Season opens with tribute, musical, short plays

Advertiser Staff

From left, Sherry Chock Wong, Elitei Tatafu Jr., David Vega and Jamie Rolfsmeyer rehearse for "My Way," a musical revue of Frank Sinatra's hits, at the Manoa Valley Theatre. Gregory Yamamoto • The Honolulu Advertiser

Alvin Chan and Lei Sadakari appear in "Philemon," a musical comedy-drama about a street clown. Andrew Shimabuku

The comic juggling group Flying Karamazov Brothers heads for the Leeward Community College Theatre in October. Advertiser library photo

But don't forget: The Actors' Group beat everyone else to the start with "Endgame," continuing at 7:30 p.m. today and Saturday and 4 p.m. Sunday at the Yellow Brick Studio, 625 Keawe St., in Kaka'ako. Tickets are $10. 722-6941.

Here's a look at the new productions:

For ol' Blue eyes

Manoa Valley Theatre launches its 36th season with "My Way," a musical tribute to Frank Sinatra, beginning Wednesday. It's a two-hour journey that incorporates excerpts from 56 Ol' Blue Eyes songs about young love, marriage, losers, the moon, summer and other subjects close to his heart.

The theater will be transformed into a cabaret, with a bar, baby grand piano and a jazz trio (Cory Overland on piano, Kevin Leong on bass and Russ Lundgren on drums).

The cast includes Elitei Tatafu Jr., Sherry Chock Wong, Jamie Rolfsmeyer and David Vega. Jim Hutchison is guest director and choreographer; Overland is guest musical director.

7:30 p.m. Wednesdays and Thursdays; 8 p.m. Fridays and Saturdays; 4 p.m. Sundays, through Sept. 19. Tickets are $30 general, $5 discounts for seniors and military; $15 for those 25 and younger. 988-6131.

When in rome ...

Prime Time in the Earle Ernst Lab Theatre begins with the musical comedy-drama "Philemon," set in ancient Rome, about a street clown named Cockian who becomes an inspirational martyr.

"Philemon," written by Tom Jones and Harvey Schmidt (of "The Fantasticks" fame), is directed by Asian Theatre M.F.A. candidate Allyson Paris.

8 p.m. Wednesday through Sept. 4; 2 p.m. Sept. 5 at the

University of Hawa'i-Manoa (post-show discussion Sept. 3). Tickets — $10 general, $8 seniors, military, UH faculty/staff and non-UHM students; $3 for UHM students — go on sale Monday at the box office.

956-7655.

In old hawai'i

Three short plays written in the 1930s, '40s and '60s kick off Kumu Kahua's 34th season Thursday night:

• "Cane Fire," by Kathryn S. Bond, reveals political and racial attitudes in 1930 when a plantation manager looks to fix blame for a cane field fire. A world premiere.
• "Reunion," by Lisa Toishigawa Inouye, explores the predicament of war veterans still adjusting after a year at home.
• "In the Alley," by Edward Sakamoto, looks at racial dynamics in Hawai'i.

8 p.m. Thursdays through Saturdays and 2 p.m. Sundays, through Oct. 3 (no show Sept. 10). The theater is at 46 Merchant St. downtown. Tickets are $16 general, $13 seniors, $10 students. 536-4441.