'Jacques Brel,' 'Bountiful' join theater lineup

Advertiser Staff

The cast of "Jacques Brel is Alive and Well and Living in Paris" includes, front, from left, Rebecca Maltby, Melissa Dylan and Lina Doo; and back, from left, Kevin Yamada, Dennis Proulx and Michael Burns. Opens today at Hawai'i Pacific University Theatre.

Carrie Watts, played by Jo Pruden, discusses her desire to return to her hometown in Texas in "The Trip to Bountiful," premiering Wednesday at the Yellow Brick Studio. At left is Billy Shackley as the ticket agent; right, Sam Polson as the sheriff.

"Jacques Brel is Alive and Well and Living in Paris," written by Eric Blau, Mort Shuman and Jacques Brel, is a bistro-style program featuring the music of the Belgian singer/composer Brel, whose songs touch on issues of war, drugs, sex, understanding, healing and love.

"Jacques Brel" began as an off-Broadway production in the late 1960s and was made into a film in 1975.

"Brel" is directed by Joyce Maltby; Lina Doo and Beverly Katz are co-musical directors.

Premieres at 8 p.m. today, repeating at 7:30 p.m. Thursdays, 8 p.m. Fridays and Saturdays and 4 p.m. Sundays through April 11 at the Hawai'i Pacific University Theatre, 45-045 Kamehameha Highway, Kane'ohe. Tickets are $18 general, $14 seniors, military, students, HPU faculty and staff, $3 HPU students; discounts available Thursdays. 375-1282.

"The Trip to Bountiful," written by Horton Foote, plays for a month at The Actors' Group's Kaka'ako playhouse. It's the tale of elderly Carrie Watts, whose only desire is to escape the suffocating apartment she shares with her son and his wife, and return to her hometown of Bountiful, Texas. Little does she know that her idealized dream of the town is far from reality.

Film buffs might recall the 1985 film version starring Geraldine Page as Carrie Watts, a role for which she won the Academy Award for Best Actress.

"Bountiful" is directed by Sharon Adair.

Premieres at 7:30 p.m. Wednesday, repeating at 7:30 p.m. Thursdays through Saturdays and 4 p.m. Sundays through April 18 at The Yellow Brick Studio, 625 Keawe St. Tickets are $10. 722-6941.