March 2009 Season 94 • Issue 2 Inside This Issue A Look Back in Time 2 Executive Director’s Message 2 Shooting Stars’ Holiday Tour 3 Year in Review 4 ‘Ilima Awards 6 In the Spotlight 7 Welcome to Broadway! 8 of making a two-person play fill Diamond Three Friends, Two Parts Head Theatre’s stage and captivate the and One Unique Play audience as it had captivated him in New York . A Story of Friendship There were long nights of just the three Coming Soon and Dedication alone in a darkened theatre with only the Artistic Director John Rampage attended stage lights lit. The holidays came and went. GYPSY the play Souvenir on Broadway in 2005 They barely noticed. Overtired, each came March 20-April 5, 2009 and, enthralled by the portrayal of Florence down with the inevitable cold or flu. Still, Foster Jenkins, immediately began to dream the rehearsals continued—afternoons, DIRTY ROTTEN of the show’s Hawaii premiere at DHT. evenings, with tissues and cough syrup at the SCOUNDRELS The show would require two exceptional ready. A Hawaii Premiere and very talented individuals: a woman Opening night of Souvenir. The audience, May 15-31, 2009 who could sing well enough to be able to not knowing what to expect, was caught off sing badly and a man who was an actor, a guard and unexpectedly moved to laughter THE WEDDING SINGER singer and an accomplished pianist. John and tears by the story of Madame Flo. The A Hawaii Premiere approached two longtime friends and veteran result: a funny, sweet, poignant show that July 10-26, 2009 actors, Stefanie Smart and Laurence Paxton. thrilled audiences and critics alike. Would they take it on? They would. Three friends, two parts and one unique Rehearsals began in the fall of 2008. play. A triumph! For Tickets Stefanie, playing Mrs. Foster Jenkins, had Call 808.733.0274 or visit to learn all the operas correctly in order P.S. In a bittersweet turn, Stefanie Smart www.diamondheadtheatre.com to learn to sing them poorly. Larry, whose took ill and was unable to complete the run of character, Cosme McMoon, never really Souvenir. Another friend stepped in: Mary leaves the stage, had mountains of dialogue Chesnut Hicks. Still a triumph! Stefanie to memorize. John had the formidable task pursued the dream; Mary completed it. a popular local sports reporter at the time. Honolulu artist Anne Irons played Mrs. Ferguson. Some of the younger crowd in that show included 12-year-old Andrew Sakaguchi (now all grown up and a DHT actor/choreographer/director), who played Running Deer. Then- college student, Greg Zane (director of A Look Back in Time DHT’s just-finished Peter Pan), played Annie Get Your Gun Whitefeather LaFong. The man you all see at the theatre, box office night opened at Annie Get Your Gun manager Bob Todd, was Annie’s musical Clockwise from left: Jim Demarest as Charlie Honolulu Community Theatre June director. Other names that may be Davenport; Phill Upton as Sitting Bull; and Bryan da Silva as Frank Butler 18, 1982. The show was quite a hootin’, familiar to you: Madeline Press as Annie hollerin’, cowboy event, complete with and Bryan da Silva as Frank Butler. country/Western music at intermission. Annie Get Your Gun was directed and Ticket prices that year were $5.50, What was remarkable about the show choreographed by Jim Hutchison, also a $7.75 and $8.75; but before you say were all the familiar names, some of HCT/DHT long-timer. “roll back the prices,” know that royalties whom are still involved at HCT (now were only $365 a performance, versus Diamond Head Theatre, or DHT). the average show royalty of $1,400 that Jim Demarest played one of the we pay today. Hy’s Steak House was leads, Charlie Davenport. The playbill an advertiser in the playbill, and a juicy reads: “Kamaainas know him [Jim] New York steak was listed at $12.50. well for his years as “Mr. Checkers” Another advertiser, The Park Shore of KGMB’s Checkers and Pogo show.” Hotel, featured rooms for $44. Playing Buffalo Bill was another familiar One of the best parts is that, more name, Dave Donnelly. Dave, who passed than 25 years later, many of the Annie 2 away a few years ago, was a well-known Get Your Gun behind-the-scenes columnist for the Honolulu Star-Bulletin. volunteers are still volunteering and/ Interestingly enough, the playbill states or involved at DHT—including the he got his start as an actor, graduating Gilberts, the Huffs, the Cundys, Lettie from the University of Hawaii with a Pang, Paul Tremaine, Lawrence Ikezaki, degree in drama. Another newsman, Jim Mary Marko and too many more to list. Hackleman, was also in the cast. Jim was Now that’s a legacy worth hootin’ and hollerin’ about! Executive Director’s We have some The Walt Disney Company has a great shows coming mission statement that is very simple: Message up—shows that will “To make people happy.” We’d like not only entertain, to borrow that. Walk into our cozy There is no doubt we’re facing a but also give you theatre. Take your seat. Find yourself challenging year ahead. Every day we another world to live surrounded by friends. Listen to the listen to news stories that concern, in, somewhere else orchestra tune up. See the lights dim. discourage or just plain frighten us. to be, even if only for Watch the curtain rise. The headlines are bleak. The skies, even one night. You’ll be Let the show begin—the world in our beautiful Hawaii, seem to be wowed by Shari Lynn as Mama Rose in outside can wait. darkening. the classic musical, Gypsy; you’ll laugh Let us make you happy. At Diamond Head Theatre, we’re out loud (really!) at the very hilarious working hard to bring you some bright Dirty Rotten Scoundrels; and you’ll be spots amid all the gloom and doom. energized by the feel-good production of The Wedding Singer. See you at the theatre! Encore! is published by Diamond Head Theatre, 520 Makapuu Avenue, Honolulu, HI 96816. Our Mission Statement Phone (808)733-0277 Editor Stacy Pope Established in 1915, Diamond Head Theatre is the Broadway of the Facsimile (808)735-1250 Contributing Writers Deena Dray Pacific, producing the best live community theatre entertainment Box Office (808)733-0274 John Rampage and advancing the theatre arts through education in Hawai‘i. www.diamondheadtheatre.com Coordinator Cathy Pai Shooting Stars’ Holiday Tour DHT’s Shooting Stars went “on tour” this past holiday season, with performances in a variety of locations. One of the things that DHT Stars Director John Rampage is most proud of is the Stars’ adaptability to the different venues; so whether they performed on a small, makeshift stage in the Next Step Homeless Shelter or standing among couches and coffee tables at C.S. Wo, the kids danced and sang like the pros they have become! C.S. Wo Customer Event: Home for the Holidays Neiman Marcus, Breakfast with Santa 3 Smiling Stars backstage at The Honolulu Jaycees show at McKinley High School, with Stars Music Director Nanilisa Pascua A private performance for Stars sponsor Joan Bellinger at the opening night of Peter Pan Diamond Head Theatre’s 93rd Season The 2007–2008 Year in Review Our Season all year: The Producers. Director (and Our season began with Best Little DHT’s artistic director) John Rampage Whorehouse in Texas. The show featured pulled out all the stops for this show, songstress Anita Hall in her Diamond and from costumes to set to sound to Head Theatre debut and turned out casting, it did not disappoint. Dennis to be a delightful production. The Proulx and Don Nahaku perfectly competition of The Lion King across captured the Bialystock and Bloom Best Little Whorehouse in Texas town had some effect on audience chemistry and left audiences begging for turnout, but even so, Best Little more. It was over the top as only Mel Whorehouse proved a popular vehicle to Brooks can be, and loads of fun. open our season. Meet Me in St. Louis The season concluded with the followed—a heart-warming story of ever-popular The Wizard of Oz, which a family anticipating the World’s Fair, charmed children and adults alike all complicated by the news they might be summer long. The theatre offered a leaving their beloved hometown. All “Dinner in the Emerald City” package, ended well, of course, and the show’s which, between matinees, introduced famous tune, “Have Yourself a Merry children attendees to the cast of Little Christmas,” never failed to put our characters, served them supper right up on the stage, plus lots more. It was the Barefoot in the Park audience in the holiday mood. The holiday season also introduced first time we’d done such a promotion, a promotional season ticket package and both Saturdays sold out almost called Tinsel ’n Tickets. The package immediately. included two tickets to any three of the Education four remaining shows in the 2007–2008 Education continues to be a big 4 season. It was the perfect gift for the part of our mission, and we’re happy to holidays and sold well. report once again that our performing The new year brought Neil Simon’s arts education program is flourishing. Barefoot in the Park. A stroll down In season 2007–2008, nearly 1,000 Flower Drum Song memory lane for baby boomers who children and adults took part in classes fondly recall the Robert Redford/Jane and workshops at Diamond Head Fonda movie, Barefoot was a simply Theatre ranging from baby ballet to charming comedy about newlywed hip hop to adult acting.