December 2014 Volume 100 • Issue 2 Inside This Issue Silver Stars Shine 1 Executive Director’s Message 2 Volunteer of the Year 3 Our Theatre, 1941 to 1965 4 2014 ‘Ilima Awards 6 Flood at DHT! 8 Coming Soon Dec. 5 - 23, 2014 Silver Stars Shine Jan. 30 - Feb. 15, 2015 whom are 60 years old or more—as they DHT’s Popular Dance joke with each other about life and the Class Thrives on Fun, latest dance steps. And when it’s time for class to start, these “silver stars” channel Fitness and Friends their rambunctious energy into the fun t’s a typical Tuesday morning at and freedom of moving to the beat. IDiamond Head Theatre. Dim sunlight Taught by our multitalented artistic filters in through the jalousie windows director, John Rampage (whom the ladies of the rehearsal hall, casting the room in absolutely adore), the class is modeled as March 27 - April 12, 2015 shades of blue and gray. All is calm, silent, a seniors-exclusive version of his wildly as the theatre sleeps during its dormant successful Broadway Jazz class. It provides daytime hours. Then lights suddenly a fun and safe environment for students flood the room as the boisterous women to dance without the pressure of keeping of DHT’s Silver Stars dance class enter, up with younger generations, and has banishing the silence with their laughter attracted many new and happy faces to our and conversation. vibrant theatre community. For Tickets It’s impossible not to get caught up in Call 808.733.0274 or visit the exuberance of the students—most of CONTINUED ON PAGE 2 www.diamondheadtheatre.com CONTINUED FROM PAGE 1 Mahalo to Beth Fincke, Our 2014 Volunteer of the Year can only describe the Diamond IHead Theatre Costume Shop as a magical forest of clothes. Floor-to- ceiling clothing racks tower like trees, canopied with anything from the sparkling purple of a fairy’s dress to the patchy brown of a shipwrecked-pirate’s “If it wasn’t for John, I wouldn’t The spirited women of Silver Stars “Set your own goals, and don’t compare trousers. be here,” says new student Candy agree that the friendships they build yourself to how someone else is doing in In the midst of it all, our Volunteer Cassarno with a big smile. “It’s great to dancing together are the very best part the class. Come into it thinking, ‘This is of the Year, Beth Fincke, works like expand beyond the people you know of the experience. Whether they’re fun. I have time to do something I never the world’s most organized wood instead of sticking to your own safe putting the sultry slink and brassy got to do when I was younger.’ If it’s sprite, neatly folding and stacking the group. Coming to class is my reward sass of “All That Jazz” to movement, something you wanted to do all your life, myriad articles of clothing that call the second Sunday actually make entire costumes, but I for the day.” or laughing at the shared difficulty then do it, no matter what your age.” Costume Shop home. Through her matinee of may have done the surging on pieces For Aileen Kawakami, Silver Stars of dancing within their designated And if the beaming faces at the end of exemplary service at DHT, from taking every show of fabric that Brenda [DHT’s costume is the first dance class she has ever “swimming lanes” (as John likes to class are any indication, the lovely ladies up dress hems to audio-describing for the blind. assistant] or Karen [DHT’s costume taken. “It’s lots of fun,” she says. “At my put it), this rowdy bunch always has a of Silver Stars are doing just that. shows for the visually impaired, Beth There are director] have cut, or altered the hems, last class reunion, I couldn’t get up and blast together. -KML has shown just how great an impact now only four etc. It’s all about being a part of the dance. I was a wallflower, so this class “It’s never too late to start dancing,” one person can have. While I joined of us. Three, whole, learning new things and the is my ‘coming out’ experience.” John points out once the class is over. in the sorting of brightly sequined including camaraderie of being with people who blouses, Beth took the time to share myself, are are like-minded. her story with me. from the original 12, 2 KML: Do you have a most rewarding 3 Aloha from DHT’s percent from Aiea/Pearl City, and 3 boomers. I’m intrigued myself—and KML: How long have you been and one is new. Beth Fincke DHT moment? percent from Waipahu and Wahiawa. since it’s not a matter of simply sorting volunteering at DHT? Beth: I can’t give you a specific Executive Director We have folks coming in from Mililani zip codes, we’re going to ask you. It Beth: Twenty-nine years. I was in the KML: What’s the most fulfilling part of moment. But sometimes when I’m in a Recently I worked on a report for our (4 percent), would be helpful to find out a few of DHT production of Oklahoma in volunteering here? show and listening to feedback during board of directors to determine which Kapolei (2 these things so we can better know how 1985 and Peg Birnie, the costumer Beth: Being part of an enterprise that Talk Back Sunday, someone will say, parts of Oahu our subscribers come percent) and to communicate with you (i.e., email or at the time, came into rehearsal and needs all kinds of people with different “I saw the show in New York and this from, and the results were an eye- Ewa Beach snail mail), pick shows, plan events and said, “Unless we can get help in the talents to function. That’s the cool part is an even better production.” You can opener. (2 percent). so forth. Please keep your eye out for Costume Shop, some people are of theater—there’s always room for tell they’re not just trying to be nice. As expected, about 30 percent hail Downtown our quick and easy survey. going to have to leave the cast.” I was someone to do something, especially They really mean it, and I think that’s from nearby neighborhoods—Kahala, residents In the meantime, as we approach planning on helping anyway, so that’s in a community theatre, where they wonderful. For me, it all goes back to Kaimuki, Aina Haina and Hawaii Kai. comprise 4 the season when we remember to give when I got started—and I never quit! rely on volunteers. No matter what being part of something really special Let’s face it—we know people don’t percent of the thanks, I give thanks to you—our you do, it’s an important part of the with equally special people. like to drive far in Hawaii! But what total, but that island-wide (and then some) family of KML: What do you do when you bigger picture. For instance, I don’t -KML was surprising is how many do drive could be because subscribers and donors. And to that one volunteer? some distance to come to DHT. We some people have their DHT mail subscriber from Molokai—you rock! Beth: The fun thing about working in have subscribers from as far away as sent to their offices (we have not yet the Costume Shop is that you get to do Waianae, Haleiwa/Waialua and even dug deeper to find out). all sorts of different jobs, from letting Hauula. Now that’s devotion! My next research project is to down hems of costumes to spray- The report also divulged that answer an American Association of painting shoes or designing hats—and many of our fans come from Kailua Community Theatres survey as to of course, sorting clothes and doing and Kaneohe (15 percent), another 4 how many of our patrons are baby laundry. One of my major skills is that I can organize and find places to put things as our costume collection grows. Often I do the job of sorting and folding costumes, boxing them by is published by Diamond Head Theatre, 520 Makapuu Avenue, Honolulu, HI 96816. Encore! Our Mission Statement show and putting them away. I’m also Phone (808)733-0277 Writers Deena Dray, Kathryn Mariko Lee Established in 1915, Diamond Head Theatre is one of the original 12 audio describers Facsimile (808)735-1250 and Mary Calantoc the Broadway of the Pacific, producing the best live Box Office (808)733-0274 Editor Stacy Pope community theatre entertainment and advancing from when they first started the www.diamondheadtheatre.com Graphic Designer Bernie Kim the theatre arts through education in Hawai‘i. program 13 years ago. We describe the Coordinator Mary Calantoc t Honolulu Community tradition that ‘the show must go on,’ but time, HCT was able to gain permission This gave HCT use of the theatre as Theatre (today called Diamond we also felt a moral obligation to utilize Diamond Head Theatre to perform shows whose rights were well as a workshop near Fort Shafter AHead Theatre), the year 1941 our talent and facilities in providing not typically given to anyone outside of in exchange for assistance with the was in most ways similar to those some measure of entertainment for the Manhattan, such as Arthur Miller’s All Theater Guild’s productions, a promise before it.