“Bringing Down the House” features 30 teenage actors drawn from schools across Maui in the production’s cast. The musical that doesn’t actually have any actual music will run from Sept. 26 to Oct. 5 at the Iao Theater. Courtesy photo

The Maui OnStage Education and Youth Program will soon stage an unusual production that features a musical without songs.

“Bringing Down the House” by Todd Wallinger is about a bunch of students trying to mount a musical that keeps getting interrupted.

“It’s a little different,” explained Tina Kailiponi, the director. “Basically, it’s about three creatives trying to find a funder for their musical that they want to produce on Broadway. They were promised they’d have a theater that they can rehearse in for six weeks, and at the end of that six weeks, investors will come and see it and love it.”

But the reality is, their agent booked them a theater that’s old and dilapidated. It’s been condemned, and it’s going to be torn down the next day.

“So they have the genius idea of trying to put this together in a matter of a couple of hours and try to get an investor to come to see it just in that short period of time,” Kailiponi said. “Every time they try to rehearse the songs, they get interrupted, and so there’s never a song sung. There’s music, but nobody ever gets to sing anything, and it’s just basically a trial of errors.”

Kailiponi said it is a really funny and entertaining hysterical show.

“Bringing Down the House” stars a bunch of teenage actors drawn from schools across Maui. “We’ve got kids from Seabury, Kihei Charter, Haleakala Waldorf, King Kekaulike and Baldwin,” Kailiponi said. “Almost every high school on the island is represented. There are 30 teenagers from ages 13 to 17. Francis Tau’a is the assistant director, we co-direct and he is the king of comedy. He’s teaching them how to deliver the joke, and how to make it land — all the elements of comedy.”

The timing of this youth production fits with Maui OnStage’s upcoming production of “Rocky Horror.”

“One of the main reasons I chose this script is we have to share the stage with ‘Rocky Horror,'” she explained. “We are always having to perform on the scaffolding, so either we would have to disguise the scaffolding or use it. When I read the synopsis of this play, where it doesn’t need a set, it’s just an old falling apart theater, I’m like, ‘This is the script.’ We don’t have to worry about a set, and we can use the scaffolding as a character in this show.”

Originally commissioned by Belmont Day School in Massachusetts, Wallinger describes the show on his website as “a monster, the biggest, most complex play I’ve ever written.”

“There’s a lot going on, so many ins and outs, and so many elements of comings and goings,” Kailiponi said. “The timing of each scene and each line delivery, just landing the lines correctly, and knowing your entrances and your exits, it’s a lot for this age range. The kids are always looking for something that will challenge them a little more.”

The Education and Youth Program Coordinator for Maui Onstage, Kailiponi is excited about the young actors’ potential. “This is the generation that is just below most of our actors who are on Maui’s stages now, and they’re coming up the ranks. They’re going to be amazed by the talent that is right on their heels. Francis and I have been working with these kids for many years, and it’s been a fun journey.”

An award-winning playwright with over 3,000 productions in 24 countries, Wallinger described some of “Bringing Down the House’s characters.

“There’s the upbeat composer who sees the world through rose-colored glasses. The highly strung director, who’s more concerned about his caramel macchiato than the suddenly truncated rehearsal schedule, and a whole slew of actors, from the coddled Hollywood star to the pretentious British veterans to the ever-hopeful chorus members. I even included an annoying child star called Karlee.”

In one scene in the play, Karlee’s mom asks: “Why don’t you sing your audition song, Karlee? Show him what you can do.”

“All right. This is a little dittie called “Tomorrow” from Annie,” Karlee says as she poses and opens her mouth to sing.

“Nooooo!” the director yells.

“What’s the matter?” Karlee asks.

“You’ve got the part. Just don’t sing that song. Never ever,” the director tells her.

“Bringing Down the House” runs Sept. 26 to Oct. 5 at the Iao Theater. Friday shows are at 7 p.m. and Saturday and Sunday shows are at 3 p.m. Tickets are $10. For more information, call (808) 242-6969.

Courtesy photo