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Stage: 2011 Po’okela Awards winners honored

BY JOHN BERGER / jberger@staradvertiser.com

Army Community Theatre may not survive to have another full season — the Army has yet to make its final decision on ACT’s long-term prospects — but the artistic excellence of the group’s recent productions was documented in undeniable style Monday night when the Hawaii State Theatre Council announced the winners/honorees at the 2011 Po‘okela Awards at the Ko‘olau Ballroom in Kaneohe.

ACT’s tally of 14 awards was a strong showing for the group and included a Best Musical award for “Nine” and two awards for Managing/Artistic Director Brett Harwood (Best Director of a Musical for “Nine” and “Showstoppers”).

Perennial front-runner Diamond Head Theatre placed first over all with 27 awards in 14 of the 23 award categories. DHT’s season-closing production of “Hairspray” received seven of DHT’s total; DHT resident hair/makeup designer Jess Aki received three Pokies for her work on “Hairspray,” “Crazy for You” and “Little Women.”

Manoa Valley Theatre placed second with 19 awards in 14 categories — seven of those going to MVT’s superb contemporary drama, “August: Osage County.”

All The World’s A Stage, Hawaii Pacific University, the Hawaii Shakespeare Festival, Paliku Theatre and The Actors Group (TAG) also received awards for excellence.

Thirteen awards for the Hawaii Shakespeare Festival, plus another for HSF founder Tony Pisculli’s work as a fight choreographer for another group, made it a big night for HSF. Pisculli received two Adjudicators Special Awards for his fight choreography. A third adjudicators award went to HSF collectively “for it’s 10th anniversary and on-going commitment to presenting every known Shakespeare play in Hawaii.”

TAG Artistic Director Brad Powell received the Pierre Bowman Award for his lifetime career accomplishments in theater, film and television.

The big news of the evening was that HSTC member Kumu Kahua has reversed its long-time policy of refusing adjudication and so its playwrights, actors and tech staff will again be eligible for Po‘okela Award recognition. Kennedy Theatre Mainstage productions are also being adjudicated for the first time in several years and so those UH-Manoa actors and tech staff can also be honored for excellence.

With Kumu Kahua and Kennedy Theater participating in the Po‘okela Awards program that leaves Honolulu Theatre for Youth as the only major theater program on Oahu that does not allow its performers and tech staff to be honored for their work in local theater. Maybe next year.

2011 Po’okela Awards

Pierre Bowman Award

Brad Powell

Costume Design

» Nara Cardenas – “Julius Caesar” (Hawaii Shakespeare Festival)
» Lacy Hansen – “Les Laisons Dangereuses” (Hawaii Pacific University)
» Alexis Leon – “Measure for Measure” (Hawaii Shakespeare Festival)
» Lorena Jones – “Camelot” (Army Community Theatre)
» Carlynn Wolfe – “Duets” (The Actors Group)
» Rose Wolfe and Carlynn Wolfe – “Henry VI” (Hawaii Shakespeare Festival)

Hair, Wig and Makeup Design

» Jess Aki – “Crazy for You” (Diamond Head Theatre)
» Jess Aki – “Hairspray” (Diamond Head Theatre)
» Jess Aki – “Little Women” (Diamond Head Theatre)
» Greg Howell – “Duets” (The Actors Group)
» Greg Howell – “Zombie Prom” (Army Community Theatre)

Lighting Design

» Janine Myers – “A Christmas Carol” (Manoa Valley Theatre)
» Janine Myers – “August: Osage County” (Manoa Valley Theatre)
» Dawn Oshima – “The King and I” (Diamond Head Theatre)
» Lloyd S. Riford III – “Once On This Island” (Paliku Theatre)
» Thomas Tochiki – “Merry Christmas, Roberta” (The Actors Group)

Set Design

» Andrew Doan – “August: Osage County” (Manoa Valley Theatre)
» Lloyd S. Riford III – “Once on This Island” (Paliku Theatre)
» Willie Sabel – “Little Women” (Diamond Head Theatre)

Sound Design

» Mikel Humerickhouse – “Little Women” (Diamond Head Theatre)
» Kainoa Jarrett – “Once On This Island (Paliku Theatre)
» Jason Taglianetti – “Zombie Prom” (Army Community Theatre)
» Laurie Tanoura – “Miracle Worker” (The Actors Group)

Featured Male in a Play

» Allen Cole – “August: Osage County” (Manoa Valley Theatre)
» Curtis Duncan – “Gem of the Ocean” (The Actors Group)
» Nathan Robinson – “Measure for Measure” (Hawaii Shakespeare Festival)
» D. Tafa‘i Silipa – “Julius Caesar” (Hawaii Shakespeare Festival)
» Jim Tharp – “August: Osage County” (Manoa Valley Theatre)

Leading Male in a Play

» Rob Duval – “Is He Dead?” (Hawaii Pacific University)
» Moses Goods III – “Julius Caesar” (Hawaii Shakespeare Festival)
» Mathias Maas – “Ghosts” (The Actors Group)
» Paul Mitri – “I Hate Hamlet” (Diamond Head Theatre)

Featured Female in a Play

» Becky Maltby – “August: Osage County” (Manoa Valley Theatre)
» Julia Nakamoto – “Henry VI” (Hawaii Shakespeare Festival)
» Wendy Pearson – “Gem of the Ocean” (The Actors Group)
» Nicole Tessier – “A Christmas Carol” (Manoa Valley Theatre)

Leading Female in a Play

» Ann Brandman – “Henry VI” (Hawaii Shakespeare Festival)
» Deborah Pearson – “Gem of the Ocean” (The Actors Group)
» Jo Pruden – “August: Osage County” (Manoa Valley Theatre)
» Laurie Tanoura – “A Delicate Balance” (The Actors Group)

Featured Male in a Musical

» Braddoc De Caires – “Crazy for You” (Diamond Head Theatre)
» Kelly Pohl – “Camelot” (Army Community Theatre)
» Jonathan Sypert – “Hairspray” (Diamond Head Theatre)
» Tony Young – “Crazy for You” (Diamond Head Theatre)

Leading Male in a Musical

» Tom Holowach – Camelot” (Army Community Theatre)
» Eric Manke – “Avenue Q” (Manoa Valley Theatre)
» Kyle Malis – “Zombie Prom” (Army Community Theatre)
» Larry Paxton – “Nine” (Army Community Theatre)

Featured Female in a Musical

» Suzanne Green – “Zombie Prom” (Army Community Theatre)
» Alexandra Lanning – “Hairspray” (Diamond Head Theatre)
» Terry Madden – “Little Women” (Diamond Head Theatre)
» Renee Noveck – “Hairspray” (Diamond Head Theatre)
» Liz Stone – “Crazy for You” (Diamond Head Theatre)

Leading Female in a Musical

» Tori Anguay – “Once On This Island” (Paliku Theatre)
» Brittany Browning – “Little Women” (Diamond Head Theatre)
» Kathryn Lee – “Crazy for You” (Diamond Head Theatre)
» Tricia Marciel – “The King and I” (Diamond Head Theatre)

Ensemble Performance – Play

» “Around the World in 80 Days” (Manoa Valley Theatre)
» “Closer” (All the World’s a Stage)
» “Duets” (The Actors Group)

Ensemble Performance – Musical

» “Altar Boyz” (Diamond Head Theatre)
» “Showstoppers” (Army Community Theatre)

Choreography

» Tammy Colucci – “Altar Boyz” (Diamond Head Theatre)
» Marcelo Pacleb and Ricky Lam – “Once On This Island” (Paliku Theatre)
» Natalie Jolly Uehara – “Zombie Prom” (Army Community Theatre)
» Caryn Yee – “Crazy For You” (Diamond Head Theatre)

Musical Director

» Roslyn Catracchia and Megan Mount – “Altar Boyz” (Diamond Head Theatre)
» Lina Doo and Peter Rucci – “Showstoppers” (Army Community Theatre)
» Daren Kimura – “Zombie Prom” (Army Community Theatre)
» Megan Mount – “Avenue Q” (Manoa Valley Theatre)
» Emmett Yoshioka – “The King and I” (Diamond Head Theatre)

Non-Resident Guest Artist

» Randl Ask (Leading Male) – “Hairspray” (Diamond Head Theatre)
» Pam Arciero (Puppetry Specialist) – “Avenue Q” (Manoa Valley Theatre)
» Andrew Sakaguchi (Director) – “Hairspray” (Diamond Head Theatre)
» David Spangenthal (Leading Male) – “Crazy For You” (Diamond Head Theatre)

Adjudicator Special Awards

» Hawaii Shakespeare Festival – “For its 10th anniversary and on-going commitment to presenting every known Shakespeare play in Hawaii”
» Benjamin McKrell (Technical director) – “A Christmas Carol” (Manoa Valley Theatre)
» Tony Pisculli (Fight choreography) – “Henry VI” (Hawaii Shakespeare Festival)
» Tony Pisculli (Fight choreography) – “Les Liasons Dengereuses” (Hawaii Pacific University)
» Brad Powell (translation of original script) – “Ghosts” (The Actors Group)
» Sara Ward (Mask and props designs) – “A Christmas Carol” (Manoa Valley Theatre)

Director of a Musical

» Ron Bright – “Once On This Island” (Paliku Theatre)
» Bree Bumatai – “Avenue Q” (Manoa Valley Theatre)
» Brett Harwood – “Nine” (Army Community Theatre)
» Brett Harwood – “Showstoppers” (Army Community Theatre)

Director of a Play

» Troy M. Apostol – “Julius Caesar” (Hawaii Shakespeare Festival)
» Betty Burdick – “A Christmas Carol” (Manoa Valley Theatre)
» Glenn Cannon – “August: Osage County” (Manoa Valley Theatre)
» Linda Johnson – “Measure for Measure” (Hawaii Shakespeare Festival)
» Tony Pisculli – “Henry VI” (Hawaii Shakespeare Festival)

Overall Musical

» “Avenue Q” (Manoa Valley Theatre)
» “Crazy for You” (Diamond Head Theatre)
» “Hairspray” (Diamond Head Theatre)
» “Nine” (Army Community Theatre)

Overall Play

» “August: Osage County” (Manoa Valley Theatre)
» “Closer” (All the World’s a Stage)
» “Ghosts” (The Actors Group)
» “I Hate Hamlet” (Diamond Head Theatre)
» “Julius Caesar” (Hawaii Shakespeare Festival)