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(clockwise from top right) Ashley Hudson, Christy Fell, Madison Spurgin, Casey Hearl, Ruby Riker, Catherine Adler, Kirsten Gilchrist

The Secret Lives of Girls

By

Paul Janes-Brown

            "I'm going to tell you a secret—and I don't want you to tell. The secret is about me—about my life—how it will never be the same again." So says Abby, the protagonist, in Maui Academy of Performing Art’s (MAPA) latest production of Linda Daugherty’s snapshot of female teenage angst The Secret Lives of Girls playing until Sunday at Queen Kaahumanu Center’s Steppingstone Playhouse.  Under the direction of Sally Sefton this cast of nine; seven girls and two adults takes the audience on a ride most parents have been on, are on or will soon be boarding.

            The playwright lets us in on all the girls’ secrets; the bullying in the form of gossiping, keeping secrets, using friendship as a weapon, name-calling, exclusion, spreading rumors, backbiting, gathering in cliques and manipulation. These are the overture to such dangerous conditions as depression, self-mutilation, eating disorders, and accelerated sexuality.  While the female style of bullying is less violent than male, it is none-the-less meant to inflict as much pain as physical attacks and is just as cruel and aggressive.

            The behavior is exacerbated and facilitated, by email, instant messaging, cell phones,  camera-phones, social networking sites, etc. In the hands of these teenagers they become lethal weapons and instruments of deceit.  Modern technology allows them to spread their lies and distortions at the speed of light to a much wider audience than old fashion gossip. This play reinforces the adage put forth by Judge Judith Scheindlin, “You know how to tell when a teenager is lying? When their mouth is moving.”

            In the lead role of Abby, Kathryn Adler takes the audience on the journey  as she convincingly, travels from victim to victimizer.  We see how easy it is for one who was the butt of the jokes and an outsider to willingly inflict pain on others when she is taken on the inside. The playwright demonstrates how capricious, superficial and cruel female teenagers can be.

Playing Stephanie, the prettiest girl, who is always at the center of the storm, Ashley Hudson demonstrates a deep understanding of her character’s manipulative nature and her undercurrent of insecurity. Her telephone conversations with her mother are very revealing of the turmoil her life is in and the anger she portrays is frightening.

The other five girls, Sutton (Christy Fell), Rebecca (Kirsten Gilchrist), Anna Marie (Ruby Riker), Kayla (Madison Spurgin) are at time enablers of all the drama and at other times the targets of the wrath of the in-group. One of the ways in which the playwright stretches credulity is to have us believe these girls comprise a championship volleyball team.  It’s highly unlikely that the kind of drama these queens were playing would make for much successful teamwork on the volleyball court.

Late, in the slightly more than one hour drama, a new girl arrives on the scene. Chandler (Casey Hearl), is from California and she befriends the ostracized Abby and helps to bring her out of her depression.

Carolyn Wright, as Abby’s mom, understands this character intimately and brings all of her life experience as well as her estimable acting talents to give us a finely nuanced performance of a mother desperately trying to hang on while her daughter takes her along like a second person on a one person luge.  The recent winter Olympics bob-sled track provides a perfect metaphor for the girls’ down ward slide with all of its treacherous twists and turns.

As the Coach and Suttons’ mom, Jeanette Rucci created two distinct characters without much support from the playwright.

Caro Walker and Ted Hatcher combined to create one of the most interesting settings of any play put in Steppingstone Theater. Through the use of a projector, the emails sent between the characters were made visible to the audience. It was as if they were writing to us. The photos of backdrops allowed the scene locations to change without a pause. The school uniforms, created by Maui’s answer to Edith Head, Kathleen Schulz, evoked a private school  and they easily transformed into volley ball uniforms.

Ms. Sefton has taken on an explosive subject and unflinchingly explores all of its darkest aspects. We feel like voyeurs watching an atrocity and there is nothing we can do about it. However, MAPA knows these subjects are difficult and thought provoking so they have brought in a series of professionals to lead post curtain discussions.  These include Dr. Virginia Cantorna, Maribeth Theisen, Mitch Berman and Susan Pirsch who will offer insights into the real world that the play portrays.

The Secret Lives of Girls continues March 27 at 7:30 p.m and March 28 at 2 p.m.. Tickets are $12 for adults and $8 for seniors and students. They are available through the MAPA box office at 244-8760, ext. 228, and at the customer service kiosk in Queen Ka'ahumanu Center's center court. For group tickets call Carolyn Wright at 244-8760, ext. 221, or emailcarolyn@mauiacademy.org.

Paul Janes-Brown can be reached at pjanesbrown@gmail.com.

 

           

 

 

 

                               Drama is the stuff life is made of

                                                        By

                                            Paul Janes-Brown

            In the last few years, how many dramas have been produced by local theaters? It’s one musical after another followed by a comedy. That’s the Maui formula for a full house. Well, I’m here to tell you that something really amazing is happening at the Iao Theater in Wailuku and you only have another week to see it!

            It’s Maui OnStage’s  (MOS) production of Christopher Sergil’s theatrical adaptation of Harper Lee’s Pulitzer Prize winning novel “To Kill a Mockingbird.” There hasn’t been a better serious, straight play production by adults on Maui since “Wit,” which broke the mold.

            Alexis Dascoulias has assembled as perfect a cast as you are going to see anywhere. This is top-notch work by amateurs. That name is often considered a pejorative, but if one looks at the word’s etymology, it comes from the Latin root amo, which means to love. These people aren’t doing this for money, they do it for love; and it shows.

            The play is about injustice, parenting, racism, ignorance and love; the love of a father for his children, for his profession and for his community. Atticus Finch (Don Carlson doing brilliant work owning a character everyone associates with Gregory Peck) is a lawyer who believes that the law is the great equalizer. He says in his jury summation the law is, “An institution that makes a pauper the equal of a Rockefeller, the ignorant man the equal of any president, and the stupid man the equal of Einstein.” 

            Carlson’s spellbinding delivery of this seminal moment in the play is such a delight to experience. Here is an actor of exceptional skill, at the height of his powers who has been keeping his talent from the Maui audiences for seven years. But, let’s face it, there hasn’t been a part for him until now.

            This play cannot be done without having three great children actors. Most of the play is seen from the children’s point of view and the success or failure of any production rests firmly on the shoulders of these three children. MOS is blessed to have three remarkable child actors in the roles of Scout (Marley Mehring), Jem (Zeb Mehring and Dill (Kellan Welch channeling the young Ron Howard as Opie).

            These young people understand who they are, who everyone else is, what their relationship is to each character and never miss a beat. They are thoroughly in command of their characters and every moment they have.  They never look like they are reciting lines from a play, you really believe they are saying these words for the first time. It is astonishing to watch them.

            Rueben Carrion plays the part of the wrongly accused Tom Robinson and it is without doubt his best performance ever. Carrion has found a voice and a physical manner for Robinson that is pitch perfect.

            If you know Charlie Dungans, who plays the red neck low-life Bob Ewell, there’s not a nicer, more personable man on this island.  However, I guarantee you will hate this character.  Dungans isn’t afraid to go to the dark side with this character, but he never becomes a stereotype. The bitterness, anger, hatred and mendacity all come through in a tour de force performance.

            As his daughter Mayella, Hana Valle has the right combination of ignorance and naivete. Her tantrums and emotional outburst propel the courtroom drama.

            Jennifer Rose as Maudie Atkinson is Harper Lee’s alter ego. She carries the load of exposition and narration and like Little Sally said in Urinetown, “Nothing can kill a play like too much exposition.” In the hands of a lesser actor, this character could commit dramacide, but Rose is one of our finest actors and she effortlessly tells the story like a good neighbor over a back yard fence.

            There is an old theater adage, “There are no small parts, only small actors.” Suffice to say there are no small actors in this show. Joyce Romero, as the mean old racist Mrs. Dubose and Ute Karolina Finch (no relation to Atticus and the kids) as Miss Stephanie, the town busy body, both are clearly having a great time becoming and breathing life into their characters. As the great New York acting teacher, Suzanne Shepherd used to say, “If the actors are having fun, then the audience will; that’s why we call them plays;” and we are.

            In the role of Sheriff Heck Tate, William Mackozak has one of the best moments in the show at the conclusion. Mackozak, who is a consummate professional, knows when it’s his turn and he takes it with authority and sincerity.

            Other cast members include Lou Young as Judge Taylor and Mr. Cunnigham, Kevin Wilson as the prosecuting attorney Gilmer and Boo Radley,  Bryant Neal as Rev. Sykes, Sandra Shawhan as Calpurnia and Ikaika Ahina as the clerk.

            Since the Dascoulias’ have come to town the production values at MOS have been exceptional. Caro Walker’s set is a work of art; beautiful and functional. Mark Collmer actually created moods, focused attention and even let us know that the evening was coming in one of the best lighting designs we’ve seen in a long time. There’s a new costume designer in town. Lynda Timm has served notice that she is to be reckoned with.

            Do not miss this show! There is only today, Sunday March 14 and next weekend to catch it. It plays at 7:30 p.m. on Friday and Saturday and Sunday at 3 p.m. Call 242-6969 or order online at www.mauionstage.com.