'Ulua: The Musical'

JOHN BERGER / JBERGER@STARBULLETIN.COM
Stage manager/ulua wrangler Chris Doi, left, celebrated with Meredith M. Desha, Karen Hironaga and Jabez Armodia at the opening night party for "Ulua: The Musical," a revival of a 1999 production, Thursday at the Kumu Kahua Theatre. Desha gives a convincing performance as an annoying and possessive woman, and Armodia stars in some of the funniest comic bits. Hironaga was a member of the original 1999 cast. "Ulua: The Musical" continues through Feb. 12. Call 536-4441.

JOHN BERGER / JBERGER@STARBULLETIN.COM
"Ulua" cast member Wil T.K. Kahele shared a bench with his co-star, Nanilisa Pascua. The two are nicely matched as Clyson and Raylani Ichinose, a good-natured ulua fisherman and his local-girl wife. Pascua has the strongest voice in the show but displays comic skills as well. Her duet with Danel V. Verdugo, "Everything is No Ka Oi on Maui" is a musical highlight. Kahele's solo, "Ballad of an Ulua Fisherman," is also good, but the most imaginative writing involves the use of fishing and fishing poles as metaphors for sex.

JOHN BERGER / JBERGER@STARBULLETIN.COM
Solomon Enos, left, caught up with R. Kevin Doyle and Harry Wong III at the party. Doyle directed the original version of "Ulua" that Kumu Kahua staged at McKinley High School in 1999. Wong is the director of the revised version. The opening scene drags, but Wong and his cast do a solid job overall with this vintage pidgin farce.

JOHN BERGER / JBERGER@STARBULLETIN.COM
Sean T.C. O'Malley, center, the show's composer, enjoyed the party with his wife, Lurana Donnels O'Malley, and James Santos, musical director of the new version of the show. No musicians were seen during the show, but unlike most pidgin musicals, "Ulua" has the sound of live instruments rather than synth tracks.

JOHN BERGER / JBERGER@STARBULLETIN.COM
Kumu Kahua veteran Ron Encarnacion congratulated cast member Danel V. Verdugo. Verdugo's finely shaded acting gives this formula pidgin musical emotional depth. Her solo, "Charmaine's Song," is the most impressive in the show.