‘Arkansaw’
By John Berger
confronts ‘bear’ truth
Special to the Star-Bulletin
The Arkansaw Bear: Presented at 7:30 p.m. today and Saturday, 10 a.m. Saturday and 2 p.m. Sunday at Kennedy Theatre. Tickets $3-$10. Call 956-7655.
TAMARA Hunt and the University of Hawaii at Manoa Department of Theatre & Dance take on topics usually the province of Honolulu Theatre for Youth with this weekend's delightful production of "The Arkansaw Bear."
The story of young Tish and the World's Greatest Dancing Bear hits some of the toughest questions pre-teens have to deal with. Why do good people die? How can we go on without them? How do we handle the fact that all things die?
Playwright Aurand Harris explores death, loss and survival in ways that respect kids' perspectives and don't patronize them. Adults will find "The Arkansaw Bear" poignant as well.
Tish (Noelle Poole) is pushed out of the way while her beloved grandfather is dying. She runs away from home and meets The World's Greatest Dancing Bear. The bear and his mime/magician companion are on the run too. The bear is dying and the Ringmaster a k a Death is in pursuit.
With some help from ditsy Star Bright (Emily Beth Grush), Tish and her new friends confront the inevitability of death and the importance of sharing one's knowledge with those who will follow.
The action kicks into high with the arrival of Little Bear (Stephanie Sanchez). She shares the stages of grieving she experienced after her father was killed by hunters, and accepts the responsibility of becoming the old bear's successor. Tish returns home with new wisdom that helps her go on as well.
Director Hunt and her cast do a marvelous job. Sanchez is a charmer in playing the hillbilly Little Bear in the style of Donna Douglas as Elly Mae Clampett in the original "Beverly Hillbillies" TV series. Sanchez and Grush were instant favorites with the kids at a performance yesterday.
Poole is a plucky and convincing protagonist, Michael Ng unyielding as Death. Charles Yun is stately, dignified, captivating and terrified as the old bear. Leigh Ann Oshiro is pert and sprightly as the mime (Albert Ueligitone and Nicole Tessier play bear and mime in other performances).
Choreography has rarely been more effective in local theater. Gregg Lizenbery (choreography) and Elizabeth Gutermuth (sound) include a rich assortment of music and dance styles in the bears' repertoire. Gutermuth also creates the voices of Tish's adult relatives. David Minhoff's stark set and Gerald Kawaoka's lighting effectively define time and place.
The story may be a depressing to anyone who has lost a loved one, but parents will find it an excellent springboard for talking about life, death and growth.
