honcho not only for vocal/acting but dance/movement. He also embraces the politics of the era with the prevailing climate of today, where conflict and compassion may exist in a nook or a huddle.

The key “dance” element of “Les Miz” is the contagious “Do You Hear the People Sing” midway in the show, when all props and scenery are removed for the  unifying dance of humanity. Emotionally, you just don’t hear the people sing, but feel ‘em, too.

Along the way, “Les Miz” is a jewel showcase of precious musical gems. As Fantine, Mehana Stone’s “I Dreamed a Dream” is fueled by a mood of painful desperation and expiration.

In a show that boasts so many signature tunes, add “On My Own,” Eponine’s moment of glory to the list, and she virtually is on her own in her sweet stage solo.

As the adult Cosette, Lainey Hicks is blessed with a pair of evocative  and delicate love tunes, “In My Life” and  “A Heart Full of Love.”

Little Cosette (Mazzy Meers, in the show I saw, alternating with Madison Abe-Rivera), performs “Castle on a Cloud” with aplomb.

Then there are the Thenardiers; Lelea‘e “Buffy” Kahalepuna–Wong as Madame is an astounding burst of hilarity and energy, and when coupled with Presley A. Wheeler as Thenardier, he completes a two-member circus of wild and whimsical non-stop laughs and lunacy. Don’t know if you caught it, but he tossed in a naughty spiel in the show I saw, but there’s nothing offensive about the bond and nonsense the Thenardiers share and deliver. They sing, they prance, they steal the show.  

The technical crew delivers the goods, and happily, DHT’s turntable stage gets steady usage throughout the show. It’s an effective decision, too, to stationing the 14 piece orchestra  conducted by Jenny Shiroma, on stage; its tiny lights often add a sense of starry night twinkles in nocturnal moments.

Kudos, too, to  Chris Gouveia (lighting design), Jericho Sombrio (sound design), Emily Lane (costume design), Aiko Shick (hair and makeup design), Kyle Conner (props  design), and Jasmine Haley Anderson (fight choreography and intimacy coordinator).

One final niggling point: The red flag utilized in the student/soldier marches and rallies is bit tiny, lacking impact. Methinks the flag should be double or triple its size, to elevate the esprit of the rallies…

And that’s Show Biz…

“Les Misérables”

What: a musical by Alain Boublil and Claude-Michel Schonberg, based on the wartime novel by Victor Hugo

Where: Diamond Head Theatre

When: Remaining performances on these dates: Aug. 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 13, 14 15, 16. 20,, 21, 22 and 23.

Tickets: The run is sold out, but for possible cancellations and availability, go to www.diamondheadtheatre.com  or call (808) 733-0274

Let’s talk pain, and how best to treat it.

On my 11-hour return from New York earlier this month, I didn’t quite find the proper leg position in my first class seat. So several days after getting home, I had an excruciating bout with my problematic right leg afflicted with sciatica.

The lack of sleep, triggered by a family in coach right behind me, added to the horror. Two howling, screeching, screaming and noisy  daughters, around 3 to 4 and perhaps 5 to 6, were highly temperamental  and  agitated,  with parents unable to quell the noise to show respect to the rest of the flight. I asked a flight attendant if there was a possible solution, and she rolled her eyes. Interfering to the chaos could put the airliner in jeopardy.

 So yes, I tried to find refuge after the flight, but wound up visiting Queen’s ER department, desperate for some kind of relief to halt or at least diminish the worst leg and feet pain I had, even more sore than my chronic lower back pain.

New pain, new treatment, new experience.

I discovered I had severe vascular calcification in my right leg – with soreness that my usual go-to pain relief pills, Tylenol extra-strength, didn’t have the power of healing.

I could not stand on my right leg – I regularly rely on a walker for strength and support – I named the device Mr. Walker, some years ago – but this time, Mr. Walker could not do its trick. When I placed my foot down for the doctor monitoring my discomfort, it was so painful, like stepping on cracked glass.

The only way I could stand up on the painful leg was when the doctor prescribed a lesser-strength (2.5 mg) dose of oxycodone. Within a quick moment, I was able stand up straight, without experiencing the earlier pain.

It’s a pain killer that rarely is prescribed, for obvious reasons. The reality, however, is that it works. I have not taken the remaining minimal prescription Queen’s ordered for me at Longs.

I since have ordered a mail-order magnesium gel that supposedly targets sciatic pain, but it’s hit and miss. I also utilize another rub-on treatment, with on-and-off satisfaction.

Meanwhile, I’ve had blood tests to address the severe vascular calcification, which was not in my vocabulary before, and I have regular physical therapy sessions at Ortho Sport to strengthen the sciatic leg. The PT  has been beneficial, perhaps more emotionally that actually, but I don’t expect a quick-fix of the sore leg.

I realize any kind of ailment and treatment have mixed results, just as surgery can be a plus or a minus.

I’m still looking for that magic – and legal – pain killer that would ease the hurt and reduce the aches, perhaps a day at a time. I have a friend in Mr. Walker – who, by the way, has flown first class three times since he entered my life – and no matter what, I treasure his support and confidence.

I’m also at the crossroads to possibly resume acupuncture treatment. Something’s got to work.