Next week Kaua‘i Community Players presents the comedy, “Parallel Lives” at the KAPA Theatre. This hilarious 80-minute comedy is a series of seven sketches that explore various relationships — opening with two supreme beings planning the beginning of the world.
Next week Kaua‘i Community Players presents the comedy, “Parallel Lives” at the KAPA Theatre. This hilarious 80-minute comedy is a series of seven sketches that explore various relationships — opening with two supreme beings planning the beginning of the world. The two-woman cast play the roles of both men and women ranging from five year olds in church to barflies in a honky-tonk bar.
“Think of it as a cross between Carol Burnett, Lily Tomlin and Saturday Night Live,” said director of the show Ross Martineau. “It’s gritty, fun and wonderful.”
This award-winning play was written by Kathy Najimy and Mo Gaffney. Najimy is known for being the voice of Peggy Hill on “The King of the Hill” and as Sister Mary Patrick in “Sister Act.” Mo Gaffney is known for playing Joanne Stupac on “That 70’s Show.”
The two-woman Kaua‘i cast includes Faith Harding, most recently seen in KCP’s, “When Life Gives you Lemons: An Evening of Neil Simon Comedies.” Harding is the coordinator of development for Malama Pono, Kaua‘i AIDS Project. Opposite Harding is Jennifer Downs, who most recently directed “The Wiz.” Downs is the artistic director of Hawai‘i Children’s Theatre Summer Stars program and has been performing on Kaua‘i since she was 9- years old.
Directed by Martineau, Kaua‘i audiences will remember him for his performances in “Beauty and the Beast,” “The Wiz” and “The Complete Works of William Shakespeare, Abridged.” Martineau works predominantly as an actor. “Parallel Lives” is his directorial debut on the island.
“My reasons for choosing to direct this show are two-fold,” he said. “One is that it has a kooky sense of humor I appreciate. The characters and their follies make you laugh and yet there’s also a pathos that has truth to it. The selfish reason though is because while I was researching scripts I wanted to be in most of them. If I chose a two-woman show I couldn’t be in it.”
The show is a playful post-feminist satire that in many ways is a celebration of the diversity of women’s perspectives and experiences.
“I love adult theatre and the KAPA theatre lends itself to fringe theatre — it affords artistic license and can be a little bit edgier,” he said. “I like pushing the envelope.”
“Parallel Lives” will play for three consecutive weekends, Feb. 20 through March 8. Performances are at 7 p.m. Fridays and Saturdays and 4 p.m. Sundays. Ticket costs: adults, $20; students and seniors, $15. Seating is limited to 40 seats per show. Reservations are required.
KAPA Theatre is located at 4411 Kikowaena St. in Puhi. Look for the large gray warehouse across from KCC and behind the Harley Davidson store. This show is not appropriate for children under 16-years old. For more information and reservations call, 245-7700.
Want to go?
What: ‘Parallel Lives’
When: 7 p.m. Feb. 20 through March 8, weekends only
Where: KAPA warehouse at 4411 Kikowaena St. in Puhi
Cost: Adults, $20; students and seniors, $15
To reserve seats: 245-7700
