The History Of The Actors’ Group (TAG)

2012-2013



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.

HSTC once again held its awards at the Koolau Ballroom for the 2011-2012 season, and the evening would see TAG’s “A Doll’s House” take in seven awards, among a total of 12 Po’okelas overall. These involved: Leading Male in a Play, Sam Polson, Harvey; Leading Female in a Play, Anemone Jones, A Doll’s House; Featured Female in a Play, Sara Cate Langham, A Doll’s House, and Reshawn Fields, Seven Guitars; Featured Male in a Play, Marc Cooper, Seven Guitars, and David Farmer, A Doll’s House; Ensemble Play, Southern Hospitality; Overall Play, A Doll’s House, and The Inspector General; Director of a Play, Brad Powell, A Doll’s House; Sound Design, Thomas Tochiki, A Doll’s House; Hair and Wig Design, Greg Howell, Seven Guitars. The award to Sam Polson was especially endearing as it was for the third time he did Harvey, and wherein the prior two times (2000-2001 and 2001-2002) he had been nominated for a Po`okela but did not win.

Parallel Realities – A Great Original Play From John Wythe White

Following the schedule model that TAG Artistic Director Brad Powell had developed over the years, which consistently showcased original plays, TAG opened the 2012-2013 season with John Wythe White’s spoof of the public relations community, “Parallel Realities.” This play was conceived by John in a Kumu Kahua Theatre workshop run by Dennis Carroll and Harry Wong Ill. They encouraged him to finish it, and Harry voluntarily continued to advise him through several subsequent revisions. Kumu then gave it a staged reading, but declined to produce it. In the summer of 2011, TAG workshopped the play, directed by David Farmer, and subsequently Brad Powell selected it for TAG production for the following season. John was greatly appreciative. In the play’s program, he thanked Dennis, David, Brad, and especially Harry, and was also grateful to his excellent cast, technicians, and friends who made “Parallel Realities” come to life on stage. For many years in Hawaii, John wrote copy for local advertising agencies, and spent a year as the Creative Director of a local PR firm that wanted to add an advertising component to its client services. He ventured to say that PR firms aren’t as blatantly deceitful as he portrays them in this play, but much of his material was based on personal experience. As with all comedy and satire, he said that he employed exaggeration both to entertain audiences and communicate truths. However, the exaggerations are not as extreme as one might want to believe.

Playwright’s Disclaimer: My fictional PR firm in the play is Pacific Resources, a name I came up with many years ago. I needed something that started with “P” and “R.” It is no more related to the recently-formed anti-Cayetano PAC, Pacific Resource Partnership, than I am to its executive director, John White. For the record, a company called Pacific Resources Inc. (PRI) was once The Gas Company’s parent. And: I am told that my fictitious TV station K-DEN was invented 30 years ago by Rap Replinger. Mahalo, Rap. But why am I writing this? As Margo Parrish says, “Truth is irrelevant.”

With “Parallel Realities,” John Wythe White introduced some great characters who were then portrayed by some great actors (the names of the actors are listed in parentheses): Margo Parrish (Aiko Chinen); Julie Gunderson (Eden Ferrer); Ted Peabody (Ron Heller); Brian Fong (Tony Young); Mitch Medeiros/Koken (Non deMello); Keahi White (S. Rick Crump); Sheila Rogers (Katherine Aumer); Local Man/ Announcer (Troy Apostol); Koken/Haole Man (Alan Picard); and the Announcer (Dann Seki).

The Playbill For “Parallel Realities”

The following is taken from the play program for “Parallel Realities.” John Wythe White – Playwright: John Wythe White (left in photo montage) has been writing in and about Hawaii for more than 40 years. His plays have been produced by Kumu Kahua Theatre and The Actors’ Group. His short stories have been published in Hawaii Review, Bamboo Ridge and Kaimana. His books are Short-Timers in Paradise, a collection of short stories, essays and a play (Anoai Press), and A High and Beautiful Wave, a novel (Mutual Publishing). His articles have appeared in Honolulu Magazine, Hana Hou!, Spirit of Aloha and the Honolulu Weekly. He reviewed theater for the Honolulu Star-Bulletin from 1985 to 1990. He has acted in plays for Kumu Kahua and TAG, many of the Latter directed by David Farmer. He lives in Haleiwa and hangs out in San Francisco. David C. Farmer – Director: David Farmer’s (center in photo montage) directing credits include the recently staged readings of Love, Loss, and What I Wore at MVT and Parallel Realities here at TAG, Mamet’s Romance and November, Albee’s The Goat or, Who is Sylvia?, On Golden Pond, The Actor’s Nightmare and Sister Mary Ignatius Explains It All For You, all with TAG. He most recently appeared as Dr. Rank in TAG’s A Doll House. He appeared last year in MVT’s August: Osage County as Charlie Aiken. He was a cast member of Kumu Kahua’s International Tour of Ka`iulani: A Cantata for the Theatre, which traveled to the 1990 Edinburgh Fringe Festival, Washington, D.C., and the Los Angeles Festival. He also appeared in Joe Moore’s Prophecy & Honor with Richard Dreyfuss and George Segal, among others. A member of Screen Actors’ Guild since 1987 and current board of directors’ member and officer of the Hawaii Local of SAG-AFTRA, his national television credits include appearances on the current and original Hawaii Five-0 and on A&E’s Biography in an episode about his aunt, Frances Farmer. Loren K. D. Farmer – Assistant Director/Sound Design/Photography: Loren Farmer (right in photo montage) has been a freelance photographer since 2002. She has been David Farmer’s A.D. for 22 years, and, directed him as “Clov” in Samuel Beckett’s Endgame.

Coming to the aid of John, David, and Loren was a great band of volunteers who made up the crew for “Parallel Realities.” These roles and responsibilities were filled by the following crew members (who are listed in parentheses): Stage Manager and Set Construction (Michelle Castillo); Set Design/Construction/Set Dressing/Koken (Andy Alvarado); Light Design (Thomas Tochiki); Light & Sound Operator (Dante Castillo and Chris Shimanoff); Costume Design (Carlynn Wolfe and Christine Valles); Props/Video Playback Operator/Koken/Haole Man (Alan Picard); and Production Manager (Laurie Tanoura).

The Star-Advertiser Review For “Parallel Realities”

About The Play: Margo Parrish, an executive with Pacific Resources, a public relations company in Hawaii, interviews a job applicant, Julie Gunderson. After passing a few hypothetical questions thrown to her, Julie is then brought into the office of Margo’s boss, Ted Peabody, during which he reveals his narcissistic personality and predatory nature. During his interview of Julie, we learn that she is new to the islands (two years) and recently divorced. To explain the company philosophy, Ted shares a PowerPoint presentation that stresses “billable hours.” Ted says Julie’s job is to bring in income. Julie thought her job was to serve her client. Ted says it’s the same thing. The interview concludes and Julie is hired. A slide presentation follows about “Maunawili Mountain Theatre,” which promotes combining a cemetery and theatre into one, and where people can buy interment plots in the seats of the risers that overlook the stage. Back in her office, Margo gives Julie her first task, working with intern Brian Fong, who will help her with “Duke’s Hawaiian Foods,” a Hawaiian fast food start up. They go to Julie’s office where Brian, an English major at UH who lives at home with his parents, reveals he’s not really into public relations, but is doing the internment for college credit. Later, back in Margo’s office, Julie learns that one of her clients, Paradise Dairy has dumped sewage in an Oahu marsh and the Sequoia Club will sue to stop it, something that Julie should have known about. Together, Julie and Margo discuss how they will spin this around. Paradise Dairy is shocked, dismayed, and outraged by these accusations, and in fact their environmental policies far exceeds those prescribed by law. They have spent over a quarter of a million dollars to clean up this mess. Julie asks if this is true. Margo responds that truth is irrelevant. She tells Julie to go out to the dairy with Brian and take photos of everything that can contribute to the storyline of Paradise fighting this problem. Later, in Ted’s office, Julie is congratulated for her work on the Paradise Dairy crisis. They made the news and Ted clicks on a recording of the broadcast, which shows Julie saying not only did Paradise Dairy not pollute the marsh, but it has been actively working to protect it, spending over a million dollars to do so. Impressed by her work, Ted says Julie has three minutes to convince him she can handle representing American Steel, who’s being accused by the Hawaii state government for the rust of Aloha Stadium. Julie clicks on another presentation that promotes the great technology of the steel being used and the incompetence of the state for improperly using it regardless of it being the truth. She seeks to put blame on the government and cites other state projects that would prove the state’s incompetence. Ted likes the strategy – feed the data to the media, they repeat it to the masses, and they embarrass the state into dropping the lawsuit. He tells Julie to go for it. This is followed by another marketing campaign produced by Pacific Resources promoting CANDO, the Caucasian American National Defense Organization, which shows a racist local being convinced that the haole patron he is trying to evict from his restaurant wasn’t responsible for all of the plagues (real or metaphorically) that historically impacted the islands. Next, Margo calls Julie and Brian into Ted’s office and admonishes them that they need to be working on how to turn Hawaii’s economic crisis into a positive thing. This leads to a meeting with Mitch Medeiros of Mahalo Ohana Kokua Enterprises (MOKE), Waikiki’s largest property owner, for a media training session. He is counseled on the main points he needs to stress – rail in Waikiki is bad and noisy, it will bring crime and homelessness, and it is too expensive. He participates in a mock interview where he confirms that he knows no matter what the question is, he is to respond with one of the three points. After Mitch goes through the session and leaves with Ted, Margo tells Julie and Brian that media training is not only one of the main things that Pacific Resources does, it is one of the most profitable. A subsequent news report then shows Margo being interviewed and saying that the steel of Pacific Resource’s client was not at fault, rather the state’s architect was. After watching the broadcast, Julie complains to Brian in her office that Margo stole her work and has taken all the credit, and angrily denounces what she thought should have been a team effort. Brian tells Julie that he thought after Margo’s Aina Haina Homeowner’s Association victory that she’d be good to rest on her laurels. Julie doesn’t know what he’s talking about. Brian explains that Margo effectively stopped beach access for the public by getting rid of street parking. Julie goes ballistic as this tactic was inspired by one of her answers to Margo’s hypothetical questioning during her first interview for her job. Later, back in Margo’s office, Julie and Brian get their next assignment, which is helping Mitch deal with complaints against his hotels about either mold or a toxic cleaning fluid. It is agreed that the spin will be that there is no real problem and that anything close to being one is contained to one room on one floor of one hotel. But aside from this what is the true source of the complaints? Margo says, their only problem is the one housekeeper who blew the whistle and is now in the hospital. Rather than show compassion, which is where Julie and Brian think Margo is headed, she instead says that the woman needs to be discredited. Brian reacts in disgust and asks about whatever happened to the truth? Margo replies that the truth doesn’t exist anymore. Margo tells them that they don’t need to prove anything anymore, they just need to spin it. After the meeting, Margo tells Julie that if Brian doesn’t curb his attitude, he’ll be fired. In her office, Julie tells Brian that Margo wanted to fire him but she talked her out of it. Brian says the job sucks and wants to leave. Julie wants him to stay because she needs him. Brian asks her how can she just tune out the fact that she’d be hurting people to just do her job. Julie can’t find an answer. Later, Margo visits Julie to tell her to wrap up whatever she’s doing to work with a new client, the Bank Of the Big Apple (BOPA), who seeks to evict a long time tenant on Merchant Street. Margo tells Julie her job is to convince the community that it is in their interests to let the bank take over the area. Julie wonders what are the reasons. Margo tells her the reasons are what Julie creates! Manufacturing consent essentially is what Margo wants Julie to do. While Julie disputes it, Margo says that what appears in the news is the work of PR companies. Julie calls Brian in to help her. He’s reluctant, tired of all the bullshit. But Julie convinces him to stay and they start to think up ideas. Later, Julie goes over the ad campaign with Margo, while Brian sits in. Julie proposes a multi-media campaign to convince people that this mainland bank knows how to do business in Hawaii and desires to use Brian as her consultant, since he’s a graduate of the University of Hawaii’s Hawaiian Immersion Program. Margo agrees to it, but wants to keep Ted, away on travel, out of the loop, for she wants all the credit. Later, Julie and Brian go over a presentation with Margo explaining how a number of Hawaiian words will come to be associated with BOPA. They listen to the audio of a commercial that communicates the service of BOPA using those words. Julie says it’s a powerful image campaign with a strong message. Margo says to run with it. She then assigns Julie to yet another account, the Citizens of Hawaii for Organized and Responsible Development (CHORD), an organization of bankers, real estate developers, tourist industry insiders, and construction industry movers and shakers, who need help to spread their corporate message. Julie says she’ll work on it. What follows is a commercial about CHORD. After, Margo expresses her concern that the Hawaiian words are correct in their meaning. Brian and Julie assure her that it is, but also explain that words have historically changed their meaning over the years. Next, Ted confronts Margo, after catching her going through his files. After first denying it, Margo admits that she was looking for evidence that Ted had been embezzling from the company. Ted eventually confesses, having to pay off a family for his pedophile behavior, and asks Margo how much she wants. She says, $100,000, plus some “incidentals,” which involve Ted satisfying Margo’s sexual desires on the spot. In the middle of their tryst, Ted answers the phone and finds that Julie has sabotaged them on the BOPA campaign. Back in Julie’s office, Brian and Julie celebrate. They stop to watch a news broadcast of the BOPA campaign which involves five separate commercials using Hawaiian words that are wrong, using meanings that rather than promote the company, are disparaging at best. Basically, the campaign is a disaster and the doors of Pacific Resources are closed until further notice. Later, Julie and Brian are back in Julie’s office, and Julie gets a call from Margo to get to her office. Julie goes, telling Brian to stay, as this involves just her. Margo asks Julie if she realizes how many people she put out of work, not to mention the fact that she has ruined Margo’s career. Her job was her life. She asks Julie if she didn’t like her job why didn’t she just quit? Julie responds that it was because someone had to do something about all the lies that were told just to get more clients. Margo explodes and pulls at Julie’s hair. Brian comes into the room and separates them. Margo warns Julie that she better live far away for she’ll never get a job in Hawaii, not even at McDonalds, and leaves. Another ad campaign appears. It is for the Hawaii Inter Island Catapult, and inter-island transport concept. Next, we see Julie and Brian having started a community newspaper, “The Weekly Mongoose.” Brian tells Julie that Margo has opened another ad company and has got all of Pacific Resource’s old clients back with her. Julie takes a cell call from her mother-in-law. Julie tells her that her actions have become local legend but that she hasn’t been sued. After she ends the call, Margo pays a visit and explains that she’s come out on top, part of the minority who control the communication to the majority. Julie tells her she made her choice and so did she and Brian. Margo says yes, but she chose to be a winner, and the two of them chose to be losers. As she leaves, Brian scoffs and tells Julie that Margo’s full of shit. Julie ends the play by saying, “Is she?”

The Cast Of “Parallel Realities”

“Parallel Realities” played for a total of 15 performances, playing at 7:30 p.m. on Thursdays through Saturday nights and at 2:00 p.m. on Sundays. It opened on Friday, August 10th, 2012 and closed on Sunday, September 2nd, 2012. It drew very good and consistent audiences who welcomed this refreshing new play.

“Parallel Realities” – John Wythe White’s Original Play In Its Entirety

A number of other individuals and groups came to the assistance of playwright John Wythe White and director David Farmer to bring “Parallel Realities” to its successful stage premiere. These were accorded “A Special Mahalo” in the play program and are listed here. To Nicole at Bikini Cafe for the marble table top, Bella Pietra and Manoa Valley Th1eatre for set pieces, Michelle and Dante Castillo for jumping in and helping on so many levels, Leon, Ryan Oshiro, Jonelle and Terry Oshiro for set work, to the Hawai’i Arts Alliance for props, to Eric Nemoto and Terry Hunter for getting the PSA done, to Jason Taglianetti and HPR for sound recordings, to Loren Farmer for photography, and to Greg Howell, who is not able to assist with this show but is in our hearts and prayers. And to those who helped make the video – Terry Hunter on camera, David Farmer, Director, PowerPoint, and graphics and Rachel Heller, Editor.

Eden Ferrer Was Julie, Ron Heller Was Ted, And Aiko Chinen Was Margo In “Parallel Realities”

Young Playwrights Festival II – An Encore Of Talented Youth

The “Young Playwrights Festival” was initially staged at the end of TAG’s 2009-2010 season and was a great success. It provided a great production experience to the young students who participated, who were able to participate in all aspects of bringing a stage play to life. Because of the success of this event, another festival was scheduled for TAG’s 2012-2013 season. As with the original production, the “Young Playwrights Festival II” was sponsored by the VSA (Very Special Arts) of Hawaii-Pacific. VSA Hawaii-Pacific strives to create and maintain a community where people with disabilities can learn though, participate in, and have access to the arts. VSA Hawaii-Pacific provides, promotes, and furthers arts centered activities in inclusive settings for people with and without disabilities can experience the arts together. As part of their mission, VSA provided another grant to TAG for the purposes of inviting middle school and high school students to take a closer look at the world around them and express their views through the art of play writing. Like in the original production, the plays of four young playwrights would be selected to be performed, and other participants would participate as actors and/or members of the crew. The four young playwrights and their plays were: Briana Grenert and “Dawn Of A New Paradigm,” Zoe Cook and “What Is Right And Who Is Left,” Jacob Steiner and “War Zone,” and Kivalu Ramanlal and “Computing 4 Life.” “Dawn” dealt with two people meeting at a bus stop and the events that this leads to. “Right and Left” involved a young woman confined to a wheelchair meeting up with a mysterious man in an airport. “War” was about James, who in WWI talks to a friend while surrounded by dead bodies. “Computing” told the story of an altogether common problem of the day, when a young man spends too much time on his computer.

The Playbill For The Return Of The “Young Playwrights Festival”

The “Young Playwrights Festival II” was fortunate to bring forth of a bevy of enthusiastic actors who supported the four young playwrights, who were divided up into the separate casts for each play. These were Oliver Krystic, Jennifer Fachan, Taylor Millwood, Katherine Jacobs, Ryan Chaffee, Dante Castillo, Clay McDermott, Ryan Guinan, Sabre-Reyn Nakaahiki, Rusty Arnold, Nichole Bowen, and Michael Brutsch.

The Young Playwrights (Clockwise From Top) – Kivalu Ramanlal, Jacob Steiner, Zoe Cook, Briana Grenert

The “Young Playwrights Festival II” was led by mentors Brad Powell and Robert St. John, who led the productions of “Dawn Of A New Paradigm” and “War Zone,” and Laurie Tanoura and Kathy Bowers, who were in charge of the productions for “What Is Right And Who Is Left?” and “Computing 4 Life.” In addition, Andy Alvarado was in charge of Set Construction, Carlynn Wolfe and Chris Valles headed up Costumes, and Thomas Tochiki took care of Lighting and Sound.

A Collage Of Photo Shots Of Showing The Production Of The “Young Playwrights Festival II”

The performances of the “Young Playwrights Festival II” played over four dates. It played at 7:30 p.m. on Thursday through Saturday nights, September 6th, 2012 through September 8th, 2012, and on Sunday (closing performance), September 9th, 2012. Its large cast of participants attracted a good number of attendees, which was greatly fueled by the support of friends and family members.

The Star-Advertiser’s “On The Scene” Article About The “Young Playwrights Festival II”

To read any of the plays produced in the “Young Playwrights Festival II,” click on each of the titles: Briana Grenert’s “Dawn Of A New Paradigm,” Zoe Cook’s “What Is Right And Who Is Left,” Jacob Steiner’s “War Zone,” and Kivalu Ramanlal’s “Computing 4 Life.”

“The Young Playwrights Festival II” – A Great Experience For TAG & Everyone Else

Anna – The Reprise Of Nancy Moss’ Play About Anna Akhmatova

TAG’s next play was a reprise of a successful production previously in 2001-2002, Nancy Moss’ “Anna,” the play about Russian Poet, Anna Akhmatova (pictured left), who is considered one of the most significant poets of the 20th century. Akhmatova was nominated for the Nobel Prize in Literature in 1965 and 1966, for her work, which ranges from short lyric poems to intricately structured ones such as Requiem, which is considered her masterpiece about the Stalinist terror. Akhmatova was condemned and censored by Stalinist authorities, but despite this, chose not to emigrate and remained in the Soviet Union, acting as a witness to the events around her. Her themes included meditations on time and memory, and the difficulties of living and writing in the shadow of Stalinism. Many of those who were close to her died in the aftermath of the revolution and Akhmatova’s first husband, Nikolay Gumilyov, was executed by the Soviet secret police, and her son Lev Gumilyov and her common-law husband Nikolay Punin spent many years in the Gulag, where Punin would come to die.

Although best-known as the pre-eminent translator of the great Russian poet, Anna Akhmatova, Judith Hemschemeyer had achieved recognition as a poet long before that. She has published four poetry collections: I Remember the Room Was Filled with Light (Wesleyan University Press, 1973); Very Close and Very Slow (Wesleyan University Press, 1975); The Ride Home (Texas Tech University Press, 1987); and Certain Animals (Snake Nation Press, 1998). A book of her short-stories, The Harvest, was published by Pig Iron Press in 1998. It was in 1973 that she first encountered the poems of Akhmatova, becoming so enchanted by them that she studied Russian in order to translate them into English, a project that took thirteen years. Her Complete Poems of Anna Akhmatova (see the photo of her book cover at right), a two-volume, bilingual, hard-cover edition, was published in 1990 by Zephyr Press, followed by three English-only paperback editions and a selected bilingual edition. With this awe-inspiring achievement behind her, she continues to teach Creative Writing and Literature as a professor in the English department at the University of Central Florida, and to provide readers with new poems. (internationalpsychoanalysis.net)

The Playbill For The Reprise Of “Anna”

The reprises of “Anna” was produced with two outstanding actors in the lead roles, whose characters meet and fall in love even if only on a platonic level. Terri Madden (left in photo montage) was cast as the poet, Anna Akhmatova, and Scott Francis Russell (right in photo montage) was tapped to play the British Professor, Isaiah Berlin. Madden had retired from a career in real estate (an award winning, top producing realtor for 16 years) to return to school to prepare for a career in drama education. Attending the University of Hawaii at Manoa, she had attained her Bachelor of Arts in Political Science, with a minor in Theatre in 2006, and then achieved her Master of Fine Arts in Theatre with a focus in Playwriting in 2010. She then went on to found Playbuilders Hawaii in 2011, a theater company that is a roving, multi-ethnic ensemble of experienced theatre makers who wish, through theatre, to create opportunities for effective communication and cultural exchange between the many diverse peoples of Hawaii. Playbuilders is known as a community-based, applied, or community-specific theatre. They travel to Hawaii’s geographic neighborhoods or other small communities to produce plays based on knowledge shared by community members. Although there are many companies of this type in the United States and other parts of the world, so far as anyone knows, Playbuilders is Hawaii’s first and only. Deeply immersed in stage and theatre work, Scott Francis Russell made his first film appearance in 2006 in a short titled Dark Clouds. Other film appearances include the romantic comedy All for Melissa (2007), followed by the dramedy Forgetting Sarah Marshall (2008), the sports drama short, Mute (2008). Into the 2010s, Scott appeared in The Short List (2011), the feature film about death being an integral part of life, Parts Of The Same Cicle (2012), and the drama short Mele’s Kapu (2013). Outside of films, Scott continues his work in theater, taking on both leading and supporting roles across the varied stages and theaters where he performs.

Nancy Moss, had not only been a great board member and general supporter of TAG, but a great supporter of the arts in general in Hawaii. Aside from TAG, her plays were also staged at the Kumu Kahua Theatre, and she and her husband were active in supporting all theater in Honolulu. Art and Nancy were longtime board members for TAG and so their contributions played an instrumental role in the growth of TAG into becoming one of Honolulu’s finest community theaters. But it was Nancy who took it upon herself to pursue a very large grant from a local benefactor (which, as stated in a brief write up in the TAG 2011-2012 season page that TAG is sworn to secrecy its benefactor and the amount) that would become a life changer for TAG. It wasn’t that Nancy was a grant writer, or even had any prior experience applying for a grant, although as a writer this certainly must have helped her. But it was her determination and persistence that basically fueled her. She saw that TAG needed financial help, found a grant that could fill the bill, and just went for it, and through her commitment, found that she would obtain the single greatest financial contribution from an organization that TAG had ever received. Basically, Nancy just went out and got it. The grant was so huge (with respect to TAG’s operations) that it not only helped TAG’s with badly needed theater renovations, but sustained TAG for many years to come. In time, Nancy and Art decided to relocate to the continental U.S (Portland, Oregon) and at the time of the reprise for “Anna,” they were set to move. So after the opening night of the reprise of “Anna,” on October 12th, 2012, during the post play festivities, TAG president, Eric Nemoto, read a statement to a host of TAG followers, and friends and family of Art and Nancy. This statement appears below.

The Tribute To Nancy Moss – A Great Contributor To TAG In Many Ways

It is the inevitable result of time, and the long passage of it, that occasionally there will come a time when the information that subsequently gets pieced together is incomplete. The reprise of Anna is one of them. While the production’s playbill (the cover of it that is), was captured in the photo one sees above, the contents could not be found. Hence, most of the information supplied on the casting and crew was attained through surfing the Internet, for which the results were brief and had to be pieced together. Peter Clark, a veteran local actor known to TAG, actors and crew associated with TAG, and many other prominent local theaters, was tapped to direct the production. He was a graduate of Hilo High School on the Big Island of Hawaii, The University of Hawaii system (which included an ARoyal Academy of Dramatic Art in London, one of the oldest drama schools in the United Kingdom. The attending crew to assist Peter included Denise-Aiko Chinen as Assistant Director, Lanaly Cabalo was the Stage Manager, Thomas Tochiki helped with the light design and also operated the lights and sound, Carlynn Wolfe was in charge of costumes, and Andy Alvarado handled the set design and construction, for which Production Manager Laurie Tanoura called, “One of the most beautiful sets he ever did.”

The Promotional Postcard For The Reprise Of “Anna – Love In The Cold War”

The reprise of “Anna” would play for a total of 15 performances. Opening night was Friday, October 12th, 2012 and it closed on Sunday, November 4th, 2012. Thursday through Saturday night shows were at 7:30 p.m. and Sunday matinees were at 2:00 p.m. It was a very popular run which attracted consistent crowds, making this reprise, as it was for the play’s premiere back in 2001-2002, a great success for TAG, the members of the cast and crew, and of course, playwright Nancy Moss.

“On The Scene” – The Honolulu Star-Advertiser’s Write Up Of “Anna”

The Pillowman – Bill Carr’s Redemption With A Career Performance

The origins of TAG’s production, “The Pillowman,” began when eventual director Troy Apostol (see photo right first read the play six years prior where he felt he couldn’t put it down. It was like reading a really good book. He stayed up to the wee hours of the morning reading and re-reading the then relatively new script, laughing and crying more and more with each scene that passed. He must’ve read the play about four times that night. Shortly thereafter he was privileged to have played the role of Michal in the show’s Hawaii premiere, produced by the now defunct Lizard Loft at the ARTS at Marks Garage. It was one of his favorite roles and an excellent theatrical experience. Afterwards he wondered if the play would ever again see the light of day on Hawaii’s shores. Then, a year before TAG’s production, his friend and UH (University of Hawaii at Manoa) cohort Maseeh Ganjali approached him about producing the show. As they were looking around for prospective venues, Troy discovered that TAG had been planning to do the show for years, even before the Lizard Loft production. It all came together like kismet. And even though Maseeh couldn’t be on island to witness the production come to fruition, Troy was appreciative of him reigniting the initiative for bringing the show back to life. In directing the show, Troy made it unique in that it would focus on the world of the “totalitarian state” as the basic underlying theme of the play. Though a specific country is never specifically stated in the script, street names and other contextual clues indicate an East European Slavic locale. This cold, paranoid atmosphere would become key to the “political oppression versus artistic freedom” conflict that would dominate the interrogation room scenes. (paraphrased from the director’s notes of the play program).

The Playbill For “The Pillowman”

Martin McDonagh’s The Pillowman is a dark drama that takes place in a nameless totalitarian state. The play opens in a police interrogation room as two officers, Tupolski and Ariel, question a man named Katurian about some violent child murders. Katurian is a writer of twisted stories involving children, and several of the murders mimic ideas presented in his stories. The detectives also interrogate Katurian about his brother, Michal, who is described as “slow to catch on.” Throughout the interrogation, Katurian recites some of the stories that the police believe are connected to the murders. In one particular story, Katurian tells an inverted version of “The Pied Piper of Hamelin.” In the original tale, a boy is kind to the Pied Piper, who then cuts off the child’s foot. The hobbled boy cannot keep up with the crowd and is the only child not led out of town. In Katurian’s version, the Pied Piper’s goal was to prey on the children. Katurian also tells of his childhood when he discovered that his parents had been torturing Michal for years. When he discovered this, Katurian smothered both of his parents with a pillow. After being tortured by his interrogators, Katurian is left alone with Michal. Katurian, who has maintained both his and Michal’s innocence, is shocked to learn that Michal actually committed the murders. When he realizes this, Katurian tells Michal a bedtime story and smothers him. Katurian takes the blame for the murders and asks in exchange that his stories be saved. Tupolski, the calmer but more cynical of the two officers, is happy to accept the confession and execute Katurian. The hot-tempered Ariel, who was abused as a child, struggles with the fairness of it. In the end, Tupolski puts a bag over Katurian’s head and then shoots him. Posthumously, Katurian tells of his last thought, which is a variation on the story of The Pillowman. The Pillowman is a mythical creature who can travel backward in time and tell children of all the misery they will encounter later in life. He gives them the option of killing themselves to spare them the misery. When he visits Michal, he declines and agrees to be tortured by his parents so that Katurian will become a great writer. In the end, Ariel secretly saves Katurian’s manuscripts instead of burning them. (Mona Oglesby, enotes.com)

To bring this outstanding production to life, director Apostol assembled a brilliant cast. These included (actors are listed in parentheses): Katurian (Seth Lilley); Tupolski (Bill Carr); Ariel (Garrett Hols); Mother (Denise-Aiko Chinen); Father (Tony Nickelsen); Michal (Adam Lefebvre); Little Jesus Girl (Bronte Amoy); and an alternate Little Jesus Girl (Victoria Domingo – Dec. 20, 21, & 22).

Martin Faranan McDonagh (born 26 March 1970) is a British-Irish playwright and filmmaker. He is known for his absurdist dark humour which often challenges the modern theatre aesthetic. He has won numerous accolades including an Academy Award, six BAFTA Awards, two Golden Globe Awards, and three Olivier Awards in addition to nominations for five Tony Awards. His plays, many of which have been produced in the West End and on Broadway, include The Beauty Queen of Leenane, The Cripple of Inishmaan (both 1996), The Lonesome West (1997), The Lieutenant of Inishmore (2001), The Pillowman (2003), A Behanding in Spokane (2010), and Hangmen (2015). McDonagh won the Academy Award for Best Live Action Short Film for Six Shooter and has received six other nominations for his work on In Bruges (2007), Three Billboards Outside Ebbing, Missouri (2017), and The Banshees of Inisherin (2022). He directed the black comedy film Seven Psychopaths (2012) and was executive producer on The Second Death (2000) and The Guard (2011). (wikipedia.com)

The Honolulu Star-Advertiser Review

The team that director Apostol assembled was a combination of TAG regulars as well as a few new crew members that Troy brought with him. This included (the names of the crew members are listed in parentheses): Assistant Director & Dramaturg (Mackenzie Jahnke); Assistant Director & Stage Manager (Miles Wesley); Set Design, Constrnction, & Set Dressing (Andy Alvarado); Light Design (Thomas Tochiki); Light & Sound Operator (Brian Gibson); Costume Design (Carlynn Wolfe & Chris Valles); Photographer (Alex Munro); and Production Manager (Laurie Tanoura). In addition, a special mahalo was accorded to Manoa Valley Theatre, City Mill, Home Depot, and Lowe’s.

The Postcard For “The Pillowman”

The production run of “The Pillowman” was for 15 performances. It opened on Friday, December 14th, 2012, and closed on Sunday, January 6th, 2013. It played at 7:30 p.m. for Thursday through Saturday night shows, and at 2:00 p.m. for Sunday matinees. It attracted very good houses which left the audience thinking about this very thought-provoking play.

The Star-Advertiser “On The Scene” Article About “The Pillowman”

Bill Carr (photo left) had been very instrumental in the development of TAG as it operated from the Yellow Brick Studio on Keawe Street in Kaka’ako in the then industrial section of Honolulu. For a time being he was a very dependable go-to volunteer with TAG during the years of 2002-2005. It was he who installed about six movie theater seats (which were retrieved from Army Community Theatre’s inventory held in storage) in the front row of TAG’s humble first risers, which for a short period of time, served as sort of TAG’s premiere seats (since they were more comfortable than the rest of the dinner chair seats). In high school, Bill Carr played Creon in Jean Anouilh’s “Antigone” (the actress who played Antigone was tall and Bill was nabbed to play next to her). He went on to study theatre at UC Berkeley and then again at UH-Manoa where he earned a Masters Degree. While at UHM he was the old father in “Lie of the Mind, Casey in “Grapes of Wrath, Faust in “Faust” (Faust later in life), and appeared in several Strindberg plays and other productions there. He was a student of Dick Kindelon, whose students went on to found TAG at the Yellow Brick Studio, and played a samurai in “Ten Million Reawakenings,” Charlie in “On Golden Pond,” and Hamm in “Endgame.” It was this latter role in 2004 that caused Bill some consternation as during one performance in which his friend Eric Nemoto (TAG’s president) attended, he didn’t have his best night. So embarrassed was Bill that he called Eric to plead for him to take in another show. Eric didn’t attend again, largely because his schedule didn’t permit him to take in any of the remaining shows, but also because, as he told Bill, it really wasn’t as bad as he thought. But as it is with any really good actor who takes pride in their work, the memory might have remained. But all that didn’t really matter going forward. All actors have one of those nights. It happens. But years later would come Bill’s role as Tupolski in “The Pillowman.” His incredibly strong characterization dominated the stage, and the audience couldn’t take their eyes off of him. So compelling was his performance that he won a Po’okela for Best Leading Male the following year, and it remains one of the finest leading male acting performances on TAG’s stage. Maybe this was his personal redemption for what he thought was an unimpressive performance as Hamm for “Endgame.” If so, all in all, it seemed to be worth it if it resulted in his performance as Tupolski for “The Pillowman.”

King Hedley II – Troy M. Apostol Continues Directing TAG’s Next August Wilson Play

Coming off his winning direction of “The Pillowman,” Troy M. Apostol (see photo right) immediately took on another great challenge, TAG’s next August Wilson play in its continuing African-American series centered around the Martin Luther King Jr. holiday. This was “King Hedley II,” the 9th play in Wilson’s Century Cycle which covered the 1980’s. Apostol was a talented and experienced director and a frequent contributor to Hawaii’s theatre scene. He had performed at the Hawai’i Repertory Theatre, Manoa Valley Theatre, Honolulu Theatre for Youth, Kumu Kahua Theatre, and the Hawai’i Shakespeare Festival, and had written and directed for Kumu Kahua Theatre (KKT) and the Hawaii Shakespeare Festival. In 2010 he won the Hawaii Prize in the KKT and University of Hawaii at Manoa (UHM) Theatre and Dance Department Playwriting Contest, and in 2011 he was honored with the Lisa Toishigawa Inouye Award for Excellence in Playwriting from UHM. He was also a Po’ okela Award winning actor and director, an MFA Directing candidate at UHM, and an advisory board member with PlayBuilders. With these credentials, TAG’s “King Hedley II,” was certainly in very good hands.

The Playbill For “King Hedley II”

Troy was supported by an outstanding cast who portrayed the six characters. The actors and their back story and symbolism follows. Quantae Love played King Hedley II, a thirty-something man, recently released from prison for murder, he is determined to build a better future for himself and his family, symbolized by his attempts to grow seeds in a barren patch of land. Lillian Jones played Ruby, King’s mother, a former big-band singer, now burdened by past choices and regrets, she reconnects with Elmore while trying to guide her son. Wendy Pearson played Tonya, King’s wife, pregnant and contemplating abortion, she represents the despair and limited opportunities faced by many in their community. William Self played Elmore, a charming but untrustworthy hustler and Ruby’s former lover, he represents the seductive allure of the past and the dangers of unresolved relationships. Josiah D. James played Mister, King’s loyal friend, who becomes his partner in crime, highlighting the desperation and limited options for some in the community. And in a purposeful switch and choice of Apostol, actress Deborah Pearson played the male role of Stool Pigeon, an older man, a fixture in the neighborhood and a character from August Wilson’s “Seven Guitars,” he acts as a commentator and a voice of wisdom, often using biblical language and proverbs.

Reviews Posted With Amazon On “King Hedley II”: “Wilson’s melody here is the mournful sound of what might have been, a blues-tinged tale about a driven, almost demonic man. He’s a petty thief named King who will stop at nothing for a better life. . . . King Hedley is a big play, filled with big emotions and big speeches. These aria-like monologues are rich in humor, heartbreak and the astonishing details that go into creating real people. With his latest arrival on Broadway, Wilson only has the first and last decades of the twentieth century to chronicle—it’s been quite a journey. King Hedley will only add to that towering achievement.”—Michael Kuchwara, Associated Press “What makes Wilson America’s greatest living playwright—aside from his gift for dialogue, which blends searing poetry with uncompromising realism—is the bracing humanism with which he provides insight into the struggles and aspirations of all individuals.”—Elysa Gardner, USA Today King Hedley II is the eighth work in playwright August Wilson’s 10-play cycle chronicling the history of the African American experience in each decade of the twentieth century. It’s set in 1985 and tells the story of an ex-con in post-Reagan Pittsburgh trying to rebuild his life. Many critics have hailed the work as a haunting and challenging tragedy of Shakespearean proportions. August Wilson is the most influential and successful African American playwright writing today. He is the two-time Pulitzer Prize-winning author of Fences, The Piano Lesson, Ma Rainey’s Black Bottom, Joe Turner’s Come and Gone, Seven Guitars, Two Trains Running and Jitney. His plays have been produced all over the world, as well as on Broadway.

The Honolulu Star-Advertiser Review For “King Hedley II”

A terrific crew banded together to bring “King Hedley II” to life. Edo Natasha was the production’s Assistant Director. Mary Ann Shirley-Gray was the Stage Manager. Alex Munro and Troy Apostol handled the publicity photos. Michelle Umipeg did the special effects makeup (scar). Andy Alvarado was in charge of Set Construction, Thomas Tochiki did the Lighting Design and then was also the Light and Sound Operator. Carlynn Wolfe and Chris Valles took care of the Costumes. And of course, Laurie Tanoura was the overall TAG Production Manager. Special thanks was accorded to James Harber for his help and guidance, Lisa Ponce de Leon for the wig, and Brian Gibson for his support and assistance. Director Apostol also extended an Extra Special Thanks to Dr. Lurana O’Malley for having him read August Wilson’s Fences in her class, where he first learned to love his work.

August Wilson (see photo right) wrote “King Hedley II” as part of his American Century Cycle, a collection of ten plays that depict the African American experience throughout the 20th century. More specifically, “King Hedley II” focuses on the challenges faced by the Black community in Pittsburgh’s Hill District during the Reagan era in 1985. Motivations behind writing King Hedley II include: 1. Witnessing community violence and despair: Wilson was deeply troubled by the increasing violence within the Black community and the prevalence of the crack epidemic during the 1980s, according to the Los Angeles Sentinel. He wrote the play to explore what happens to people when their dreams are crushed and their hopes remain unfulfilled. 2. Addressing themes of legacy, survival, and redemption: The play follows the protagonist, King Hedley II, as he struggles to rebuild his life after prison, yearning for identity and purpose amidst the despair of his environment. The narrative explores the impact of his past, his relationship with his mother and wife, and the societal pressures that threaten to pull him back into a cycle of crime and violence. 3. Exploring the impact of societal forces on individual lives: Wilson uses the characters’ experiences to shed light on broader issues affecting the Black community, such as limited opportunities, economic disparities, and the destructive effects of racism. 4. Continuation of the American Century Cycle: “King Hedley II” is a crucial part of Wilson’s ambitious project to chronicle the Black experience in America, providing a window into the challenges and resilience of the community during a specific historical period. 5. Artistic exploration of tragedy and humor: Wilson considered tragedy “the greatest form of dramatic literature” and aimed to explore the depths of human emotion in “King Hedley II”. He also incorporates humor into the narrative, reflecting the complexities of life and the characters’ ability to find moments of joy amidst hardship. Overall, August Wilson’s “King Hedley II” is a powerful and poignant exploration of the challenges faced by the Black community in 1980s America, highlighting the themes of violence, despair, family, and the enduring human spirit in the face of adversity. King Hedley II is the ninth play in August Wilson’s ten-play cycle that, decade by decade, examines African American life in the United States during the twentieth century. Set in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania in 1985, it tells the story of an ex-con in Pittsburgh trying to rebuild his life. The play has been described as one of Wilson’s darkest, telling the tale of a man trying to save $10,000 by selling stolen refrigerators so that he can buy a video store, as well as revisiting stories of other characters initially presented in Seven Guitars. The play is set in The Hill District of Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. Hedley’s wish, now that he has returned to Pittsburgh from prison, is to support himself by selling refrigerators and to start a family. Set during the Reagan Administration, the play comments critically on the supply-side economics theories of the day, examining whether their stated aim of providing trickle-down benefits to all Americans truly improved the lot of urban African Americans. (compiled by various online sources, including AI and Wikipedia)

“King Hedley II” enjoyed a very popular run which garnered in great houses. It opened on Friday, February 15th, 2013 and closed on Sunday, March 10th, 2013. Thursday through Saturday night performances were at 7:30 p.m. and Sunday matinees played at 2:00 p.m. All told, the production of “Hedley” ran for 15 performances resulting in another successful August Wilson production.

The Postcard For “King Hedley II”

The Belle’s Strategem – An Alarm Bell Almost Gongs The Play Belle

Ask anyone who has ever been a part of a stage production and you’ll find that it takes a lot to bring a production together. A director needs to be selected, a cast and crew recruited, the set needs to be designed and constructed, a rehearsal schedule needs to be created which everyone utilizes to bring the cast towards peaking on opening night, costumes need to be researched and either selected or created, a lighting and sound design needs to be created as well, and so on. Basically, there’s a lot. So any added challenges beyond the usual can only exacerbate an already pressurized endeavor. So it was, however, with TAG’s next production, “The Belle’s Strategem.” The issue at hand being an irritating and consistent sound – an alarm bell – emanating from the business that was next door to TAG, the Tropical Creations – Hawaiian Jewelry store. Tropical Creations had been manufacturing jewelry in Honolulu for 30 years at this time. They offered high quality jewelry at a great price made right there in there factory, specializing in custom designs, a large selection of Tahitian pearls, jade, diamonds and more. They were essentially “the door” that existed next to TAG’s mall entrance, a curious business that many in TAG would wonder about, but never actually ventured inside. But it was with “The Belle’s Strategem” that TAG would come to be frequently in contact with, primarily involving “Belle’s” director Tony Pisculli, TAG’s production manager Laurie Tanoura, TAG president Eric Nemoto, Dole representative Berta Herndon, and Debbie Schaardt of Tropical Creations.

The Interior Of “Tropical Creations – Hawaiian Jewelry”

The matter began in April of 2013, as the “Belle” production was about three weeks out from opening night. As they rehearsed, a loud alarm would be set off, which, although it was inside of the Tropical Creations shop, could be readily heard inside the theater, sufficiently so that it would disturb the actors. This was communicated to TAG Production Manager, Laurie Tanoura, who communicated the same to TAG President, Eric Nemoto. Eric in turn contacted Berta Herndon via email and told her, “I’ve been getting numerous complaints/concerns about a type of alarm that is going off at night? Apparently it is disrupting rehearsals, which, given a show opening coming up on April 19th I know the director and performers will be affected. I’ll be at the theater tomorrow night conducting my own rehearsal so I’ll know for sure and will let you know. But if so, is it possible to have it repaired? Mahalo for your time.” Berta would respond, “We are communicating with tenant, Tropical Creations, regarding their alarm system, which is being worked on by Alert Alarm who is making additional adjustments. Landlord is not responsible for such repairs. Tropical Creations’ alarm sounding after hours has been an intermittent issue going back several years. Therefore, I am just wondering since it is just recent that you’ve brought this to our attention, what is the condition of the theatre’s soundproofing and has it been compromised that you are now able to hear outside noises? Is there something you can/need to do on your end?” While there would be numerous emails exchanged during the ensuing weeks, the basic dilemma was reflected by the points brought forth. Yes, there was an alarm going off periodically. This has been an issue for years, so why hadn’t it been noticed by TAG before? Either way, Dole really wasn’t responsible. So whether Tropical Creations would work on it (and apparently they were), or not, the outcome was out of their hands. Basically, it had to be solved by Tropical Creations. That was it. But when Eric called the people of Tropical Creations, he was stunned to realized they were not aware that the alarm was going off. Eric assured her it was. Later it was deduced that the person who responded likely hadn’t known that efforts were being made to correct the problem. But a week and a half before opening, Tony advised Eric that the alarm had gone off three times during rehearsal. Eric’s communications became more urgent to Berta, stating that there was an incredibly frustrated and concerned cast and crew as the opening loomed near. Berta got back with Eric, saying until they find a solution, the tenant will recommend to Alert Alarm (the alarm manufacturer and servicer) that temporary modifications would be made to the system so that the alarm will sound only in Alert Alarm’s dispatch office and not in Tropical Creations. Eric eventually got a hold of Debbie Schaardt of Tropical Creations and they talked via phone. She greatly apologized. Alert Alarm was sending a senior supervisor to handle. She reiterated what Berta said in her email (about the alarm going off at Alert Alarm instead of their space), and said it had been her (Debbie’s) recommendation, but admitted that she wasn’t sure if it could be done. When Eric asked her what was the problem exactly, Debbie said she was advised that it was what was called a “glass break.” Where if there was vibration on the wall next to where the alarm was, then the alarm would go off. So while Debbie said they would continue trying to solve this as soon as possible, she wondered if there might be anything on TAG’s end that was vibrating. Eric said he would ask but he didn’t think so. Upon his email to Laurie, and Tony, and others, Laurie replied that there was nothing vibrating on the back wall of the theater, and plus, they were not doing anything differently than before. A couple days passed with no alarm going off and so everyone was hopeful. But on the night of April 11th, Tony said the alarm went off at 6:55 p.m., and so getting to a week of opening, it was getting desperate, as the problem continue and was not resolved. By April 15th, Debbie finally called Eric to say that Alert Alarm was en route to Tropical Creations to disconnect the alarm until they could figure out what was wrong. This eventually solved TAG’s concerns as on April 16th Tony reported that no alarms went off during rehearsal, and thereafter, “The Belle’s Strategem,” opened on April 19th and continued through the run with no alarm disruptions. Everyone involved with solving this debacle finally, then, breathed a sigh of relief.

The Playbill For “The Belle’s Strategem”

The Belle’s Stratagem is a social drama theater production set in England in 1780. The play begins by introducing the female protagonist Letitia Hardy. Betrothed to a handsome aristocrat named Doricourt since early childhood, Letitia has spent her entire life anticipating the time she would be eligible to pursue him. In fact, she has thought out an entire plan for how to win his approval. She doesn’t except to love him, but she wants to impress him. When the two reunite and as they are finally of courting age, Letitia realizes that her entire plan is useless. She can no longer manipulate him the way she had intended. She’s in love with him. Unfortunately, however, Doricourt doesn’t seem to really care that she even exists, much less return her affection. After recovering from her initial shock and disappointment at his disinterest, Letitia resolves to make him lover her. She wants a marriage of mutual love, so she’s determined to make him fall madly in love with her. Letitia’s plan includes the assistance and consequent use of her relationship with another couple: the Touchwoods, Sir George and Lady Frances. They are a young married couple who are still struggling to adapt to married life. Sir George is an extremely jealous husband, suspecting his wife of many infidelities all the way up to having affairs. Lady Frances is true to him, but he still remains gripped by this great fear that her elite social circle will poison her mind against him. When Letitia stumbles into the picture, she immediately seizes upon Frances as the object of her aid. She helps the young woman come into her fullest, richest identity as a wealthy socialite, and she does it simply to prove a point to Sir George. The plot of the story culminates with a grand masquerade ball. Letitia is successful in making Doricourt fall madly in love with her. Whether due to his own feelings or her manipulation, by the end of it all he is eating from her palm. Letitia’s methods of social manipulation may be questionable, but she is the triumphant heroine of her own story because she used her wits to achieve something she wanted for herself. (gradesaver.com)

The Postcard For “The Belle’s Strategem”

Tony Pisculli (photo right) is the co-founder (2002) and artistic director of the Hawaii Shakespeare Festival, where in 2016 he presented an experimental version of A Midsummer Night’s Dream in invented language–Actually, in two invented languages, one for the Greek court and mechanicals, and another for the fairies. Tony is also Hawaii’s premiere fight choreographer and has been teaching stage combat and directing fights for more than 20 years. He is a Master Teacher with Dueling Arts International and has choreographed over 100 productions including stage, indie film, opera and burlesque. He lives in Hawaii and is a graduate of the Stone Coast Creative Writing program, and the author of “Love, Blood & Rhetoric,” which is about writing… about writing… and swords.

Director Pisculli recruited and selected a winning cast. This included (characters are in parentheses): Victoria Brown-Wilson (Lady Frances); Stephanie Kong (Leititia Hardy); Lacey Chu (Mrs Racket); Kerrie Thornton (Miss Ogle); Kaitlin Souza (Kitty Willis); Joe Abraham (Sir George); Jason Kanda (Doricourt); Brian Gibson (Courtall); Shawn Thomsen (Saville); Peter Clark (Hardy); and Eleanor Svaton (Flutter).

The Honolulu Star-Advertiser Review For “The Belle’s Strategem”

Hannah Cowley (see image left) was an influential British playwright active from 1776 to 1801, known for her contributions to theater during a time when female playwrights were rare. Born to a bookseller father who valued education, Cowley’s early exposure to literature equipped her with the skills to write plays that would eventually gain significant acclaim. After marrying Thomas Cowley, a newspaper writer, she began her theatrical career out of financial necessity, producing her first play, *The Runaway*, just three weeks after expressing her ambition to write. Cowley’s repertoire includes fifteen plays, with five of them, such as *The Belle’s Stratagem* and *A Bold Stroke for a Husband*, standing out for their innovative blend of comedy and strong female characters. Her works often revolved around themes of love and social constraints, showcasing women who navigated the challenges of their societal roles. Despite facing challenges in a male-dominated theater industry, including initial rejection from theater managers, Cowley’s talent led to enduring popularity and reevaluation of her work in contemporary times. Today, she is recognized as a significant figure in eighteenth-century drama, paving the way for future generations of female playwrights. (ebsco.com)

Jason Kanda And Lacey Perrine Chu In “The Belle’s Strategem” (Courtesy Of Tony Pisculli)

Director Tony Pisculli, brought with him a great crew. Edo Natasha was the Assistant Director. Desiree Bonnville was the Stage Manager. Malia Baloyot was the Assistant Stage Manager. Laurie Tanoura was TAG’s Production Manager. Andy Alvarado handled the Set Design as well as its Construction. Thomas Tochiki was the Lighting Designer, and also served as the Light and Sound Operator. Carlynn Wolfe and Christine Valles were the Costume Designers. And Cora Yamagata served as the production’s Dance Choreographer.

The Honolulu Magazine Review For “The Belle’s Strategem”

“The Belle’s Strategem” ran for a total of 15 performances. It opened on Friday, April 19th, 2013, and closed on Sunday, May 12th, 2013. Thursday through Saturday night performances began at 7:30 p.m. and Sunday matinees were at 2:00 p.m. It saw very enthusiastic crowds and was a very successful production, particularly because it brought in many of the cast and crew who had not worked with TAG before.

Juniper Lane – Chaos At The Neighborhood Board Meeting

During the run of “The Belle’s Strategem,” TAG would stage another dark night. This was “Juniper Lane,” a comedy about a typical neighborhood board meeting primarily made up of senior citizens, who are thrown into chaos when four young members of the community show up and speak out against the latest street light that is being proposed, something that will only add to the already ridiculous traffic. The origins of this production dated back to the fall of 2012, when a number of actors in Eric Nemoto’s acting class for the ADR Agency, then held at its offices in Kaneohe, expressed an interest in doing something creatively. For Eric it was a bit of deja vu as a group of acting students wanting to do a show was just how TAG started. So while weekly acting classes continued, Anyway, he committed to writing a play for them and in its original concept, “Juniper Lane” was supposed to be a serious drama, a kind of “12 Angry Men visit the retirement center.” But the words came through as a comedy instead. It helped Eric to know the actors who wanted to participate and writing with them in mind made it easier. All in all, it would turn out to be a great labor of love. These wonderful actors were committed and possessed a chemistry that made everything terrific fun.

The Promotional Flyer For “Juniper Lane”

Of all the roles cast, only one actor did not come from Eric Nemoto’s acting class. This was Kathy Bowers, then a new volunteer to the theater who would later go on to be one of TAG’s leaders, who portrayed the assistant to the mayor just sitting in to what she thinks will be another boring meeting, Michele. Everyone else would periodically stop coming to class in order to prepare for their roles. Bill Baist (see photo right), former “Channel 2” news anchor and frequent voiceover talent for many television and radio ads, locally known as “The Voice,” would play Roy, the elder statesman of the board. Dave Crary played Pete, the pragmatist who would lend his knowledge of past board decisions. Rob Earle, played the board joker and to some extent its antagonist, Gary. Jeri Lynn Endo played Ginny, the scatter-brained secretary of the board. John Ishikawa played honest and good-intentioned Brian, who tries to be the mediator between the old board and the young attendees. Ed Kanoi was Tom, who also lends his knowledge of the past to give a sense of who the board really are. Starla Marie played the somewhat ditzy Sari, the idealistic member of the four young attendees. Keri Marshman, as Terry, would become the lead focus of the group of visitors, whose acceptance of the eventual board decision ends the play on a happy note. Jana Moore was Charlene, who rounded out the group of visitors, and whose knowledge of technology helps to bring both sides together. Lara Palafox would portray Nancy, the city councilwoman who becomes a mentor to the group of four trying to win the board over. Tate Rolfs played Robert, the board member trying to get through the meeting ASAP in order to watch the national championship game in college football. And Mary Ann Vasaturo played Winona, the leader of the board who tries to keep order in the meeting by going ballistic.

TAG Trivia: Unbeknownst to many, “Juniper” cast member Jeri Lynn Endo, had an indirect connection to TAG dating back to its original theater, Yellow Brick Studio, on Keawe Street in the industrial section of Honolulu, known as Kaka’ako. Before even TAG began producing originally written plays, Jeri Lynn had co-starred in a play directed by YBS co-founder Jon Brekke called “Rag Dolls,” which was a one-act play centered around the theme of domestic abuse. The actor starring opposite her was Andrew “Andy” Trask, who would also later appear in the TAG originally written play, “On The Verge,” in 1998.

The Cast Of “Juniper Lane”

“Juniper Lane” is about one night in a community center involving a neighborhood board meeting in the fictitious Southwest city of Canyon. After yet another senior citizen is struck by an automobile on accident prone Juniper Lane, what’s on tap for the meeting is to pass another resolution that will be passed on to the city council demanding that yet another traffic light be installed at the corner of Juniper and Twygate Boulevard. If history is any indication, this will be a simple voice vote of approval, as although Canyon’s meetings are open to the public, except for two representatives of the city, hardly anyone ever attends. But on this one night, the usually non-attended neighborhood board meeting becomes a hotbed of chaos when four young people attend the meeting to protest the board’s intention of putting up another street light that only promises to make the morning and afternoon rush hour commutes even longer.

A Production Memento From “Juniper Lane”

“Juniper’s” director, Eric Nemoto (photo right), writing at the time, said that his life was driven by three creative forces: 1. an obsession to write; 2. a passion to act; and 3. an almost maniacal fervor for directing. He was the founder of The Actors’ Group (TAG), and had acted on stage, on television (Hawaii Five-O, Lost), in independent films, and was a two time Po’okcla recipient for excellence in theater (Lead Actor, “Oleanna,” 2001, Featured Actor, “Miso,” 2010). He had, at the time of “Juniper’s” run, written 96 screenplays (including the indie movie “Parts Of The Same Circle,” which he had produced, directed and acted in (Hawaii International Film Festival 2012, Big Island Film Festival 2013), 11 produced plays (including “Merry Christmas, Roberta,” with Jon Brekke and Michael Wurth, Best Play Po’okela 2008), and the dinner show “Tiramisn On The Beach” (Indigo 2005, Arts at Marks 2012). At the time, “Juniper Lane” was the sixth of his plays that he had directed at TAG.

In support of Director Eric Nemoto was a small but absolutely terrific supporting crew. Mike Mazzola served as both the Assistant Director and Stage Manager, Thomas Tochiki was as the Light Designer, and then also worked as the Light and Sound Operator, Music was supplied by cast member Starla Marie (Sari) who was also a popular singer (click here for a sample of one of her songs, Anytime), and TAG Production Manager, Laurie Tanoura, assisted with publicity. Eric also accorded Special Thanks to a number of other individuals and organizations. Jeri Lynn Endo, for her great efforts in arranging the production’s rehearsal sites. Bill Baist and Ed Kanoi for producing the promotional radio ads. Family Promise of Hawaii – the non-profit organization that helps to end homelessness for families with children by providing critical housing services – for allowing the use of their facilities for rehearsals. The Wellspring Covenant Church, also for allowing the use of their facilities for rehearsals. KUMU FM 94.7, for promoting the play on air. Joyce Powell, for reservations and intermission refreshments. And to all of the TAG volunteers to keep the theater going.

A Photo Montage Of The Production Of “Juniper Lane”

“Juniper Lane” would go on to have a great run of really terrific houses. Audiences, a good number of whom were actively recruited by the enthusiastic cast, enjoyed the performances of these great actors who brought this riotous comedy to hilarious life. “Juniper” played for a total of six performances, opening on Monday, April 22nd, and continued on Tuesday, April 23rd, Wednesday, April 24th, Monday, April 29th, Tuesday, April 30th, and then closed on Wednesday, May 1st, of 2013. All shows were at night and began at 7:30 p.m.

Cat On A Hot Tin Roof – Dennis And Jim Battle To Bring Tennessee Williams To The TAG Stage

In the implementation of any project, having everyone work well together is the desired goal, and in a perfect world everyone involved will complement each other to a T to create a well-oiled working machine of progress. But of course, none of us live in a perfect world. Differences in opinion and even conflicts inevitably arise, particularly with individuals who are both talented and passionate in their own individual right. But ironically, successful partnerships don’t necessarily require perfect harmony or agreement on all fronts. Numerous examples exist that point to this fact. It is said that Steve Jobs and Steve Wozniak, the co-founders of Apple were known for their opposing differences – Jobs was the charismatic visionary, and Wozniak was the introverted engineering genius, and with this came many conflicts over the direction of the company. But their combined dedication to the goal of bringing computers to the public, despite their clashing personalities, led to the development of Apple’s revolutionary and iconic products. In the filming of the movie, “Casablanca,” it is generally acknowledged that the production was one of total chaos. As the shoot schedule ensued the script was being constantly revised to the extent that actors were constantly told that new sides would be delivered each morning for that day’s shoot. Essentially, producers could not make up their minds as to whether Bogie (Humphrey Bogart) would live or die, and whether he’d end up with the girl (Ingrid Bergman) or not. In one instance when director Michael Curtiz, wanting to make progress while some other scenes were being rewritten, told production assistants to get Bogie to come in and film a shot that was missing. This was his “nod” to the band in the famous scene in Rick’s Cafe when patriotism grips the crowd as they drown out a group of German officers singing “Die Wacht am Rhein” by rising and singing “La Marseillaise.” It is one of the great scenes in all of movie history and Bogart’s nod is perfect. Yet, when called upon to do the nod, Bogie had the usual actor inquiries. “What am I nodding to?” “What’s the nod for?” “Who am I looking at?” “Where are they standing?” Curtiz, reaching the limits of his own sanity while having to juggle a myriad of other concerns as he struggled to keep the production from collapsing, is purported to have screamed at Bogie to, “JUST F__KING NOD!” The instances of calamity notwithstanding, “Casablanca” eventually went on to a very successful world premiere, and over time, has become renowned as one of the greatest movies ever produced. Sports aficionados will remember “The Bronx Zoo,” the maniacal 1977 baseball season of the legendary New York Yankees. The Yankees, the fabled team of Ruth, Gehrig, DiMaggio, and Mantle, had not won a world championship for 15 years, the longest drought to date from when they won their first championship in the 1920’s. In effect, the team had become less than its storied past, some would even say the Yankee brand was then mediocre. But in 1977 would come a trio of men who would forever transform the culture of the team. Owner George Steinbrenner, who had made his fortune as a shipping magnate with his company, American Shipbuilding Company, would demand that the team win at all costs. Manager Billy Martin, himself a Yankee legend, would bring his fiery brand of leadership, accepting nothing else but total excellence. And Reggie Jackson, the sport’s superstar, recently acquired by trade, who self promoted himself as “The straw that stirs the drink.” These clashing personalities would lead to a series of tumultuous moments, which included Martin calling out Jackson on the field for what he felt was less than all-out effort, and Steinbrenner and Martin getting into a fistfight in a hotel elevator. So many clashes occurred that year that it seemed the Yankees appeared more often on the front page than the sports page. Yet through it all, the Yankees won, and in the end they would eventually win the World Series and reclaim their once storied past. These examples, and many more, prove that ultimate success does not require the harmonious relationship of all the parties involved. With this understanding, it is then worth considering the events of TAG’s “Cat On A Hot Tin Roof,” and the spat between director Dennis Proulx and actor Jim Tharp.

The Playbill For “Cat On A Hot Tin Roof”

The roots of what would eventually develop began a few weeks before the opening of “Cat On A Hot Tin Roof.” Dennis Proulx (photo to the right, left side) was walking through Wal-Mart looking for nothing in particular, when he looked up and saw Laurie Tanoura possibly doing the same. They exchanged pleasantries and swapped old stories about some of the shows Dennis had directed for TAG in the past, namely “P.S. Your Cat is Dead,” “Bullshot Crummond,” and the multi-Po’okela award winning “K2.” Laurie eventually told him about the current dilemma at TAG. The director of “Cat,” the great Glenn Cannon, had fallen ill and was in the hospital and was not expected to return. Glenn had been a force of talent, direction and overall nature in the Honolulu Theatre scene for nearly 50 years. He was also a personal friend and mentor to Dennis as well. Glenn would pass into the arms of eternity a few days after Dennis and Laurie had their conversation, and thus Dennis would come to offer himself up as a humble replacement, to which TAG and Laurie appreciatively accepted. Under such sad circumstances, this was as good a solution as there was. Dennis was a familiar fixture on Honolulu’s stages for over 26 years, with a list of credits that included nine Po’okela Awards, many for either acting or directing. He had also appeared in the last two productions at Diamond Head Theatre of “Jesus Christ Superstar,” as well as “Beauty and the Beast,” “Drood,” “Hello Dolly,” and “The Producers.” He had also played Tevye in “Fiddler on the Roof” at Army Community Theatre. About the only resume that could match or even pass that of Dennis’, was the cumulative achievements of “Cat’s” Big Daddy, Jim Tharp (photo to the top right, right side). Jim was a 10-time Po’okela Award recipient, who had performed on virtually all of the principal stages on Oahu, and was also a member of the Screen Actors Guild (eventually to become SAG-AFTRA), and had been seen in a number of national television series as well as local and international commercials. Jim had done the role of “Big Daddy” before and was particularly wedded to the direction of Glenn, which basically meant that Dennis was entering a hornet’s nest. Two tremendously experienced artists now were about to bump heads. The conflict essentially boiled down to this. Tharp liked what he and Cannon had planned to have happen. In his mind, all Dennis needed to do was follow what he and Glenn had mapped out. Of course, this had as much chance as a lead balloon floating, as Dennis countered with TAG had asked him to direct, and as far as he knew, that meant to direct, and not to merely follow the thoughts of an actor, no matter if it was the great Jim Tharp. Albeit to say, in the few weeks to go to get this production to opening night, these two local titans of the theatre would disagree vehemently. Emails would be exchanged that would make readers cringe. So much so that TAG president Eric Nemoto had to be called in to try and mediate. Eric, knowing both very well, and seeing the amount of wasted time being spent, did not mince words. In one viral email he called upon both to take their macho pissing contest outside the theater and onto the curb of Iwilei Road, where he challenged them both to whip it out and whoever urinated furthest would be allowed to call the shots. The intervention wasn’t exactly nice, lacked tact (in fact, it was incredibly crude), and it might have only added more fuel to the fire. But however Dennis and Jim managed to keep rehearsals going, “Cat On A Hot Tin Roof” went on to open as scheduled, enjoyed a great run, and in the greatest of ironies, during the ensuing Po’okela Awards, won seven Po’okelas, including Overall Best Play, Best Actor (Jim), and Best Director (Dennis). Go figure. It showed, once again, that a successful project didn’t necessarily have to be harmonious during its development. Dennis and Jim, with their great “Cat” fight, reminded us of this.

Tennessee Williams, born Thomas Lanier Williams III on March 26, 1911, was a highly influential American playwright known for his evocative and often emotionally charged dramas. He explored themes of social decay, loneliness, and the complexities of human relationships, frequently drawing inspiration from his own life and the American South. His most famous works include “The Glass Menagerie,” “A Streetcar Named Desire,” and “Cat on a Hot Tin Roof”. Born in Columbus, Mississippi, Williams experienced a peripatetic childhood, moving with his family to Clarksdale, Mississippi, and then to St. Louis, Missouri, due to his father’s work. His father, Cornelius, was a traveling salesman and often absent, described as a harsh and abusive alcoholic. His mother, Edwina, was a Southern belle who was overly protective of her children, especially Tennessee, and prone to emotional outbursts. He had an older sister, Rose, who suffered from schizophrenia and was later institutionalized after a lobotomy, a difficult experience that deeply impacted Williams. Williams’s childhood experiences with his family and the South heavily influenced his writing, often serving as inspiration for characters and situations in his plays. Williams attended the University of Missouri, Washington University, and the University of Iowa, but never completed a degree at any of them. He briefly worked at his father’s shoe company, an experience he later described as miserable and which influenced his play “The Glass Menagerie”. He found solace and inspiration in writing, particularly after his experiences at the shoe factory and during his time in New Orleans, which he later adopted as his home. Williams’s plays often explore the dark underbelly of the seemingly charming facade of the South, delving into themes of social decay, loneliness, and the struggle for identity. His characters are frequently flawed and vulnerable, grappling with psychological issues and difficult relationships, often reflecting his own struggles and observations of human nature. He was influenced by writers like Federico Garcia Lorca, Arthur Rimbaud, Rainer Maria Rilke, Hart Crane, and D.H. Lawrence, incorporating their techniques and themes into his own work. His plays often utilize vivid imagery, poetic language, and detailed stage directions, creating a strong sense of atmosphere and emotional depth. Williams achieved significant success with plays like “The Glass Menagerie,” “A Streetcar Named Desire,” and “Cat on a Hot Tin Roof,” becoming one of the most celebrated playwrights of the 20th century. He received numerous awards, including two Pulitzer Prizes and multiple Tony Awards, solidifying his place in American theater. Despite his success, Williams continued to struggle with personal demons, including depression and addiction, which influenced his later works and personal life. He died in 1983 at the age of 71, leaving behind a rich body of work that continues to be studied, performed, and celebrated. (paraphrased from online AI research)

TAG’s production of “Cat On A Hot Tin Roof” attracted a bevy of Hawaii’s finest actors to play William’s captivating characters. These included the following. Lauren Murata was chosen to play “Maggie the Cat,” whose loneliness amidst Brick’s refusal to make her his desire, has made her hard, nervous, and irritable. Scott Francis Russell would play “Brick,” the favorite son who embodies an almost archetypal masculinity, while at the same time, is also an obviously broken man because of his repressed homosexual desire for his dead friend Skipper. To play Brick’s father, “Big Daddy,” the large, brash, and vulgar plantation millionaire who believes he has returned from the grave, would be Jim Tharp. Jo Pruden would play “Big Mama,” Brick’s mother, who, crude, and bedecked in flashy gems, is embarrassingly dedicated to a man who despises her and in feeble denial of her husband’s disgust. Karen Valasek would portray “Mae,” a mean, agitated “monster of fertility” who schemes with her husband Gooper to secure Big Daddy’s estate. Tim Jeffryes would play the successful corporate lawyer,” Gooper,” Big Daddy’s elder and less-favored son, who deeply resents his parents’ love for Brick, viciously relishes in Daddy’s illness, and rather ruthlessly plots to secure control of the estate. To play “Reverend Tooker,” the tactless, opportunistic, and hypocritical guest at Big Daddy’s birthday party, would be Alan Picard. Rick Roper was picked to play the sober “Dr. Baugh,” Big Daddy’s physician, who delivers Daddy’s diagnosis to Big Mama and leaves her with a prescription of morphine. And to play Mae and Gooper’s children, who intermittently interrupt the action on-stage, were Alana Glaser as “Trixie,” Alyse Glaser as “Dixie,” Isaiah Graham as “Buster,” and Noah Graham as “Sonny.”

The Cast On Stage Of “Cat On A Hot Tin Roof”

“Cat On A Hot Tin Roof” is a play by Tennessee Williams, explores themes of family dysfunction, deceit, and the search for truth through the lens of the wealthy Pollitt family in the American South. The play, set during a single evening at their plantation, focuses on the strained marriage of Brick and Maggie, the impending death of the patriarch Big Daddy, and the underlying tensions surrounding inheritance and unspoken truths. Maggie, the “cat” of the title, is a desperate and alluring figure, struggling to maintain her position and secure her future within the family. The key elements of the play include: Family Dynamics. The Pollitt family is riddled with secrets and lies. Big Daddy, despite being told he’s dying of cancer, is unaware of the truth, while other family members are aware and actively involved in concealing it. Maggie’s Struggle. Maggie, a beautiful and determined woman, is trapped in a loveless marriage with Brick, an alcoholic ex-football star. She is desperate to conceive a child to secure her place in the family and fight against Gooper and Mae’s attempts to control the inheritance. Brick’s Self-Destruction. Brick grapples with guilt and grief over the death of his friend Skipper, with their relationship’s nature being a central point of speculation. His alcoholism is both a coping mechanism and a way to distance himself from the family and their lies. Big Daddy’s Confrontation. Big Daddy’s return from the clinic and his confrontation with Brick reveal the depth of their shared unhappiness and the pervasive mendacity within the family. Truth and Deception. The play highlights the destructive nature of lies and the difficulty of confronting uncomfortable truths. The characters engage in elaborate deceptions, both to protect themselves and to manipulate others. Symbolism. The “hot tin roof” symbolizes Maggie’s precarious position and the intense pressure she feels within the family. The play also uses symbolism through the setting, such as the bed and liquor cabinet, to represent sexual tension and escapism. Two Endings. The play features two versions of the ending, one written by Williams and the other adapted for Broadway and the movie. The adapted version provides a more optimistic and less ambiguous resolution, particularly concerning Maggie and Brick’s relationship. (paraphrased from online AI research)

The crew corralled to bring “Cat On A Hot Tin Roof,” was an outstanding one. Alan Picard, aside from acting in the play (Reverend Rooker), served as Assistant Director. Mary Ann Shirley Gray was the Stage Manager. Andy Alvarado handled the Set Design and Construction. Carlynn Wolfe and Chris Valles were in charge of Costumes. Thomas Tochiki was responsible for the Lighting Design. Lisa Ponce de Leon, Carlynn Wolfe, and Chris Valles handled Hair and Wigs. Lanaly Cabalo was the Light and Sound Operator. Edo Natasha was the photographer. And of course, Laurie Tanoura was TAG’s Production Manager.

A Play Review By Kapiolani Community College About “Cat On A Hot Tin Roof”

“Cat On A Hot Tin Roof” ran for a total of 15 performances. It opened on Friday, June 21st, 2013, and closed on Sunday, July 14th, 2013. Thursday through Saturday night performances began at 7:30 p.m. and Sunday matinees were at 2:00 p.m. It brought in a consistent crowd of TAG’s regular followers and Tennessee Williams enthusiasts, and it ended as a very successful run in spite of its contentious beginning.