Hilo Community Players proudly announce the cast for the 35th Annual Shakespeare in the Park as follows:

The Royal Family

• King Edward The Fourth………………………………….. Kalani Spain
• Elizabeth, Queen to King Edward IV………………………Laura Caswell
• Duchess of York, Mother to King Edward IV…………….Cathy McPherson

Young Sons to the King and Queen

• Edward, Prince of Wales……………………………….…Anthony Rosario
• Richard, Duke of York………………………..……………Bella Freedman

Family to Queen Elizabeth

• Earl Rivers, Brother ………………………………………Stephen Freedman
• Marquis of Dorset, son……………………………….……Kait Wilson
• Lord Grey, son……………………………………………..Jin Piper

Brothers to the King and their family

• Richard, Duke of Gloucester,  King Richard III…………Nathan Yocum
• George, Duke of Clarence…………………….…………Randal McEndree
• A young Daughter of Clarence [Margaret Plantagenet]…Mahina Hoolahan
• A young son of Clarence…………………………………Ben Chance

Entourage of Richard, Duke of Gloucester

• Duke of Buckingham…………………………………….Rob Hunt
• Sir William Catesby……………………………………..Ian Schroeder
• Lord Hastings……………………………………………Jake McPherson
• Lord Stanley,  Earl of Derby………………………….…Saul Rollason
• Sir Richard Ratcliff…………………………….………..Sydney Wilson
• Duke of Norfolk ……………………………………..…John Kooistra
  • Earl of Surrey, His son………………………………….Angela Nakamura
  • Murderer #1…………………………………………..…Leslie Kelly
  • Murderer #2 & Sir James Tyrrel ……………………….Peter Veseskis

The Royal Ladies:

• Margaret, Widow of King Henry VI………………….. Soraya-Elena Perez
• Lady Anne, Widow of Edward Prince of Wales…..…..Keala Richard
• Ladies-in-Waiting & Singers:

Karla Ahn, Bren Chance, Dickie Motherwell,  Evette Tampos

• Lady in Waiting to the Duchess of York…………….Margaret (Peggy) Russo
• Tressel & Berkley (masked)……………………Sydney Wilcox, Blesson Allen

Entourage of Henry, Earl of Richmond

• Henry, Earl of Richmond ……………………..….Blesson Allen
• Sir James Blunt…………………….……………..Randal McEndree
• Sir Walter Herbert………………………………. Stephen Freedman
• Earl of Oxford………………..…………………. Jake McPherson

The Clergy:

• Cardinal & Archbishop………………..……..…… Wolf Daniel Braun
• Bishop of Ely……………………………………….Kalani Spain
• Christopher Urswick, A priest………………………Scott Kester

Londoners:

• Lord Mayor of London…………………………………..Scott Kester
• Sir Robert Brakenbury, Lieutenant of the Tower  & Sheriff of Wiltshire:

…………………………………..…………………… Brian McMichael

• Citizen #1, London Merchant, & Messenger #1- Iris McPherson
• Citizen #2, London Merchant, & Messenger #2 – Denyse Woo-Ockerman
• Citizen #3, London Merchant, & Messenger #3 – Leah Wilson
• Pursuivant – Denyse Woo-Ockerman
• Scrivener & London Merchant – Iris McPherson

London Street Urchins: 

Leilani Alvarado, Kyra Bockrath, Crescent Chance, Vision Datanca, Haley Parr

Please, send an email confirming you accept your role to jakemcpherson@gmail.com.

Congratulations to the cast. We would like to thank everyone who came to auditions. There were some difficult decisions, because there were so many excellent auditions. Thank you, all.

The first read-through has yet to be determined.

Auditions scheduled for Hilo Community Players’ Shakespeare in the Park

The Hilo Community Players announce auditions for the 35^th annual production of Shakespeare in the Park.  Richard III will be directed by Jackie Pualani Johnson, co-founder of the outdoor offerings and drama professor at UH Hilo.  Auditions will be held on Friday, May 4^th, at 7:00 p.m. and Saturday, May 5^th, at 10:00 a.m. at the East Hawai’i Cultural Center Annex.

The play centers on Shakespeare’s notorious Duke of Gloucester, the deformed, manipulative villain who rises to power in England in the late 1400s, to become Richard III.  Numerous actors are needed for the tragedy focusing on the last king of the House of York and the last of the Plantagenet dynasty, including the title role of  the sometimes charming, but unquestionably evil King Richard.

Shakespeare’s play includes substantial roles for women: Elizabeth, Queen to King Edward IV; Margaret, Widow of King Henry VI; Duchess of York, Mother to King Edward IV; Lady Anne, Widow of Edward Prince of Wales, and a young Daughter of Clarence [Margaret Plantagenet].  Several children (circa age 10) are needed to create the roles of princes and princesses, along with at least 25 male actors, consisting of those devoted to Richard’s machinations and those on the other side of the battle field, loyal to Richmond.

Parents who are interested in having their children participate should bring their children at noon on Saturday, May 5^th,  to the East Hawai’i Cultural Center Annex to meet the director and discuss the anticipated commitment.

Show dates are the first 3 weekends in July.

For further information, contact:  jpjohnso@hawaii.edu.

February 26, 2012

Dear members and supporters,

Established in 1938, Hilo Community Players’ 74 years have been full and exciting. We have filled many different venues in Hilo, including the old Mamo Theater, the East Hawaii Cultural Center, and Kalakaua Park. We’ve taken our shows on the road as well, playing in Pahoa and Waimea.

We have produced too many plays to name here, but our Annual Shakespeare in the Park is worth mentioning. This year, it is 35 years old and is the oldest theatrical tradition in the state! We have produced every major play written by Shakespeare, and this accomplishment is nothing to sneeze at. We should all feel proud of it.

It began with a dream of Hilo’s own Professor Jackie Pualani Johnson and Mr. Paul Mark Clark. Many people participated in that first production of A Midsummer Night’s Dream, and many are still around. Sadly, we’ve lost members over the long history of the organization because people move and pass away.

At our last Annual General Meeting, I was pleased to announce that the Shakespeare in the Park for the summer of 2012 will be Richard III directed by one of the tradition’s founders, Professor Jackie Pualani Johnson. I am assisting Prof. Johnson as managing producer.

Running a nonprofit organization takes a lot of volunteers, which we have a great number of thankfully, but it also takes money. I would like to ask you to consider a tax deductible donation to the Players. We have not sent out any type of letter soliciting funds for more than two years, and we promise not to do so more than twice a year.

The levels at which individuals and couples may purchase memberships are as follows:

Stagehand: $25 to $99

Star: $100 to $249

Patron: $250 to $499

Producer: $500 to $999

Legend: $1000 and up

Your generous donation is greatly appreciated. Please, mail it to P.O. Box 46, Hilo, HI 96721. You may email me at jakemcpherson@gmail.com with any questions.

Sincerely,

Jake McPherson

President

Hilo Community Players Annual Membership Meeting and Picnic

Sunday, November 14, 2010

Noon to 5 p.m.

The Pavilion on Coconut Island

It’s time for our annual membership meeting and picnic. Every year at this time, we get together to gab and play and swim. Oh, and we also elect new members to the board of directors.

If you have donated any time to Hilo Community Players this year in our projects or plays, then you are a member. If you have an interest in theater in Hilo, then you are welcome to attend. This is a day to celebrate and discuss theater.

Please, bring food and drinks to share.

Tell your friends.

Tell your enemies.

Tell your neighbors.

It is with deep regret that Hilo Community Players announces the cancellation of their play ‘ART’.

As many of you know, we lost one of our dearest members, Ms. Laura Andres, back in July. She was to have directed the show. A very talented and accomplished director, Mr. Ken Elliott, stepped in at the last minute and rehearsals were taken up with gusto. There was also a change in the cast at the last minute.

Life they say imitates art, but in this case ‘ART’, the play, has imitated life. Due to unhappy and unforeseen circumstances, the play cannot go on as scheduled. We sincerely regret any inconvenience this may cause.

The honored and old cliche that “the show must go on” does not always apply. Sometimes the curtain has to come down.

ART COMES TO EHCC – “ART” the play, that is – IN SEPTEMBER

Can art come between friends?

That’s the question – and not the only question – raised in an award-winning one-act comedy called “ART,” starring three of Hilo’s veteran actors.

When Serge [Jake McPherson] buys a modern painting that’s essentially all white, Marc [Saul Rollason] is astounded, calls it “a piece of [bleep]” and wonders why his friend has spent a fortune on something so foolish.  Yvan [Steve Peyton] sees Marc’s point, but has always trusted Serge’s taste in modern art.  Things can only get worse!

Director Ken Elliott has lived in Hawai’i for four years, following a two-decade acting career in Los Angeles. He recently co-starred on the final season of the television series “Lost”, and can also be seen portraying Little RIchard on “Cold Case”. In 2009 he directed “The Laramie Project – Ten Years Later” at the Performing Arts Center at UH-Hilo, and starred in and directed the play “Tape,” at EHCC in 2008.

“ART,” by Yasmina Reza, translated (from French) by Christopher Hampton, won Broadway’s highest honor in 1998 – the Tony Award for best play – after winning the equivalent – the Olivier Award –  for its London production in 1996.

“ART” will be presented by the Hilo Community Players over the first two weekends in September, in the upstairs theater at the East Hawaii Cultural Center (EHCC), which is also Hilo’s modern art gallery!  Show times are 7:30 p.m. Friday and Saturday September 3, 4, 10 and 11; with Sunday matinees at 2 p.m. on September 5 and 12.  All tickets are $10 (EHCC members pay $8).  The EHCC is at 141 Kalakaua St. – across from Kalakaua Park – in downtown Hilo.

For tickets, phone the EHCC Box Office at 935-9085.

Hilo Community Players has produced Shakespeare in the Park for 32 years, and we are thrilled to announce the cast list for Love’s Labour’s Lost, our 33^rd Annual Shakespeare in the Park. Congratulations to this fine cast.

FERDINAND, King of Navarre              Robert Hunt

BEROWNE,    lord attending on the King            Nick Brosseau       

LONGAVILLE, lord attending on the King            Ian Schroeder

DUMAIN,     lord attending on the King              Evan Silberstein

BOYET,   lord attending on the Princess of France            Jake McPherson

DON ADRIANO DE ARMADO, fantastical Spaniard           George Ramirez

SIR NATHANIEL, a curate      Chelley Edwards

HOLOFERNES, a schoolmaster            Carol Coggin

DULL, a constable  Catherine McPherson

COSTARD, a clown                Leslie Kelly

MOTH, page to Armado       Iris McPherson

THE PRINCESS OF FRANCE   Felix

ROSALINE, lady attending on the Princess         Bria Callaway

MARIA,    lady attending on the Princess           Justine Thompson

KATHARINE, lady attending on the Princess       Laura Caswell

JAQUENETTA, a country wench           Stephanie Becher

Many fine actors auditioned for this show, and the casting choices were difficult. The co-directors, Amy and Jake, wish to heartily thank all the people who turned out for auditions. Your presence made our job fun and anguishing. This is a big show and will take the work of many people to pull it off. If there is any work backstage you wish to contribute, please contact us through this web site.

Mahalo nui loa!

Join us on SUNDAY, and GET YOUR CAR CLEAN!

The Hilo Community Players are ready to scrub your ride, and get it sparkling clean! Support a great cause, and finally give your car the bath it deserves!

We are currently in production on “Bat Boy, the Musical,” an amazing musical theatre extravaganza! We are working hard to really showcase some amazing community talent! And we’re also working hard to raise the funds to build the set, make the costumes, and to rent the Akebono Theater for the show. PLEASE HELP! Your support of local, volunteer, community theatre is SO important!

Because of you, our Hilo community, we can continue to produce exceptional performance opportunities for the talented singers and dancers that make up our cast. Because of you.

Suggested donation is $5.
Tickets may be purchased in advance from any cast member – they make great gifts!
Buy three tickets, get one free!!
Share with your friends!
Buy one for your husband!

It’s gonna be a fun day! come and join us!

LOCATION:
Prudential Orchid Isle Properties
101 Hualalai
(between Burger King, and K’s Drive-In)

SUNDAY MARCH 28
9:00am – 1:00pm

Come play with us! And support an amazing event!

Bat Boy, the Musical

CAST LIST

Bat Boy the Musical

We are THRILLED to announce the cast of “Bat Boy, the Musical!”  Congratulations to these amazing performers!!

Edgar – Joshua Adams

Meredith – Yisa Var

Dr. Parker – Phillip Russell

Shelley – Gloria Baraquio

Sherriff Reynolds – Roch Jones

Pan – Daron Scarborough

Reverend Hightower – Clay Callaway

Mrs. Taylor – Laura Andres

Rick Taylor – Mark DeMoss

Ron Taylor – Kira Sirois

Ruthie Taylor – Cara Leonard

ENSEMBLE

(Daisy, Bud, Roy, Ned, Mayor Maggie, Lorraine, Institute Man, Doctor, etc…)

• - Jade Ellis

• - Koran Munafo

• - Jessica Dempsey

• - Laura Andres

• - Mark DeMoss

• - Cara Leonard

• - Roch Jones

Assembling this cast was a surprising challenge.  We met a lot of GREAT new talent!  There were so many strong voices, and so many strong performers.  MAHALO NUI LOA to all who tried out!  I’m so grateful to each of you for lending your support to this project.  This show is going to be an insane amount of work, and we’re going to need everyone’s help to pull it all together.  Thank you, and take pride in knowing that you’re continuing a grand tradition of Community Theatre!  Together, on stage, back stage, in the scene shop, in the box office, we make magic happen!  YOU are the Community in “Community Theatre.”