By Dennis Oda, Star-Bulletin
From left, Andrew Sakaguchi, Yvonne Filius and Guy
Merola starred in MVT's "Kiss of the Spider Woman,"
among the many theatrical productions nominated
for Po'okela Awards.

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DHT leads
Po‘okela nominees

A couple of musicals lead the nominations for the 1999 Po'okela Awards, the Hawaii State Theatre Council's 16th annual celebration of theatrical achievement.

Diamond Head Theatre's "The King and I" and "Oliver" had 11 nominations, helping the theater company to amass 37 nominations.

Manoa Valley Theatre was second in the nominations with a total of 25. The company's productions of "Jake's Women" and "Kiss of the Spider Woman" had 8 nominations apiece.

The ceremony will take place July 26 in the Outrigger Prince Kuhio Hotel Grand Ballroom. The event will feature no-host cocktails at 6:30 p.m., pupu at 7 and the awards presentation at 8 p.m.

The cost to attend is $30 for HSTC members; $40 for non-members ($10 tax-deductible for non-members). For information and reservations, call 623-2973.

Here is the list of nominees:

Leading male in a play

Dan Furst, "Moon Over Buffalo," Diamond Head Theatre
David F. Kleist, "Jake's Women," Manoa Valley Theatre
John Perry, "How I learned to Drive," ASATAD
John Perry, "The Diary of Anne Frank," Hawaii Pacific University
Lance Rae, "Picasso at the Lapin Agile," Manoa Valley Theatre

Leading female in a play

Betty Burdick, "To Kill A mockingbird," Manoa Valley Theatre
Stephanie Fodor, "The Diary of Anne Frank," Hawaii Pacific University
Linda Johnson, "Jake's Women," Manoa Valley Theatre
Lisa Konove, "Moon Over Buffalo," Diamond Head Theatre
Janel Parrish, "To Kill A Mockingbird," Manoa Valley Theatre
Anne-Marie Russo, How I Learned to Drive, ASATAD

Leading male in a musical

Kalani Brady, "Fiddler on the Roof," Army Community Theatre
Dion Donahue, "Oliver!," Diamond Head Theatre
Randy Hubbard, "A Wonderful Life," Diamond Head Theatre
Paul Nakauchi, "The King & I," Diamond Head Theatre
John Rampage, "42nd Street," Diamond Head Theatre
Andrew Sakaguchi, "Kiss of the Spiderwoman," Manoa Valley Theatre

Leading female in a musical

Belle Ruff Armstrong, "A Night at Rosie's," Hawaii Pacific University
Belle Ruff Armstrong, "The Unsinkable Molly Brown," Army Community Theatre
Stephanie Curtis Conching, "A Wonderful Life," Diamond Head Theatre
Yvonne Filius, "Kiss of the Spiderwoman," Manoa Valley Theatre
Yvonne Filius, "Oliver!," Diamond Head Theatre
Stefanie Smart, "The King & I," Diamond Head Theatre

Featured male in a play

George Hearn, "The Diary of Anne Frank," Hawaii Pacific University
Lew Lappert, "Picasso at the Lapin Agile," Manoa Valley Theatre
Russell Motter, "To Kill A Mockingbird," Manoa Valley Theatre
Richard Pellet, "Light Up the Sky," Hawaii Pacific University

Featured female in a play

Diana Carter Anderson, "Jake's Women," Manoa Valley Theatre
Stephanie Curtis Conching, "Moon Over Buffalo," Diamond Head Theatre
Electra Gailas, "Light up the Sky," Hawaii Pacific University
Sylvia Hormann-Alper, "Jake's Women," Manoa Valley Theatre
Melinda Maltby, "Light up the Sky," Hawaii Pacific University
Martha Walstrum, "Moon Over Buffalo," Diamond Head Theatre

Featured male in a musical

Dan Furst, "A Wonderful Life," Diamond Head Theatre
Bruce Hale, "A Wonderful Life," Diamond Head Theatre
Desi Jevon, "A Chorus Line," Army Community Theatre
David F. Kleist, "Oliver!," Diamond Head Theatre
Matthew Pedersen, "A Chorus Line," Army Community Theatre
Douglas S. Scheer, "Oliver!," Diamond Head Theatre

Featured female in a musical

Vanessa R. Chang, "The King & I," Diamond Head Theatre
Robin E. Craver, "Oliver!," Diamond Head Theatre
Lina Jeong Doo, "The King & I," Diamond Head Theatre
Rhonda, "Kiss of the Spiderwoman," Manoa Valley Theatre
Aiko Lana Schick, "A Chorus Line," Army Community Theatre

Choreography

Alyson Reed, "Oliver!," Diamond Head Theatre
Wanda Richert, "42nd Street," Diamond Head Theatre
Greg Zane, "The King & I," Diamond Head Theatre

Director of a play

Clarke Evans, "Jake's Women," Manoa Valley Theatre
Mark Lutwak, "New Kid," Honolulu Theatre for Youth
Joyce Maltby, "The Diary of Anne Frank," Hawaii Pacific University
Joyce Maltby, "Light up the Sky," Hawaii Pacific University
Bill Ogilvie, "Moon Over Buffalo," Diamond Head Theatre

Director of a musical

Glenn Cannon, "Fiddler on the Roof," Army Community Theatre
Jim Hutchinson, "A Chorus Line," Army Community Theatre
John Rampage, "Kiss of the Spiderwoman," Manoa Valley Theatre
Alyson Reed, "Oliver!," Diamond Head Theatre
Greg Zane, "The King & I," Diamond Head Theatre

Musical director

Lina Jeong Doo, "Fiddler on the Roof," Army Community Theatre
Melina Lillios, "Kiss of the Spiderwoman," Manoa Valley Theatre
Oliver Stone, "The King & I," Diamond Head Theatre
Emmett G. Yoshioka, "42nd Street," Diamond Head Theatre
Emmett G. Yoshioka, "Oliver!," Diamond Head Theatre

Set design

Paul Guncheon, "Oliver!," Diamond Head Theatre
Darren Hochstedler, "Picasso at the Lapin Agile," Manoa Valley Theatre
Don Ranney, "Kiss of the Spiderwoman," Manoa Valley Theatre
Wally White, "The King & I," Diamond Head Theatre

Costume design

Sukey Dickinson, "The King & I," Diamond Head Theatre
Peggy Yolles Krock, "Jake's Women," Manoa Valley Theatre
Peggy Yolles Krock, "Light up the Sky," Hawaii Pacific University
Alexander Torres, "Pageant," Manoa Valley Theatre
Karen G. Wolfe, "42nd Street," Diamond Head Theatre
Karen G. Wolfe, "Oliver!," Diamond Head Theatre

Lighting design

Cathie Anderson, "Jake's Women," Manoa Valley Theatre
Stephen Clear, "Kiss of the Spiderwoman," Manoa Valley Theatre
Dawn Oshima, "The King & I," Diamond Head Theatre

Ensemble

The Arkansaw Bear, University of Hawaii
A Chorus Line, Army Community Theatre
Light Up the Sky, Hawaii Pacific University
New Kid, Honolulu Theatre for Youth
Pageant, Manoa Valley Theatre

Original script

"The Garden of Rikki Tikki Tavi," Y. York, Honolulu Theatre for Youth
"Nanakuli," Tammy Baker, with material by Paul Cravath, Jason Duncan and Lauren Kaawa, Leeward Community College
"The Story of Susanna," Victoria Nalani Kneubuhl, University of Hawaii
"Under a Shared Sky," Cynthia See, Honolulu Theatre for Youth

Overall musical

"42nd Street," Diamond Head Theatre
"Fiddler on the Roof," Army Community Theatre
"The King & I," Diamond Head Theatre
"Kiss of the Spiderwoman," Manoa Valley Theatre
"Oliver!," Diamond Head Theatre
"Pageant," Manoa Valley Theatre

Overall play

"The Diary of Anne Frank," Hawaii Pacific University
"Jake's Women," Manoa Valley Theatre
"Light Up the Sky," Hawaii Pacific University
"Moon Over Buffalo," Diamond Head Theatre
"New Kid," Honolulu Theatre for Youth

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