As Broadway prepares for a new season of new shows so does Maui. Possible Broadway hits and misses eventually make their way to us here in Hawaii, most notably the upcoming "Wicked" production opening Thanksgiving weekend in Honolulu.
Here on Maui, approximately 30 separate productions and revues will be produced this season, not counting what the MACC has in store for us.
I had previously stated Maui OnStage and MAPA would be presenting the first shows of the season, but ProArts has just announced a production of "Doubt," which will now open on September 28 and run through October 14 at the ProArts Playhouse in Kihei. The 2005 play by John Patrick Shanley ("Moonstruck") won the Pulitzer Prize for Drama and Tony Award for Best Play.
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Gina Shure (from left) Jeff Brackett (standing) John Messersmith and Hadley Garcia are among the cast of Maui OnStage’s “Run For Your Wife.” The show opens Oct. 5.
JACK GRACE photo
"Reunite," the gala opening of Seabury Hall's new Creative Arts Center, starring Seabury alumni and directed by David Ward plays at 7 p.m. Friday and Saturday, September 28 and 29.
On October 5, Maui OnStage opens "Run For Your Wife" by Ray Cooney, directed by Dale Button. London's longest running comedy is the farcical tale of cab driver John Smith, who has two wives, two lives and a very precise schedule for juggling them both. The production runs at the Historic Iao Theater through October 14 with performances at 7:30 Fridays and Saturdays p.m. and at 3 p.m. Sundays.
On Friday, October 26, comedian Russell Peters will be in performance at Castle Theater. A Canadian-Indian comedian and actor, Peters' standup performances have been compared to Eddie Izzard's. This one-night-only event is intended for mature audiences. Tickets are available now through the MACC box office and prices range from $29.50 to $65. That same night MAPA opens "Macbeth" by William Shakespeare, directed by David C. Johnston and starring Will Makozak in the title role. Shakespeare's spookiest play will run in the Steppingstone Playhouse at the Queen Ka'ahumanu Center, at 7:30 pm Fridays and Saturdays and at 2 p.m. Sundays through November 11.
Also running that weekend is "The Voice of the Prairie," John Olive's evocation of the early days of radio in the Midwest, directed by Sally Sefton at Seabury Hall. Performances will be at 7 p.m. on Fridays and Saturdays, October 26 through November 3 and at 3 p.m. Sunday, Nov. 4.
The return of "Rocktober" at the Iao Theater happens October 28 through 31. The nightly free Halloween festivities include a screening of the Iao Theater "Haunted Collector" episode, Historic Iao Theater ghost stories, ghost and horror films, the "Thriller" zombie dancers and the annual "Rocky Horror Picture Show" night at 9 p.m. on Wednesday, October 31.
November is a month of "Oz" with a Seabury middle school production of Frank Baum's classic directed by Marsha Kelly, playing the weekend of November 16 through November 18.
On Black Friday (Nov. 23) Maui OnStage opens its "The Wizard of Oz" with the music and lyrics by Harold Arlen and E.Y. Harburg, adapted by John Kane for the Royal Shakespeare Company and based on the 1939 MGM film. This version, first presented in London in 1988, was adapted to follow the famous motion picture even more closely than any other previous adaptations. The Maui OnStage production will also feature state-of-the-art special effects and elaborate costumes with weekend performances through December 9. That same weekend the national tour of "Wicked," the "Oz" prequel, opens in Honolulu for a limited eight-week touring engagement through January 16, 2013. "Wicked" will have eight performances per week at the Blaisdell Concert Hall, Tuesdays through Sundays.
ProArts will present an encore production of "Driving Miss Daisy" with returning cast members Joyce Romero and J. Marc Mance. If you missed the phenomenal 2011 show, here's a second chance to see one of Maui's finest stage achievements. "Driving Miss Daisy" runs weekends November 2 through 18.
Baldwin High, under the direction of Linda Carnevale, invites you to "Be Our Guest" at the first musical of the season, "Beauty and the Beast, Jr." The production is based on the classic Disney film with music by Alan Menken, lyrics by Howard Ashman and Tim Rice. "Beauty and the Beast" runs weekends, November 2 through 11 in the Baldwin Auditorium.
Come Christmastime, MAPA presents "Nutcracker Sweets," a version of the classic Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky ballet, "the Nutcracker" in the Castle Theater at the MACC on Saturday December 8 at 2 p.m. and 7 p.m.
ProArts will open "Smokey Joe's Cafe," a musical based on the music of Jerry Leiber and Mike Stoller on December 7. The revue features some of the most beloved songs in American history including "On Broadway," "Kansas City," "There Goes My Baby," "Love Potion #9," "Hound Dog," "Stand By Me," and many more. "Smokey Joe's Cafe," will run weekends through December 23 with a possible extension in January 2013.
Seabury will offer its annual Christmas Party Performing Arts Concert at 7 p.m. on Friday and Saturday, December 7 and 8 But the busy holiday shows don't stop there as The Sirens of Song with the Kit Kat Club have a large scale Rockettes style Christmas show extravaganza planned to run at the Maui Tropical Plantation. Dates and times are to be announced.
The new year brings Bill Maher's return to MACC for his second annual New Year's Day show on Tuesday, January 1. Tickets go on sale to the public Saturday, September 1. Later that month MAPA will present an inaugural performance of their adult dance company, January 11 and 12 at the Steppingstone Playhouse.
The "New Shanghai Circus" comes to the Castle Theater for three performances on January 21 and 22, additional details will be available soon at mauiarts.org.
The Maui Fringe Festival 2013 returns to the Iao Theater, February 1 through 3. One act plays may be submitted to the Maui Fringe committee starting on September 10 via email at the Maui OnStage website.
MAPA invites you to "Dream the Impossible Dream" at the Steppingstone, weekends February 1 through 24 with it's adult production of Dale Wasserman's "Man of La Mancha," based on Miguel de Cervantes' "Don Quixote." Also in February Kamehameha Schools will present a student production of Stephen Schwartz's "Godspell." Dates and times are to be announced.
Seabury Hall goes musical in 2013 with "Hello Dolly." Jerry Herman's and Michael Stewart's adaptation of Thornton Wilder's "the Matchmaker," directed by David Ward and performed Fridays and Saturdays at 7 p.m. and Sundays at 3 p.m., February 22 through March 3.
In March, Maui OnStage presents "Shout: the Mod Musical," directed by Kalani Whitford. "Shout," is the tale of a British mod girl group set in London in the 1960s and features the music of Lulu, Petula Clark, Dusty Springfield and Shirley Bassey. "Shout" runs March 1 through 18.
Baldwin will offer Seymour, Audrey, a masochistic dentist, and a giant man-eating plant in the doo-wop musical "Little Shop of Horrors" weekends April 5 through 21 in the Loudon Mini-Theatre.
If you loved "Lesser Ahi" get ready for "Fresher Ahi," the sequel written by and starring Derek Nakagawa and Francis Tau'a, and directed by David C. Johnston. The world premiere production opens on Friday April 12 and run weekends through April 28 at Steppingstone Playhouse.
Maui OnStage presents a bittersweet slice of Carol Burnett's childhood with the dramedy "Hollywood Arms," weekends April 26 through May 5. Also in May, MAPA offers their "Spring Extravaganza" with three dance shows in one weekend; a jazz, tap and hip hop revue, "The Little Mermaid" ballet and "MOVES" a dance concert. The annual event happens May 4 and 5 in the Castle Theater at the MACC. Show times are to be announced.
Finally in July, Steven Dascoulias will direct the Maui premiere of Jonathan Larson's Tony Award-winning mega-hit "Rent," based on Puccini's "La Boheme," opening July 12. Performances will be at 7:30 p.m. Fridays and Saturdays and at 3 p.m. Sundays through August 4 at the Historic Iao Theater. At press time I had not yet received announcements from the King Kekaulike High or additional productions from ProArts and the MACC. King Kekaulike generally has October, February and May productions. Audition announcements for those interested in a particular show are always listed in Maui Backstage, but it's a good idea to check the websites of ProArts, Maui OnStage and MAPA on a semi-regular basis for updates. Best of luck to the entire Maui show biz ohana on a successful and rewarding 2012-13 theatrical season!
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This weekend
Come sail away with Maui's the Kit Kat Club to "Fantasy Island - a Kit Kat Club Cabaret" on Friday at the Maui Tropical Plantation. Joining the bill are four burlesque beauties from Oahu, Violetta Beretta, Kitty Chow, Lola Love and Miss Catwings. Doors at Maui Tropical Plantation open at 6:30 p.m., show at 7:30 p.m.. Tickets are $20 at the door. This is a 21 and older event. To purchase advance tickets visit fantasyislandmaui.eventbrite.com.
Enjoy an encore performance of Oahu's burlesque beauties Saturday at Three's Bar & Grill in Kihei. Experience "Cabaret Risque," a modern variety show featuring live song, dance, burlesque featuring Kitty Chow, Lola Love, Violetta Beretta, Miss Catwings, DJ Mr. Nick, and the Maui Roller Girls.
"Cabaret Risque" includes an array of acts including Brazilian samba and classic glamorous feather fan dancing. Be prepared for a roller coaster ride from comical to poignant, to wickedly sexy and beautifully weird. Tickets are available at the door only $10 before 10:30 p.m., $15 after, doors open at 10 p.m., show at 10:45 p.m.
