In honor of the 75th Anniversary of the Hilo Community Players, the University of Hawaiʻi at Hilo Performing Arts Department presents The Spoon River Project, a collaboration between UH Hilo and Hawaiʻi Island’s oldest community theatre organization. Showtimes are for one weekend only: Thursday, Friday & Saturday, November 7, 8, 9 at 7:30 pm, and Sunday, November 10, at 2 p.m. at the Performing Arts Center.
The show was adapted into script form by Tom Andolora, a composer and voice teacher in New York City. UH Hilo Professor Jackie Pualani Johnson has welcomed community director Jake McPherson to co-direct the adaptation of Edgar Lee Masters’ free-form poems. McPherson served as president of the Players and has appeared as an actor at UH Hilo and in numerous Players’ productions.
The play focuses on the departed residents of Spoon River who speak from the grave, examining life and their longing for what might have been. As the post-Civil war community reflects on the dreams, secrets and regrets of their lives, they paint a gritty and honest portrait of the fictional town. Actors include UH Hilo students and veteran community performers: Juli Dobbs, James Elliott, Erin Gallagher, Le’a Gleason, Dick Hershberger, Willyam Hudson, Sharon Justice, Pedro Ka`awaloa, John Marcus Love, Randal McEndree, Catherine McPherson, Lewis Moore, Jin Piper, Brian Wild, Denyse Woo-Ockerman, and Corey Yester. Musical Direction will be by Christopher Tomich, who fulfills his Senior Project for a degree in Performing Arts, Music Concentration.
Open Seating tickets are priced at $12 General, $7 Discount & $5 UH Students with valid ID and Children 17 & under.
To order by phone, call 932-7490, or order online at artscenter.uhh.hawaii.edu. For disability accommodations, contact Dori Yamada at 932-7496 (V) or 933-3334 (TTY) at least 10 working days prior to the event.