Disney's "High School Musical, Jr." hit the King Kekaulike stage last weekend. The made-for-television musical is a modern Romeo and Juliet story with a twist. Instead of feuding families, it's feuding cliques - the jocks versus the drama club, the drama club versus the nerds and the nerds versus the jocks - who learn to put aside their differences with the help of lovebirds Troy, captain of the basketball team, and Gabriella, math and science whiz, who shock the school by both trying out for the winter musical.
When director Chris Kepler first announced the year's musical to the drama club, he knew he had his work cut out for him convincing the students to take "High School Musical" seriously.
"I got the response I expected," said Kepler. " 'High School Musical'??? Ewwww. You're kidding, right? Can't we do 'Grease'? Pleeaaase???' There were even a few students who went screaming from the room in decided protest. A couple came up to me and told me that a year or two ago they rounded up a bunch of HSM CDs, DVDs and posters and actually burned them!"
Article Photos
Isaac Rauch plays Troy Bolton and Marissa Godinez is Gabriella Montez in King Kekaulike’s high-spirited “High School Musical.”
King Kekaulike High School photo
Despite the show's cheesy reputation, its infectious music and inspiring message eventually changed the students' minds.
"I'm very happy to say that we have a cast proud and pleased to present a show they've all grown to love," said Kepler.
He pointed out that the cast's initial response gets to the heart of the message of "High School Musical."
"High schoolers often conform," said Kepler. " 'You don't like it? Well, then I don't like it either.' 'High School Musical' is a show about stepping outside of your comfort zone. Trying something new. Being comfortable with who you are."
This positive message sets the show apart from other popular musicals about high school romance, like "Grease." While "Grease" sends the message that it is cool to follow the crowd, "High School Musical" celebrates individual differences and encourages young people to break through social boundaries.
"I think HSM's pom-poms, basketballs, skateboards and integration send a much better message of unity, healthy fun and love than the leather, cigarettes, sex and conformity of 'Grease,' " said Kepler. "Go Disney!!!"
Do not miss the final weekend of this fun, infectious, family-friendly show!
* "High School Musical" shows at 7 p.m. Friday and Saturday and 3 p.m. Sunday at the King Kekaulike Auditorium. Tickets are $8 for adults and $4 for students 17 and under. Tickets are available at the door 45 minutes before showtime.
This weekend
"Hapai": When a couple announces that they stay hapai, planning a baby shower for them brings out everyone's true colors and the generations-old secret to motherhood. "Hapai" is a hilarious local comedy written by playwright Keali'iwahine Hokoana and performed by great Maui talent. Ticket sales will benefit two nonprofit organizations, Talking Stories and Neighborhood Place of Wailuku.
Ticket price includes dessert and drinks.
* "Hapai" shows 7:30 p.m. Saturday and 3 p.m. Sunday at the Maui Theatre in Lahaina. Tickets are $20. For tickets call 249-2421.
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"Lights, Camera, Baldwin!": A Variety Show Extravaganza. In Baldwin High School's third annual variety show, more than 30 theater students come together to imagine and create a unique show with singing, dancing and skits. This year's theme, "Lights, Camera, Baldwin!," gives the students a wide range of ideas to choose from . . . from Broadway to film and TV. This show promises to be totally new, fun, and entertaining.
* "Lights, Camera, Baldwin!" shows 7:30 p.m. Fridays, 2 and 7:30 p.m. Saturdays and 5 p.m. Sundays through May 15 at the Loudon Mini-Theatre on the Baldwin campus. Tickets are $10 for adults, $8 for seniors and $6 for students 17 and younger. There are no reservations. The box office opens 45 minutes before show- time.
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"RATS! The Pied Piper Musical": The town of Hamelin is besieged with singing and dancing rats! The only hope is to hire Peter the Pied Piper to rid the town of the vocalizing vermin. Madcap merriment ensues as Little Miss Muffet and the Town Council battle it out with conjuring, conniving con-artists Madame Marie and The Great Donny. Happy ending? Of course! Loads of laughs and tons of tunes along the way. "RATS! The Pied Piper Musical" features the best of Maui talent including Leif Peterson as Peter, Chaney Cramer as Little Miss Muffet, Bill Schnitzer as Mayor Muffet, Paul Janes-Brown as Councilmember Fiddler, Laura Bloom Farber as Councilmember Faddle, Jett Batoon as Madame Marie, James Natividad as The Great Donny and Lisa Teichner, Barbara Sedano and Kristi Scott as the Rats. All ages will enjoy the show, which runs one hour without intermission.
* "RATS! The Pied Piper Musical" ends its run this weekend at 7:30 p.m. Friday, 4 and 7:30 p.m. Saturday and 1 and 4 p.m. Sunday. Reserved chair seating is $15 and floor seating for keiki is $10. For tickets and information, call 463-6520.
Coming up
"The Taming of the Shrew": Imagine a future world that only exists in the pages of graphic novels, anime and sci-fi classics like "Logan's Run" and "Barbarella," Now throw in a dash of Betty Page. Maui OnStage's "Shrew" features bold costume and set design, and multimedia technology. Electric day-glo eye candy placed in an industrial frame. This sc- fi "Shrew" morphs single dad Baptista into single mom (Lauren Burgess). Title character Katherina becomes a dominatrix-inspired super heroine (Genie Calagna). Lucentio is transformed into Lucentia (Lehua Simon), who pines and burns to win the love of the fair Bianca (Lia Krieg). The taming Petruchio is now a formidable superhero foe (Curtis "Chino" LaForge) the likes of whom Katherina has never faced before. Flashy, sexy costumes, future-world industrial set, multimedia technology with creative gender bending this is not your father's Oldsmobile. But then again, the original Shakespeare productions would have featured men playing women.
* "The Taming of the Shrew" shows 7:30 p.m. Fridays and Saturdays and 3 p.m. Sundays, May 13 through 29, at the Historic Iao Theater. Tickets are $15, $20 and $40, available at 242-6969 or MauiOnStage.com.
*****
The Wayans Brothers - Marlon and Shawn: Younger members of comedy's "first family," Marlon and Shawn Wayans got their start on FOX TV's ground-breaking comedy sketch series, "In Living Color," created and produced by their older brothers, Damon and Keenan Ivory Wayans. Marlon and Shawn also starred in the long-running sitcom, "The Wayans Bros." These two comedic prodigies have accomplished a lot in their relatively short careers: They hit pay dirt on the silver screen, starring in the comedy blockbusters, "I'm Gonna Get You Sucka," "Don't Be a Menace to South Central While Drinking Your Juice in The Hood," "Scary Movie," "Scary Movie 2," "White Chicks," "Little Man" and "Dance Flick." Now, this duo of comedic gold perform on Maui for the first time. "We're not the Smothers Brothers," Marlon, 38, said. "We bring it, and bring it hard."
* The Wayans Brothers perform at 7:30 p.m. Friday, May 20, in Castle Theater at the Maui Arts & Cultural Center. Ticket are $39, $49 and $59, plus applicable fees. Post-show meet-and-greet is $30 extra. Call 242-7469 or visit MauiArts.org for tickets.
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MAPA's Spring Extravaganza and MOVES: Maui Academy of Performing Arts presents its Spring Extravaganza with a "Jazz, Tap & Hip Hop Revue," featuring dancers of all ages doing jazz, tap, contemporary and hip-hop, and the ballet "Sleeping Beauty," to Tchaikovsky's stunning score, featuring more than 200 ballerinas ages 3 to adult. In "MOVES," MAPA's highly trained dance company presents extraordinary original choreography in the style of MAPA's "Pieces" dance concerts. "Jazz, Tap & Hip Hop Revue" hits the stage 3 p.m. Saturday, May 21 in Castle Theater at the MACC. "MOVES" follows at 7:30 p.m. in the same venue. "Sleeping Beauty" follows at 3 p.m. Sunday, May 22, also in Castle Theater.
* Tickets for "Jazz, Tap and Hip Hop Revue" and "Sleeping Beauty" are $12. Tickets for "MOVES" are $15 for adults and $12 for kids 12 and younger. (Applicable fees are added to ticket prices.) For tickets, call the MACC box office at 242-7469 or visit www.mauiarts.org.
