Taxidermist characters the write stuff for Kumu stage

By Wayne Harada
Advertiser Entertainment Writer

Harry-O (Harrison Kawate) and his daughter Toni (Linda Au) share some quality time during a pig hunt in Kumu Kahua's "Heads by Harry," based on the novel by Lois-Ann Yamanaka. Brad Goda

It's the second of Yamanaka's works to go from page to stage. Kawashida, who also is directing, collaborated with John Wat. Yamanaka's earlier novel-to-stage transformation was "Wild Meat and Bully Burgers."

"At Kumu, we're always looking for local novels to adapt," said Kashiwada, who showed up at Borders one night to listen to Yamanaka read from her books.

"What do you think of doing another adaptation?" he asked her.

Yamanaka suggested "Heads."

"She felt it was cinematic, and we went from there," said Kashiwada, who teaches speech and performance of literature at Kapi'olani Community College.

"Heads" tells of the Yagyuu family, running a taxidermy shop in Hilo. It is peopled with real characters, said Kashiwada.

"And that's what attracts me to Lois-Ann's works — her development of characters," he said.

"We can all relate to them, and she has the amazing ability to create people who seem somewhat eccentric. Imagine a father who runs a taxidermy shop, who takes his daughter hunting. It's somewhat autobiographical, but out of the realm of normalcy. She tackles the universal theme of family, albeit a somewhat dysfunctional family. But ultimately, it's a work about family, love and loyalty."

Yamanaka's style, said Kashiwada, may turn heads, or raise brows.

"She's cutting-edge, but she's very controversial," said Kashiwada. "I realize that the text may be offensive to some who don't know her work; anyone familiar with her, however, will know she includes adult language. Profanity. That's so much a part of her vernacular; that part of her creativity is very realistic."

The work is both a love story and a rites-of-passage story, with a bizarre twist. The tale includes a mixed plate of characters: a headstrong father, a troubled middle daughter, a diva of a little sister, an older brother who wants to be a hairdresser, two pig-hunting brothers who are former footballers, and an outspoken neighbor.

"The original first draft was 90 pages, which translated to five hours," said Kashiwada. Wat snipped and honed, taking it down to a reasonable playing length.

Yamanaka attended the cast's first read-through, and more recently, a rehearsal.

"She's been very encouraging," said Kashiwada. "The cast was excited to see her."

Kashiwada said he is drawn to "the individuality of ... (Yamanaka's) work. She is time-specific, writing with details of movies, TV, pop culture of the late 1970s and early '80s. I consider that my time, and while most of the cast is young and in their 20s, I find it great that she remembers things like 'Harry-O,' with David Janssen (a mid-'70s detective drama). I realize it's a generational thing; she writes of the time I was in high school."

'Heads by Harry'

A play based on Lois-Ann Yamanaka's novel, adapted for the stage by Keith Kashiwada and John Wat and produced by Kumu Kahua Premieres at 8 p.m. Thursday; repeats at 8 p.m. Thursdays-Saturdays, 2 p.m. Sundays, through April 13.

Kumu Kahua

$16 general, $13 seniors and groups of 10 or more, $10 students (on Thursdays, $13 general, $11 seniors, $5 students and the unemployed)

536-4441

Key players

Who's who in "Heads"

• Cast: Linda Au, Moses Goods, Ginger Gohier, Nani Morita, Norman Muñoz, Devon Nekoba, Harrison Kawate, Kori-Jo Kochi, Julius Ledda, Joel Matsunaga, Novelynn Rubsamen, Ryan Sueoka, Jodie Taira-Nakasone, Nancy Usui
• Director: Keith Kashiwada
• Lighting by: Gerry Kawaoka
• Sound design by: Keith Kashiwada
• Costumes by: Ann Asakura
• Props by: John Wat