Maui Wowee!
by
Gene Kato
The Valley Isle serves as the backdrop for this tale of relationships attempting to navigate rough waters. When straight-laced Stanley takes his estranged wife, their recent college grad daughter and her milquetoast fiancé to Maui, what should be a celebratory trip quickly turns ugly. The group finds themselves rooming next to a homosexual couple who have traveled to Hawaii to have a civil union ceremony, but who soon find their relationship is starting to show cracks as well. It’s only with the help of an overbearing ex-Flamenco dancer, that the couple realize that it’s facing the challenges of relationships head-on that will steer them through rough seas and enable them to land on calmer shores.
Cast Size: 5M 4W
Running Time: 2 hrs
Royalty: $75 per performance
So much of comedy comes from characters who are in pain, or in painful situations. Gene Kato has mined every bit of hilarity possible in MAUI WOWEE!, and quite a bit more. Convulsively funny one liners, deliciously flawed characters, and seamless pacing all work in tandem, making this a — wait for it: painfully funny little gem.
Three couples vacation to Maui but only one couple returns. The other four people come home as singles. The quirky characters and sharp repartee are wonderful, but underneath the often funny dialogue and amusing circumstances is a serious look at what it takes to make or break a relationship. The play has great roles for actors of all types and an exotic locale that designers will enjoy bringing to life. Oh, and the brownies, apparently, are worth the trip. Highly recommended.
A Hawaiian vacation goes comically awry for Stanley and Renee, and no better for Sal and Roger, a gay couple planning Hawaiian nuptials. From baggage claim to hang gliding, Stanley and Sal bond while trying to figure out why their life partners are having second thoughts about their relationships. Sal provides most of the comic relief, only topped by the arrival of his mother, “Fancy Skirt Nelson.” The comedy reaches a fever pitch when laced brownies are thrown into the mix. In the end, Maui Wowee! introduces thought-provoking notions about love and marriage. A wild romp!
A highly comedic and decidedly modern take on troubled relationships. Fully realized, outlandish characters and exceptional dialogue peppered with an unyielding sequence of brilliant one-liners. Because sometimes a whacky gypsy and some cannabis brownies can’t save a doomed relationship. Exceptional work.
Review Maui Wowee!.