Ka Leo O Hawaii

Issue date: 11/15/07 Section: Mixed Plate

Media Credit: Courtesy of Kennedy Theatre "Steve Martin's 'Naughty Bits'" is a compilation of six different comedic skits all written by comedian Steve Martin and directed by Nicole Brilhante. Leave the keiki at home.

When people think of theater, they think of big spectacle productions filled with song and dance. With big-name shows such as "The Lion King," playing at the Neal Blaisdell Arena, and "Man of La Mancha," playing at the Kennedy Theatre Mainstage, it is easy to miss some of the smaller but no less entertaining productions.

"Steve Martin's 'Naughty Bits'" is a special production that is part of the Late Night Series and will be playing at the Earl Ernst Lab Theatre.

Actress Johnna Batiste said the six skits vary in length and cover a variety of comedic topics, ranging from a dysfunctional family of four to the humorous musings of Aristotle and Plato about the morality of tabloid pictures.

"There's another one called 'Closure' and it's a monologue piece," Batiste said, "It deals with a guy who's obsessive compulsive and needs closure in everything, and he goes on telling the story about his day of the week."

The longest play is called "WASP," which deals with the quirky relationships of four white Anglo-Saxon Protestant family members.

"It's really funny watching them interact with each other," Batiste said, "and be completely fake within their own family."

What sets "Naughty Bits" apart from the other productions is its rather risqué material that is not suitable for younger children. This is one of the main reasons why the production is for Late Night and not the Mainstage.

"Late Night is definitely stuff you're not used to seeing on the Mainstage," Batiste said. "There's a lot of innuendo."

As a big fan of Steve Martin, Batiste decided to try out the audition. After a cold reading with another actor, she was informed that she had gotten the part. What makes her audition interesting is that there were no callbacks.

"There was only one day of casting, which obviously limits the amount of people that are going to come or going to be able to come," Batiste said, "there's only seven characters .. (the director) was very comfortable with the choices she made."

In addition to theater, Batiste also hopes to someday act in film, although that she enjoys theater because of the interaction between the audience and the stage.

"A play is something you listen to because the scenery and the stage can only do so much," Batiste said. "It's the actress that is usually telling you what time of day it is and is usually telling you how the atmosphere is."

For her, the experience up on stage and with the director is something that she will never forget. She said that she has made a lot of great friends in this new comedy scene and has grown as an actress.

"Naughty Bits" will play this Friday, Nov. 16, and Saturday, Nov. 17, at 11 p.m. and again on Sunday, Nov. 18, at 8 p.m. at the Earl Ernst Lab Theatre.

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