The boys waiting in the dark seem restless and giddy, their chests are puffed out, they seem to be standing at attention and their voices seem deeper.
A little flirtation enlivens rehearsals
By Charlene Anne Rico
when girls join the cast of a play
at the all-boys St. Louis School
Star-BulletinThen a door opens and 12 of them enter the room, causing the boys to gape, almost speechless. The boys' eyes light up and sheepish grins appear on their lips as scantily clad harem girls flood the stage.
The girls put on an oblivious act for their male counterparts, but they know that all eyes are on them. They giggle and laugh, whispering to each other as they throw coy glances in the boys' direction.
This is no adult emporium. All are at the very respectable Mamiya Theatre rehearsing St. Louis School's production of "A Funny Thing Happened on the Way to the Forum."
This is not the all-boys school's first play staged with girls. However, gauging by the boys' behavior, you would think they had never seen any girls in their lives, which sets up a comedic situation before even getting to the plot of "Forum," a comedic farce about a slave who will go to any length to gain his freedom.The slave Pseudolus is played by St. Louis senior Aaron Patinio. His master, Hero, played by St. Louis junior Jesse Gonzales, falls in love with Philia, played by Kaitlyn Metcalf, a sophomore from Punahou School. Philia is a virgin and for sale as a courtesan.
The slave Pseudolus makes a deal with Hero that if he can get the girl for Hero, then Hero will give him his freedom. However, Philia has already been sold to Roman captain Miles, played by St. Louis running back, Pesefea Fiaseu Jr.
Fiaseu sits in the audience talking with one of his friends and says with a laugh, "A lot of people wonder why a football player is on the stage ..."
Before he can finish his thought, Iolani senior Mina May, 17, interjects loudly, "It's because of the girls!"
This causes an eruption of laughter from the group of girls who sit in a huddle at the edge of the stage.
The girls come from five different high schools and one junior high school. They range in age from 14 to 17 and are a giddy bunch.Kyle Kakuno, director of the play and a St. Louis teacher, said, "The boys are not used to (the girls). But it's an opportunity for them to show what a gentleman is and how to behave as gentlemen, and sometimes they're not.
"It's peer pressure too, and they'll say (to each other), 'Hey, you shouldn't say those things' and so they kind of govern themselves. I think deep inside, they know how they should behave. It's just getting them used to it."
"(The boys) are really nice, sometimes it gets a little crazy, like people are flirting and screaming and running around, but it's really fun," said Niki Libarios, a 17-year-old senior at Punahou School.
Katie Sadowski, a senior at Sacred Hearts, said, "Girls have a different humor, they have a different way of playing around and stuff and so being here with the St. Louis boys, they're a lot more hyper. I don't know if that's because we're around."
All of the girls admitted to gossiping when they're not on stage, however, May was quick to point out, "Yeah, but there's more that goes on between the boys than the girls, that's what I think. I think at an all-boys school, they become real big gossips. We thought we were bad as girls, but the boys, oh my gosh!""It's different for all of us and that's kind of neat," said Sadowski, "But, we're all going to get tans and work out together ..."
"Yeah, because our costumes are kind of skimpy!" said Camissa Hill, a sophomore from Kamehameha Schools.
"Yeah, it's needed, yeah yeah, definitely!" Sadowski finished as the girls began to giggle again.
In the category of "what will their moms say," the barely there bra-top-and-bikini costumes leave little to the imagination. Sadowski said, "We love (the costumes), but it's cold. Basically it's not more than what we would wear to the beach so I don't have a problem with it and I don't think any of the girls do either, but our parents are coming in to double check, just in case. But this is half the fun right here, the costumes."Kakuno said, "I think the boys and girls work together. It's not without its tension. There are times when things aren't right but it's just part of life."
A Funny Thing Happened on the Way to the Forum" On stage
When: 7:30 p.m. Fridays and Saturdays, and 2 p.m. Sundays today through April 29
Where: Mamiya Theatre
Tickets: $5
Call: 739-4886
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