Review: ‘Once Upon One Time’
July 11, 2010 by Star-Advertiser Staff
Filed under Latest News, More from TGIF, Reviews, Stage
Review by John Berger
jberger@staradvertiser.com
Country star Tim McGraw’s recent hit, “If You’re Reading This,” includes the words: “If you’re reading this / There’s gonna come a day / When you’ll move on / And find someone else / And, Baby, that’s OK.”
Manoa Valley Theatre’s summer production of “Once Upon One Time” shows that the sentiment can apply equally well to theater.
The show is the first community theater production of playwright Lisa Matsumoto’s definitive pidgin musical since her tragic death in 2007, and only the second time another actor has had to play a role Matsumoto wrote and developed for herself. The tight-knit core group of actors Matsumoto featured in her shows over the years are absent for other reasons, but their absence heightens the sense of moving on. MVT guest director Elitei Tatafu Jr., and his talented cast make that surprising easy to do.
After all, the show is still her ever-popular amalgamation of ideas from MAD magazine, Rocky & Bullwinkle’s “Fractured Fairy Tales,” Kent “K.K. Ka‘umanua” Bowman, and Abbott & Costello’s “Who’s On First?” routine. It’s a recipe that never gets old for Hawaii audiences, and, as always, the comic characters stand out. Read more
Do It: ‘Once Upon One Time’
July 8, 2010 by Star-Advertiser Staff
Filed under Do It, For the Family, Stage
Star-Advertiser Staff
tgif@staradvertiser.com
The popular pidgin musical comedy “Once Upon One Time” is in revival.
Written by the late Lisa Matsumoto, with a libretto by Paul Palmore and Roslyn Catracchia, the production adapts and intertwines familiar fairy tales into a fun Hawaiian-kine fantasy for the whole family.
The action takes place in a mythical local kingdom where outrageous characters meet for one crazy, kapakahi adventure.
Characters include Noelani an da Six Menehunes, Kekoa and Maile, Red Rose Haku, Da Keed Who Wen Cry Mongoose, and many more. Featured actors include Pomai Lopez, Tesia Worley, Jessica Kauhane, Daryl Bonilla, KoDee Martin and Leilyn Lui.
Catracchia is guest music director, Elitei Tatafu Jr. guest director, and Kat Jones guest choreographer.
» Where: Manoa Valley Theatre, 2833 E. Manoa Road
» When: 7:30 p.m. Thursdays; 3 and 8 p.m. Saturdays and 4 p.m. Sundays through Aug. 8
» Cost: $35 general admission, $30 for seniors and military, $20 for those under 26 years old
» Info: 988-6131 or www.manoavalleytheatre.com
» Note: All seats are non-reserved
Do It: ‘Princess and the Iso Peanut’
April 13, 2010 by Star-Advertiser Staff
Filed under Do It, Stage
Restaging of ‘Princess and the Iso Peanut’
Star-Bulletin Staff
features@starbulletin.com
The restaging of “The Princess and the Iso Peanut” will be presented at Hawaii Theatre.
Roslyn Catracchia and her late creative partner Lisa Matsu moto’s production is based on the children’s story “The Princess and the Pea,” albeit with a local twist and in pidgin.
During a journey to a faraway kingdom, a traditional fairy tale princess falls in love with a local Japa nese prince and must pass a most unusual test to show that she is, in fact, a real princess and worthy of marriage.
» Where: Hawaii Theatre, 1130 Bethel St.
» When: 7 p.m. Thursday through April 17; also 2 p.m. April 18
» Cost: $15 (children 4 and under permitted with ticket)
» Info: 528-0506 or www.hawaii theatre.com
