JOHN BERGER / JBERGER@STARBULLETIN.COM "Seduction" cast members Naomi Mal (standing, left), Julie Capili and Zenia Zambrano, with writer-director Andrew Meader (on chair) and musical director-pianist John "J.B." Bryan. They hope the cabaret-style show will start a trend locally.

Love stories

Songs help tell the story
about four women and their
perspectives on life

---

By John Berger
jberger@starbulletin.com

"I knew I wanted all women, and I knew I wanted more than one or two -- I could have had 20, but I wanted to pay them."

'Seduction' Where: The ARTS at Marks Garage, 1159 Nuuanu Ave. When: 9 p.m. Thursdays to Saturdays, through Mar. 22 Admission: $18 with two-drink minimum Call: 521-9699

Andrew Meader was speaking not of his love life, but as the writer and director of "Seduction," a New York-style cabaret show that he's presenting with an assist from Tim Bostock Productions this weekend and next at the ARTS at Marks Garage. "Seduction" features songs from the American songbook that ended with the dawn of rock 'n' roll in 1955, and follows last fall's successful production of "Singing Sondheim" at the ARTS.

"We did 'Singing Sondheim' with Shari Lynn, Darren Server and Katie Leiva, and about a week before that one went up, I was already planning this one. These are songs that I love, and I love (to hear) women singing them," Meader said.

The difference this time is that "Seduction" includes a story line and four distinct characters. Naomi Mal plays "the young one who just had her heart broken and is trying to work through it," Julie Capili is "newly in love and is celebrating (it)" and Zenia Zambrano is "the sensual femme fatale who is currently in love" -- a character both Zambrano and Meader agree is inspired, to some degree, by her real-life relationship with veteran local actor Scott Moura.

"He goes out to get us champagne or wine -- the unofficial runner," Meader said of Moura's ex officio role in the show.

Katie Doyle rounds out the cast as the "older, cynical one" who has no illusions about life and love.

THE 20 songs in the show tell a story built upon the differences between the characters and their perspectives on life. Meader has used the quartet's suggestions in refining the characters and fine-tuning the show through "seven or eight" rewrites.

"They have all different levels of experience, but the chemistry between them is just phenomenal and I love that. They've been comfortable enough to give input ... and we've used it and it's been great," he said.

Zambrano, who starred as Patsy Cline in Manoa Valley Theatre's recent production of "A Closer Walk with Patsy Cline," said that one of the things that made "Seduction" so appealing to her is the fact that it is so far removed from what she did at MVT.

"This is giving me a chance to be somebody totally different that I've never played before, so it's exciting. It's not this big 'wow!' show -- it's more intimate and there's a variety of songs by different composers. ... I like it because you get to sing so many different things and you get to (experiment with) your voice," she said.

Capili describes herself as a singer rather than an actor; the theatrical aspects of the show are growth areas for her. Mal is a veteran of "Up with People" and has previously worked in local musical theater, but says she still feels like "Seduction" is her Hawaii debut.

John "J.B." Bryan, another multitalented performer well known in local theater, completes the cast as musical director and pianist. Meader credits him with working out fresh arrangements for the more familiar selections.

"I'm just trying to match brains with Andrew and see what he wants to hear," Bryan said, "and then match brains with the women and see how they feel about doing it."

He hopes that "Seduction" will be the beginning of a trend in local entertainment.

"Cabarets are so easy to find in New York. Places like that are such great venues for you to do things that are not overdone ... so something like this gives you a chance to do songs that maybe you won't find in one show normally or that you've always wanted to do with just the right talent. Hopefully, this will be the second in a series."

Meader agrees.

"I'd love to keep doing this and, at one point, not have to put it together myself. This is a great place to do it, and if it needs to go somewhere else, it will, but I love the idea of people being able to create here."

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