Da Mayah

When Da Mayah debuted at Kumu in 1998, it broke box office records, drew rave reviews, sold out houses, and inaugurated for playwright Lee Cataluna the creation of what would become a string of hit comedies. Now Da Mayah is back in all its wacky hilarity. The newly-elected mayor of Hilo, Lester Perez (campaign slogan: "Do What He Sez!"), is not too bright, but his administrative assistant, second in command and mistress Sandralene Leialoha Ferreira, manages fairly successfully to keep him from making a complete fool of himself.

When Lester is blackmailed by a childhood friend, Derek Pang, Sandy enlists the aid of her gangster cousin Dukie and his hit man Stanton, who has "a rap sheet thicker than the Bible" and a crush on Sandy. The action takes us from the mayor's office to Jazzmin’s Karaoke Bar and Washerette ("Karaoke solo $1.50, duet $4.00"), bringing to play assassination attempts, betrayals and bad plate lunches.

Former Kumu Kahua board president, R. Kevin Garcia Doyle will direct the production, with set and light design by BullDog, costume design by Lorena Jones, and sound design by Stu Hirayama. The cast features Kumu Veterans Troy M. Apostol, Jarod Bilon, Eddy Gudoy, Stu Hirayama, Karen Hironaga, along with Kumu newcomer Annamarie Love.