The History Of The Actors’ Group (TAG)

1994-1995



Compiling the history of any organization can be a great challenge, particularly when the core group is small and rather than chronicle events soon after each production was completed, had spent their energy towards merely keeping alive. So is the case with TAG. As it evolved from a creative curmudgeon to new theater kid on the block and then to becoming one of Hawaii's finest community theaters, all TAG could do was focus on its next production, for it had little time for anything else. Hence, this history has been cobbled together utilizing the recollection of participants at the time, dog-eared old files containing memorabilia and other information, photos that fortunately was taken then buried, newspaper articles, and recovered video footage that is often way past its prime if not damaged. Nonetheless, these are the sources to create the history of The Actors' Group, told in a series of posts chronicling time periods unique to its development.

Compiling the history of any organization can be a great challenge, particularly when the core group is small and rather than chronicle events soon after each production was completed, had spent their energy towards merely keeping alive. So is the case with TAG. As it evolved from a creative curmudgeon to new theater kid on the block and then to becoming one of Hawaii's finest community theaters, all TAG could do was focus on its next production, for it had little time for anything else. Hence, this history has been cobbled together utilizing the recollection of participants at the time, dog-eared old files containing memorabilia and other information, photos that fortunately was taken then buried, newspaper articles, and recovered video footage that is often way past its prime if not damaged. Nonetheless, these are the sources to create the history of The Actors' Group, told in a series of posts chronicling time periods unique to its development.

The Move To Yellow Brick Studio

After about a year at the university, TAG members Kinghorn and Langhoff later meet up with local filmmaker Jon Brekke and film editor Mike Powell, who tell them that they have an available space where TAG can work out of for an hourly price. They (Kinghorn and Langhoff) both agree that the move is beneficial and Kinghorn convinces Nemoto to move the group’s meeting place to Brekke’s and Powell’s locale. It is the bottom floor of a building in Kaka`ako that houses their offices. This space, called by Powell and Brekke, “The Yellow Brick Studio,” becomes TAG’s enclave for their acting sessions and monthly workshops featuring invited acting teachers. TAG sessions become a very popular acting activity for local artists and at its height draws over 30 actors each week. Among the acting teachers who provide monthly workshops at the new venue include Dave Winston Barge, Genie Joseph, Kimo Kahoano, Paul Gleason, Richard MacPherson, and Keone Young. Leilani Langhoff proves to be the main organizer of these workshops.

The Original Yellow Brick Studio – Where TAG Would Move To And Grow

The Acting Classes Continue

Old Archival Footage Of A Cold Read By Eric Nemoto & Jerry Hile In The Studio On Keawe Street

A word here should be said about Jerry Hile (see above). Jerry was a very active member of TAG before the group eventually transitioned to a performing arts group. He was the person who maintained the three boxes of scripts that were used for scene study, and took it upon himself to compile a listing of all of Dick Kindelon’s scripts so that it was easy to look up a scene for actors to perform. He categorized the scenes according to female and male scenes, two men scenes, two women scenes, female monologues, and male monologues. It was also Jerry who brought his video camera to film every scene. While in the end Jerry tired of scene study simply because it became too taxing to film the many actors who eventually attended TAG’s sessions, his immense contributions helped to keep the group going during its early years.

The Birth Of The Actors Ensemble

While TAG sessions became very popular, for the few who are coordinating it, it became somewhat of an administrative burden. Kinghorn and Langhoff, sometime in 1995 expressed their desire to grow and expand their own acting credentials and made a decision to move to Los Angeles. Nemoto acknowledged this and so began contemplating plans for how the group would continue after their departure. But then, literally at their “going away” party, one of the invited guests, Dave Winston Barge (see inset photo), who had been a periodic monthly TAG acting coach, says it’s too bad that they’re leaving because he thought they would want to be part of creating and producing original plays, something he has had much experience in doing. Winston Barge, an actor/dancer/director from New York and California, trained in drama therapy, convinces Leigh Ann and Leilani to stay, and along with Nemoto and others, transitions the group from being primarily an acting class to an acting ensemble that produces its own original productions based on story concepts that evolve through improvisational exercises. Dave Winston Barge thus became TAG’s first artistic director and called the actors he will come to direct, “The Actors Ensemble,” and the first core group includes Eric Nemoto, Leigh Ann Kinghorn, Leilani Langhoff, Lena Kaneshiro, Shannon Mauck, Beverly Kai, Bernadette Garcia, Jennifer Kang, Mark Brekke, and Audrey Stanzler. He directs them in “Dances For Two,” a showcase of scenes that debuts as TAG’s first ever play. Dave eventually arranges with Brad Smith, to have “Dances For Two” filmed and shown on Olelo, Hawaii’s community TV station, located Salt Lake area of Honolulu at 1122 Mapunapuna Street, Honolulu, HI 96819. So members of the cast spend a day filming their scenes in the Olelo studios and the production is eventually aired on community television.

**The Filmed Version Of Dances For Two, The Very First Stage Production Produced By TAG**

It should be noted that actors Jennifer Kang and Mark Brekke were not able to be a part of the filmed version of Dances For Two. Kang had done a monologue in the stage version so her absence did not affect other members of the cast. But Brekke had performed in a scene with Stanzler. This meant that Stanzler then transitioned to doing a monologue, along with actor William Hughes (whose name is misspelled in the film credits), who was added to the cast.

“Dances For Two,” the play, ran for four performances, on consecutive weekends in 1995, Saturday, May 25th, Sunday, May 26th, Saturday, April 1st, and Sunday, April 2nd, at TAG’s Yellow Brick Studio on Keawe Street. All performances were at 8:00 pm. As mentioned, the filmed version was soon produced thereafter (April 1995) by filmmaker Bradford “Brad” Smith, and his company, “The Ka’ala Group,” in the studios of “Olelo: The Corporation for Community Television.” As a side note, the quality of the filmed version is exceptional, considering it was filmed back in 1995. It serves as evidence of the quality of the film equipment and facilities of Olelo, and for filmmaker Brad Smith’s talents.

The Lineup Of Scenes For What Would Become First Stage Play Ever

At the time, it was just the beginning of a showcase for which the 10 participants involved, all novice actors making their stage debuts, were just nervously waiting in the wings to go on. The “wings” in the small confines of the original Yellow Brick Studio was merely the stairwell where the actors for the first act would be seated on its steps. At the time, all the actors cared about was making it through the night. But in retrospect, looking back over the perspective of 30 years (this recollection is being made in 2025), the event was incredibly momentous. For “Dances For Two” was the very first stage production produced by TAG. And the first actor who appeared in this production was Shannon Mauck (pictured inset right), which now distinguishes him as the first actor to perform in a TAG play. Shannon played a stalker who would appear through the curtains to the audience right and then approach the door to the then store room, which was used to depict the apartment door of the woman he was obsessed with, played by Bernadette Garcia. A hilarious moment happened during a show after opening night. Shannon’s character demonstrates his obsession by caressing the door as if it is Bernadette, and then subsequently proceeds to make subtle love to the door. This moment was brief for he is soon interrupted by the entrance of Bernadette, who first shakes her keys to signal her entrance. But of course during this one performance, Bernadette, distracted, had been delayed in entering, forcing Shannon to improvise and continue making love to the door. Just at the point when it was becoming uncomfortable (not only for the audience but for Shannon too), Bernadette realized that she needed to enter, and did, which finally prompted Shannon to bolt back from the door. It was a moment that all of the actors laughed about backstage after the show, where Shannon mentioned he felt he was taking the show towards another genre, if you know what he meant. 🙂 Shannon, as his photo from 2024 demonstrates, has literally not aged. He must have slipped into a time machine early on, for he looks like he could step back into his 1995 role during the current day.