Category: Updates

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MVT’S ‘MAYAH:’ ‘SO ONO FOR YOU!’

Bettah late den nevah.

OK, I wen’ go see – finally – Lee Cataluna’s “Da Mayah” last night (Oct. 4) at Manoa Valley Theatre.

My season tickets back in September conflicted with another event, and this local-style, loco-storytelling hit show was so popular, it was impossible to score seats. Small theater, das why, but MVT wen’ add two more shows this weekend, so I booked front row seats but I’m  so sorry I no can advise you to go see this outrageous and hilarious tale about one dude named Lester Perez (Devon Nekoba) because the show closed with a matinee today (Oct. 5).

Deven Nekoba, as Lester

Lester was the first Hilo mayah elected, a conniving, even incompetent leader who is out-of-control and one buggah with hidden secrets. So yep, there are political darts, but lots more about life and lore of island life, like work skeds, plate lunches, and trust.

OK, pau with trying to sound like Cataluna. “Da Mayah” was her first-ever play, concocted to fulfill a playwriting class assignment, and  was first produced by Kumu Kahua in 1998 and originally directed by R. Kevin Garcia Doyle. He also directed this MVT revival;  he either has little on his plate, but clearly,  he adores loves the cadence of Cataluna’s ability to make everyone smart in the local lingo, and the reunion is wonderful.

Elexis Draine, as Sandra,

The laughs are plentiful. The exaggerations are real. The actors must speak Cataluna-ese since the lines cascade out smoothly like Akala Falls.

The first person you see/meet is Jazzmin (Karen Kuioka Hironaga), who runs a washerette and a karaoke joint, and she’s quite savvy in recruiting audience members seeking their seats to sing.  She repeats her quest to sign up more karaoke singer at intermission, and yep, Jazzmin is a jewel in what she has to do. She even lured director Doyle to sing “Sweet Caroline,” a natural choice, since everyone knows when to chime in,“whoa whoa whoa.”

The true star of the show is Sandralene (Elexis Draine), the mayor’s assistant who writes his speeches, monitors his calendar and simply is his right-hand-man who is not properly rewarded or recognized for all the damage control she’s done.

Kalani (Sharon Garcia Doyle) and Kanani (Juvy Lucina) provide hilarious moments and they surely help the show to roll along; they often push the pair of rotating stages, created by set designer Kevin Keaveney, to change the four performing spaces, including the mayor’s office and Jazzmin’s dual launderette and karaoke bar.

Matthew Miller, as Stanton

Dukie (Stu Hirayama) and Stanton (Matthew Miller) are the quirky gents in the play. Dukie is the cousin of Sandralene, she learns that Derek Pang, an unseen rival of the mayor, lands an undeserved spot in the administration. Further, the mayor wants him eradicated.

Enter, Stanton, the hit man who has emotional baggage and  a long rap sheet, who is tasked to murder Derek;  Stanton also harbors a thing for Sandra. Whoa, whoa, whoa.

Further, there’s a sole tune, “So Ono for You” (words by Cataluna, music by Roslyn Catracchia), staged and sung late in the show.

On another note, it’s great that MVT has reinstated its playbill; now it’s a two-sheeter, folded to create eight pages, and guess what: the customary bios and mugshots of actors (sorry, techies, you are credited minus the bio-mugs) have been revived, presumably for the entire season. Been something I’ve advocated since the pandemic that it was the theater’s responsibility to provide brief notes and pics of the performers and even technicians, as a thank you for those on and off stage, and of course, the show patrons, too. Previously, the  data was fully shared only online, not in the handbills provided at the performances, so applause, please, for the comeback. Thanks, Jeff Portnoy and the MVT board…

‘Hamilton’ tops chart, lone $3 million play

For the week ending Sept. 28, “Hamilton” is the lone member of the Broaday $3 million club.

The Top 10:

1–“Hamilton,” $3.773 million

2–“Wicked,” $2,003 milion

3–“ART,” $1.648 million

4–“Mamma Mia,” $1.645 million

5–“The Lion King,” $1.586 million

6–“Waiting for Godot,” $1.618 million

7–“Oh, Mary!,” $1.328 million

8–“Just in Time,” $1.309 million

9–“Death Becomes Her,” $1.295 million

10–“Maybe Happy Ending,” $1.169 million

The complete gross list, courtesy the Broadway League:

And that’s Show Biz…

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FOR FALK, ‘THE BUCK STOPS HERE’

Willy Falk, best known for creating the role of Chris in the hit musical, “Miss Saigon,” is going presidential in his next stage endeavor. He’ll portray Harry S. Truman in William Spatz’s “Truman vs. Israel: Abzug and the Undressing of Truman,” making its Off-Broadway world premiere at the Theater at St. Clements, with previews beginning Oct. 9 preceding the formal launch Oct. 16 in a limited run through Jan. 4, 2026.

Willy Falk, formerly of Honolulu, is cast as Harry Truman in “Truman vs. Israel” in New York.

“He  (Truman) was impressive in his no-nonsense approach to leadership and decision-making,” said Falk, recalling what was said in history books. “‘The Buck Stops Here!’ was his famous slogan. The only president without a college education, Truman took over the presidency from FDR very soon after being sworn-in as VP and during WWII.“

Pres. Harry S. Truman

Truman was the nation’s 33rd  and 34th president, serving from 1945 to 1953. As vice president to Franklin D. Roosevelt, he assumed the presidency in 1945 after FDR’s death.

In the play, Falk is featured with Helen Laser as Bella Abzug, an American lawyer, politician, social activist, and a leader in the feminist  movement. The cast also features Matt Caplan and Mark Lotito, with  Randy White directing.

The work centers on the little-known political clash behind the creation of the Jewish state during the Truman administration.

“He was put in a position of great importance and had some very weighty decisions to make within weeks of becoming President,” said Falk. “What I did not remember, and this play delves into quite a bit, was his role in being ‘The Father of Modern Israel.’ During his second term, he was the first world leader to recognize The State of Israel and its eventual formation, in partnership with the United Nations.”

Falk is widely known for musical roles; he was Tony-nominated for “Miss Saigon,”  but his theater credits include “Les Misérables,” “The Phantom of the Opera,” “Aida,” and “Marilyn.” Most recently, he appeared in “And Just Like That.”

A graduate of Punahou School, Falk was somewhat surprised to learn Truman played piano “quite well,” but “I did know that he worshipped his only child, Margaret, and was a big fan of her singing. Though critics were often not.”

Falk said he has been auditioning for singing and non-singing roles during this stage of my life. “By and large, more interesting roles are written for mature actors in plays and movies than in musicals,” he said. “Having said that, I am lucky enough to be concurrently workshopping a new musical that has a cantankerous older man as the lead, so who knows? 

“But, right now, I am excited about ‘Truman vs. Israel’ because I find this piece to be challenging, topical, and well-written.”

As a singer in theater, Falk admits that it’s easier to learn lyrics than memorize extensive text and spoken lines in s dramatic play.

“Learning songs is easier for me,” said Falk. “It might be because there’s a tune to remember the words, and there are rhyme schemes that help you to remember what line comes next.

“What helps me to get the lines (and I have over 75 pages to learn right now) is to have a clear idea of why your character is saying what they say.”

Part of his drill to absorb text? “Listening is part of acting, what you are hearing spurs what you answer. Having that knowledge helps to bring the words to life and, with any luck,  to mind. After that…it’s practice, practice, practice!”

Why did he seek this particular role/play?

“It is always a special gift to have a juicy role in front of a New York audience. Where it may lead is up to the ‘Theatre Gods!’”

Is the Broadway musical still a viable option, even if it’s a revival?

“Folks have been predicting the demise of the Broadway musical for many decades, and yet it survives,” said Falk.  “Certainly, it goes through changes and phases, but there will always be something magical about hundreds of people, sitting peacefully, side by side in the dark, watching a live performance. I have had people come up to me decades after seeing one of my Broadway shows and tell me that they still feel strongly about the memories of that. It is something very special.”

Rehearsals for “Truman” started Sept. 15 and the first preview will be Oct. 9.  “They didn’t tell me I had to be off-book, but there is just SO much that I could not start without most of it memorized.  Just the other day, I got some revisions…so I am already un-learning as well as learning.  All part of the process!”

He thanks his spouse for moral support, patience and understanding.

“My husband of 21 years, Andrew (Steiner) is always supportive of my career in every way,” said Falk.  “A funny story: He already bought tickets, in the front row, for opening night of ‘Truman vs. Israel.’ I said ‘Front row!! Andrew, that could be distracting!’” 

His answer: “No, it won’t bother me at all!!”

And that’s Show Biz…

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Tickets to “Truman vs. Israel” are available via OvationTix.

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FRED HONDA, HOTELIER, DIES AT 95

Fred Honda, veteran Hawaii hotelier who was general manager of the Halekulani Hotel, died Sept. 7 at Loveland, Colo. He was 95.

He was a popular fixture in the hospitality community here and known for his generosity and gentle manner.

Honda’s career began with the Sheraton Hotel, and he also was a prominent manager of the Oahu Country Club. He held positions at Amfac Hotels and Resorts and served as general manager of the Kapalua Bay Hotel on Maui.

Fred Honda

While at the Halekulani, he oversaw the hotel’s property renewal projects that included the Vera Wang Suite as well as SpaHalekulani, popular fixtures for the hotel’s upscale visitors. He retired from the Halekulani in 2005 and relocated to Loveland.

Fred met his wife Julia, at the time of the opening of the Sheraton Maui at Kaanapali, when he was the hotel’s controller. Julie worked at the front desk.

They were married on Oct. 8, 1965, on Maui, and they become a significant hotel industry team, relocating to several properties in such cities as Burlingame and San Francisco. The Hondas celebrated their 50th wedding anniversary in 2015.

Julia and Fred Honda

He was quiet, generous and  genial; she was graceful, kind, and a self-styled socialite, and  they supported each other’s careers. He had the Halekulani and other properties earlier; she founded the Kona Coffee Festival and was its beacon for years.

A Celebration of Life event will be held at 11:30 a.m. Sept. 27 in Loveland.

Survivors include daughters Patti Hokulani Honda-Davis  and Lee Ann Doering (from Fred’s earlier marriage); adult son, Kyle Kalani Honda, of Honolulu; and two grandsons, Travis Kanekoa Davis and Garet Kealii Davis.

And that’s Show Biz…

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DELIMA DELIVERS DELIGHTFUL ‘KIKO’

Leave it to comedian Frank DeLima, who either has too much time or too little patience, who’s been monitoring how Hurricane Kiko has been prancing over the seas.

Thus, his latest parody has emerged.  From his new Las Vegas residency, he’s been monitoring the current windy/rainy/humid weather in our midst the past few days.Thus, his latest parody has emerged.  From his new Las Vegas residency, he’s been monitoring the current windy/rainy/humid weather in our midst the past few days.

So he put on his thinking cap to create his newest refrain, “Hurricane Kiko,” with his usual lingo, exploring the winds and erratic rain dancing and prancing in our midst. No hurricane, happily.

Frank DeLima

If the name of the current visiting weather visitor sounds familiar, it should be; weather officials have tapped the name Kiko and has been utilized it for 14 earlier cyclonic storms in the past.

The current visitor which has been threatening us in Hawaii this year had origins in the Eastern Pacific and swished its way to our zone in the Central Pacific. And happily, it moved north and away from the Hawaiian islands, so we’re no longer in jeopardy.

Kiko is neither Japanese nor Hawaiian, but qualifies as a hapa happening —  half Japanese, half Hawaiian. According to Wikipedia, Kiko in Japanese is a feminine name meaning “child of joy” or “happy child.”  In Hawaiian, there’s neutrality; kiko as a spot or speck, and has been tapped as a name for Hawaiian monk seal, so it’s a versatile monicker.

Back to DeLima: he’s transformed the tune, “Born on the Bayou,” which was an earlier Creedence Clearwater Revival hit, with an original swamp-rock effect. It’s wholly different from DeLima’s delightful and fun version.

DeLima’s anthem is a bouncy beaut; he laments that Kiko is not fun, a son of a gun, and with his multi-language skills, he even works in “ikimasho,” meaning let’s go in Japanese.

Further, David Kauahikaua, DeLima’s longtime partner and savior in prepping and fine-tuning these parodies, turns in a stellar instrumental blanket for this effort.

So “ikimasho,” let’s tune in to DeLima’s ditty, before Kiko sails too far away.

Can’t share the “Hurricane Kiko”  video here, since posting a video is a no-can-doer in this column. To view the video, visit my Facebook page, https://www.facebook.com/wayne.harada.5

And that’s Show Biz…

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TRICK OR TREAT SEASON LOOMS

The season of witches and goblins looms.

Though Halloween is more than a month away, we’ve competed our project of producing lapel pins. Lots of ’em.

Which means folks on our mailing list are now beginning to receive mini-parcels of pins accentuated by images of ghouls, jack-o-lanterns, and oher icons of the bewitching season.

You’ll note, too, that the 2025 packaging is visually different — a sleeker format — with the pins snugly nestled in our usual celephane bag, without the crinkle of the past and minus a bow. This saves time, a bit of money and space. But not so much money; postal fees have spiraled; what was a $1.99 fee to mail a box of several pins a decade ago now is $6.00 (local) or $8.00 or more. The first mailing of 10 or 12 mini-boxes totaled $100. And subsequent mailings will include 80 to 85 boxes — and that’s just the postage!

Christmas, the jolliest of all seasons, could be the finale for distributing Wild Pins.