Hana hou! Play's the thing in Hana
By Timothy Hurley
Advertiser Maui County Bureau
HANA, Maui — Wounded by the economic aftermath of Sept. 11, battered by the dengue fever outbreak and dogged by endless repairs to its Hana Highway lifeline, sleepy little Hana is rising above it all this weekend for a rare cultural event: an elaborately staged performance of a classical Greek play.
Timothy Hurley • The Honolulu Advertiser
But the performers are not members of a high-brow troupe of touring professionals, nor are they seasoned community theater actors.
Lipoa Kahaleuahi, 13, warms up for "The Frogs," the ancient Greek comedy by Aristophanes to be staged tonight.
They are 25 children, all Hana residents, led by a small group of volunteers.
"Five-year-olds are learning Greek literature. It's pretty incredible, really,'' said Joanne Fanning Rogers, head of Hana Arts, the nonprofit group overseeing the event.
Under the direction of Linda Enriques Meyer, the children of Hana Theater Arts are performing "The Frogs,'' a Greek comedy, under the stars in the Hawaiian Court of the Hotel Hana-Maui. Tonight is the second of two performances.
What? Aristophanes in pidgin?
Not exactly. Meyer, a 25-year theater veteran who has been involved in productions from London to Africa to Bangkok, is a bit of a perfectionist, so the young actors, who have been rehearsing a full year, will be saying their lines as written, on cue and with the feeling implied by the playwright of ancient times.
That perfectionism will be reflected in more than just the acting. The audience also will see inventive period costumes, bold sets and lighting that far exceeds the average children's production.
"It's not like kids' theater,'' said Rogers. "When (Meyer) first passed out the parts, I thought, 'This is ridiculous. They can't learn this. It's too sophisticated.' But it is absolutely authentic. Every detail is absolutely perfect. It's going to be great.''
Timothy Hurley • The Honolulu Advertiser
Indeed, if the weather holds, the whole town could turn out — and not just because nearly everyone is related to the actors.
At the Hotel Hana-Maui, volunteers prepare the set for a Greek comedy that was written by a playwright who died in the fourth century B.C. It will be performed tonight by 25 children in rural Maui.
"This is monumental, a giant project for Hana,'' said Jeannie Pechin, a 30-year resident who is not related to anyone in the play.
Jean and Chuck Gray, retirees from Honolulu, are urging all their friends to attend.
"It's quite important to the community,'' said Jean Gray. "We need to let our young people be aware that they can do this sort of thing. They need to know that just because this is a small, isolated community, there are things they can do just like in the big city.''
"It's extremely important to Hana,'' added Froyam Edel, a Realtor and owner of the Hana Road Fruit Party. "If Hana doesn't support the arts, nobody will.''
This weekend's show is the second big Hana theatrical production from Meyer, a Spanish and health teacher at Hana High School who moved to the area four years ago.
A year and a half ago, Meyer's troupe staged Garcia Lorca's "The Butterfly's Evil Spell'' at the Hana Ball Park. The smash three-performance run drew a crowd of 800.
Meyer really is the key. Originally from Texas, she has acted and directed on four continents, with credits ranging from Shakespeare's "Taming of the Shrew'' to the campy "Vampire Lesbians of Sodom" by Charles Busch.
On Maui, her theatrical experience has been translated with zeal during countless hours with her troupe.
Meyer said she tries to inject a playfulness in her work. The children, she said, experience the entire theatrical process as they watch the production evolve from beginning to end. In addition to learning lengthy dialogues, she said, the children are asked to help paint, make props and build backdrops.
Rogers said Meyer's first production transformed many of the young actors, giving them a new self-confidence that has helped them excel in school.
"It changed their lives, and you could see it. They feel great about themselves," she said. "Hana is so lucky to have Linda.''
"The Frogs" originally was scheduled for November. But the Sept. 11 attacks led to withdrawal of financial support by a foundation, denial of a grant and a drastic drop in private donations.
With no money, it appeared the production was dead.
"But we knew we had to do it. We wanted it bad,'' Rogers said. "So a few of us came together, reached deep into our pockets and maxed our credit cards."
A $30,000 show became a $3,000 production, the difference made up by a talented group of volunteers, an extraordinary number of late nights and some inventive use of castoff material.
For example, a fishing net found while beachcombing will be a key backdrop, while a bolt of faded silk recovered from the Hana dump was transformed into all of the backdrop flaps. Luckily the discoloration of the fabric resembles marble.
The final product is a labor of love.
"I'm so blessed to be part of it, even though I'm so tired right now,'' Rogers said.
For nationally syndicated columnist Tad Bartimus, a resident of Hana, the production is a testimony to the character and endurance of the close-knit community despite the recent tribulations that have beset the area.
"It really is a wonderful story,'' she said. "No one could believe something so magical could happen here.''
Tickets are $5 in advance, $7 at the door, and may be purchased at the Hotel Hana-Maui's Puamelia beauty salon. The hotel's number is (808) 248-8211.
