Paliku Collects Multiple Kudos

The Hawaii State Theatre Council has spoken, and Paliku Theatre’s The Phantom of the Opera was a darn good musical.

That’s how the 2012 annual Po‘okela awards went at “Stars Night Out,” the theater council’s annual gala last month at Koolau Golf Club, where the Kaneohe theater won in 13 of the 14 categories it was up for.

“All this from a talented little community college on the Windward side!” exclaimed Paliku Theatre manager Tom Holowach.

Oahu’s glittering fans and talents also were entertained that night by Phantom cast members who reunited to sing Masquerade at the event.

Hawaii Pacific University’s The Importance of Being Earnest earned actor Mitchell Milan a Non-Resident Guest Artist award, and actor Stacy Ray was honored for Leading Female in a Play for HPU’s The House of Blue Leaves.

Each Po‘okela category recognizes achievements by three or more notable productions in the 2011-2012 theater season. The Paliku awards are listed below.

Leading Male in a Musical — Miles Wesley in Phantom

Leading Female in a Musical — Lydia Pusateri in Phantom

Featured Male in a Musical — Leonard Villenueva and Johnny Reed in Phantom

Featured Female in a Musical — Jaime Craycroft in Phantom

Ensemble Performance in a Musical — How I Became a Pirate

Director of a Musical — Ronald E. Bright for Phantom

Musical Director — Clarke Bright for Phantom

Overall Production of a Musical — Phantom

Sound Design/Engineering —Kainoa Jarrett for Phantom

Set Design — Lloyd Riford III for Phantom

Light Design — Lloyd Riford III for Phantom

Costume Design — Evette Allerdings for Phantom

Both WCC’s Paliku Theatre and HPU’s Paul and Vi Loo Theater are soldiering on with more potential award winners for their Windward fans: Paliku has its 10th anniversary revue on stage Sept. 28- Oct. 7, and HPU director Joyce Maltby and cast are in rehearsal for Neil Simon’s The Good Doctor (Nov. 2- Dec. 2).