SPOTLIGHT on Live Theatre—Engage! (Flowers of Hawai‘i at KKT)

by Eleanor Svaton

There’s something to be said for the comfort and anonymity of a movie theater: the big screen, the darkness, the loudness, the popcorn, candy, and soda, the relatively comfy chairs, the AC—a biggie here in Hawai‘i. Many people are happy to spend a couple hours and more than a couple dollars on even a mediocre picture because the experience of going to the movies is so pleasant and entertaining.

Kati Karoda as Mary V. and Jacob Song as Eddie, courtesy of Kumu Kahua Theatre

The theatre—notice the two-letter reversal at the end—does not hold the same allure for the average American. Plays, musicals, improv and other staged performances don’t tend to offer the same supersized gluttony as the movies. There are no close-up shots, no Hollywood edits. No popcorn and soda. No lounging. When watching a play, audience members may not feel anonymous and comfortable. They may not feel passively and pleasantly entertained. They may actually feel compelled to sit up straight, keep quiet, and observe intently so as not to miss a thing.

One reason many people say they’re not interested in seeing theatre is because they think it’ll be boring. It’s true that not all plays captivate, but neither do all movies. In fact, I’ll go out on a limb and say that the majority of theatrical releases aren’t any better than the average play or musical put on stage in Hawai‘i this year. Yet the majority of people have seen more movies than stage shows. Maybe that one play someone saw left a bad impression. Maybe it was back in high school. Maybe some of these resisters have never seen a play! Maybe it’s the duty, therefore, of every theatre-loving person reading this to make a 2014 New Year’s resolution: “This year, I will drag a non-theatre-lover to a show that will change their perspective (hopefully!).”

I saw Flowers of Hawai‘i a few nights ago at Kumu Kahua Theatre, and all I kept thinking was, I wish every person on this island who thinks theatre is boring could see this play. There was so much to enjoy, so many surprises, and a barrage of distinct, human, flawed, and fully recognizable characters. And they were LIVE. They were portrayed by talented actors only feet away from any audience member’s face. The amount of creativity with lighting, scene changes, staging, music, and overall composition offered the kind of experience going to the movies never could and never will. Sure, you could take Lee Cataluna’s excellent script and make a film, but you could never capture the inherent theatricality of this production directed by Harry Wong III, someone who understands why live theatre is better than going to the movies.

If only everyone could understand...