Stage Scene
Woman warrior back for a one-time gig

By Derek Paiva
Advertiser Staff Writer

Kati Kuroda performs the roles of seven characters in "Sakura: Bandit Princess," the story of a young girl's life journey from her peaceful rural home to becoming a brave warrior. "Sakura: Bandit Princess" 7:30 p.m. today Mamiya Theatre In advance: $20 general ($15 UH students, faculty, staff and children under 17); At the door: $20-$25 956-6878

A physically challenging one-actor play with seven different speaking parts, at times requiring the simultaneous inhabiting of three characters in a single scene, "Sakura" was written especially for the acting talents of Honolulu-born New York actor Kati Kuroda. With that many characters to play — a princess, her loyal servant and a nobleman, among them — Kuroda, as one might expect, is literally all over the stage.

"Every time I do the show I have to physically get myself buffed," Kuroda quipped, about the month of gym time she typically puts in before opening nights. "It's very demanding. I do a lot of getting up and getting back down. It's like aerobics."

Tashiro, who passed away in 1999, composed "Sakura" after seeing Kuroda in a 1981 production of its predecessor "The Bandit Princess," a multi-actor play with less need for ab crunches.

"Kikue came to the show and really liked what I did," remembered Kuroda, of the Hawai'i production she performed in, two years before moving to New York City to pursue acting full time. "Before she left ... she promised me that she would write a play for me one day. Sure enough, 15 years later, she calls me up and says, 'Kati, I have a play for you!'"

Having last staged "Sakura" locally in 1996, Kuroda will be taking some time off from her annual Hawai'i pilgrimage "to do yardwork for my mom" for a single performance of "Sakura" tonight at Mamiya Theatre. Directed by Kuroda's longtime friend and University of Hawai'i-Manoa classmate Penny Bergman, "Sakura" recounts the life journey of the daughter of the first Bandit Princess from a peaceful youth in the Japan countryside unaware of her royal status, to her ultimate fate as a brave female warrior.

"She doesn't accept it easily, and grows and learns throughout the play," said Kuroda. "But by the end of the play, she comes to know that it is her destiny to fight for justice." Kuroda giggles lustily at her comic-book ready statement. "It's an adult fairy tale. The language is very romantic."

Though six years have given Kuroda ample time to memorize every line, "Sakura" — with its multitude of character mannerisms and vocal changes — remains a pleasurable challenge.

"I keep learning and discovering things, and the characters keep getting richer and richer," said Kuroda. "I probably relate to (loyal servant) Genta the most. He's the salt of the Earth ... definitely someone I know."

And the most challenging role?

"The princess," said Kuroda, not missing a beat. "For the moment, I have to think that I'm this cute, sweet little Japanese girl, which, of course, I'm far from in real life." She pauses, for effect. "In real life, I'm a tita."

Finally resting at her mom's Kailua house, Kuroda is in little hurry to return to her Hoboken, N.J., home. Originally set to depart from New York City for Honolulu on the evening of Sept. 11, Kuroda instead spent the day glued to her television set watching continuous news coverage of the World Trade Center terrorist attacks and gazing across the Hudson River at a strangely altered New York City skyline, dense with smoke, yet eerily silent.

"We're so close to Manhattan," said Kuroda, explaining the tragedy's effect on her adopted hometown. "A lot of people from Hoboken worked at the World Trade Center. And there are a lot of people from Hoboken who are missing." Kuroda arrived in Honolulu late Monday evening, happy despite 18 hours of travel and airport time.

"I'm in my shorts, my tank top and slippers, so I know I'm back," said Kuroda. "After the show's pau, I'm gonna stay for another four weeks and do yard work." For four weeks?

"Eh, got plenty mondo grass, you know!"