Review: MAN OF LA MANCHA at Diamond Head Theatre
by F.H. Kekoa - June 03, 2025
Now, when Bryce Chaddick brings Man of La Mancha to Diamond Head Theatre in 2025, it is in the midst of an alarming rise of fascism and authoritarianism both at home and abroad, and the threat that artists and dreaming impossible dreams poses to those power structures is constantly in the headlines....
Review: TINA - THE TINA TURNER MUSICAL at Blaisdell Center
by F.H. Kekoa - April 24, 2025
The curtain rises on Tina Turner (Jayna Elise) in her iconic red leather minidress and lioness mane about to ascend a set of stairs to a stadium of eager fans. She panics, steps back down the stairs, sits cross-legged on the floor, and begins chanting Nam-myoho-renge-kyo, a Buddhist chant invoking i...
Review: PARADE at Mānoa Valley Theatre
by F.H. Kekoa - March 31, 2025
“Bring tissues,” said absolutely everyone when I told them I was seeing Parade at Mānoa Valley Theatre. I waved off their warnings, as I was already familiar with the show, as well as the true story of the contentious 1913 trial of Leo Frank on which the show is based. My hubris, however, was no mat...
Review: GREASE at Diamond Head Theatre
by F.H. Kekoa - March 19, 2025
What did our critic think of GREASE at Diamond Head Theatre? Leave 2025 behind, put your gladrags on, and lace up your saddle shoes, because Grease has arrived at Diamond Head Theatre, and tonight everybody's gonna party like it’s 1959!...
Review: THE IMPROV SUPERETTE at Kumu Kahua Theatre
by F.H. Kekoa - February 25, 2025
A bright new addition has set up “shop” at Kumu Kahua: The Improv Superette, the newest improv group on O’ahu, featuring a large cast of talented Poly improvisers playing classic improv games, served with two scoops of local flavor....
Review: MASTER CLASS at Diamond Head Theatre
by F.H. Kekoa - January 28, 2025
There is magic afoot at Diamond Head Theatre with the Tony-winning American classic Master Class, penned by the late great Terrence McNally. With beautiful set design (and cameos!) by Randy Tandal, deft direction by Bryce Chaddick, and an incomparable performance by leading lady Amy K. Sullivan, thi...
Review: WHITE CHRISTMAS at Diamond Head Theatre
by F.H. Kekoa - December 12, 2024
Released in 1954, ten years after D-Day, the movie White Christmas was a bonafide blockbuster. It was the first Paramount movie shot in the widescreen VistaVision format, and featured rich and vivid Technicolor, which the costumers and set designers used to their full advantage. ...