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Run, run, fast as you can! You no can catch me, I'm one musubi man!" Run fast as you can to
see ‘Musubi Man’By Nancy Arcayna
narcayna@starbulletin.comThe audience chanted along, encouraging the small critter created by a little old woman whose husband, tired of rice, wanted something different to eat.
She gave her perfect "musubi man" limu hair, a jacket made out of nori, takuan eyes, an ebi nose and a red ginger smile. He even got a special pair of Spam slippers.
Oh, and we can't leave out the umeboshi heart that gave life to the musubi man, much like the magic hat placed on Frosty the Snowman's head.
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Everyone in the neighborhood wanted to eat the delectable treat. After all, what could be tastier than a pidgin-speaking musubi? But the musubi man was determined not to be eaten, even though one little old woman, one little old man, a big poi dog, a noisy mynah bird and a sleek mongoose all joined in the chase. None of them could outrun or outsmart the musubi man.The latest Honolulu Theatre for Youth production is clearly geared toward a preschool crowd. The performance began with a rendition of "Old MacDonald Had a Farm" using the animals that appear in the story. The children learned the motions for each animal so they could engage in an interactive experience throughout the performance.
Cynthia See and BullDog presented the story using only painted props, enlarged replicas of the characters from Sandi Takayama's picture book, from which the story is adapted. "The Musubi Man's" finale, involving a world-renowned surfer, also proves more uplifting than that of the story of the ill-fated Gingerbread Man, whom you may remember was devoured by a sly fox.
Presented by Honolulu Theatre for Youth 'The Musubi Man'
Where: McCoy Pavilion, Ala Moana Beach Park
When: 10:30 a.m. and 1:30 p.m. tomorrow and May 11
Cost: $10 adults, $7.50 teens, $5 children
Call: 839-9885
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Elementary school-age children accustomed to seeing other HTY presentations such as "Winnie the Pooh" and "Beauty and the Beast," in which each character is portrayed by a costumed actor, were heard to question why there were no costumed characters charging across the stage in pursuit of the musubi man (a small hand puppet operated by See and BullDog).The play otherwise provided a pleasurable experience for preschoolers or the young at heart who are familiar with the story, or keiki attending their first play.
See and BullDog were as energetic and entertaining as usual, causing the children and even some of the adults to laugh out loud.
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