LVA student actor tackles third major role of 2016 in Las Vegas production
This year, Maverick Hiu has performed in roles originated by ‘80s heartthrobs Kevin Bacon and Christian Slater. Beginning May 19, he’ll be appearing in a role originated by himself in the new musical “Bright Side” at Art Square Theatre, 1025 S. First St.
“I’ve never been part of an original production before,” Hiu said. “I’ve always had someone else’s performance to go off of. It’s really interesting to make my own choices as the character and be the person that sets the stage for the character. It’s a really cool experience.”
Hiu is a senior at Las Vegas Academy of the Arts, 315 S. Seventh St. His first time on the public stage was last summer when he was part of the ensemble for “Chitty Chitty Bang Bang” at Super Summer Theatre. In February, he was the lead in “Footloose” at Las Vegas Academy and was back on the stage for four weeks in April in the lead male role in “Heathers The Musical” at the Onyx Theatre. In the new musical, he’s playing the son of the main character, a macho military man diagnosed with male breast cancer.
“I’m definitely grateful for the roles I’ve gotten,” Hiu said. “I go to these auditions, and there’s so much talent. I get shocked that I’m the one chosen because I see so many good people.”
Hiu lived in a suburb of Kansas City, Kan., and said it was a big change when his family moved to Las Vegas when he was 11.
“There’s so much going on here,” Hiu said “There are so many entertainment opportunities.”
Hiu spent his first two years at LVA as a theater major before switching to dance because he felt his dancing skills weren’t up to snuff, and he wanted to round out his abilities. He first caught the acting bug when his sister was performing in a middle school production of “Guys and Dolls.”
“Not that I don’t enjoy who I am,” Hiu said. “But it’s really fun to get to be someone else and inhabit a world that’s a diffetent reality and bring that to other people. It’s really interesting.”
“Bright Side” has been in development for 2 1/2 years. Playwright Ernie Curcio and songwriter Jolana Sampson developed the original story, and Sampson is the lyricist and co-composer with Martin Kaye. In March, there was a public reading of the play at UNLV. The UNLV student who read it then was unavailable for rehearsal, and the play’s director, Will Adamson, called a couple of friends at LVA to see if they had anyone to recommend for the role. Seperately, both suggested Hiu.
“We got really lucky,” Adamson said. “Maverick is one hell of a talent. There’s something about an actor who’s not quite aware of their own natural abilities. That’s so perfect for this role that it’s sort of silly.”
Hiu is the only actor performing in the play who is not also performing in a show on the Strip. The cast includes Marcus Weiss, who performs in “Le Reve” and is one of the original cast members of Blue Man Group; Victoria Matlock, who performs in “Million Dollar Quartet” and was Elphaba in the “Wicked” Broadway tour; and Tony Award-nominated actor Robert Torti in the lead role. Torti is currently in “Rock of Ages” and has performed in “Starlight Express” and “Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat” on Broadway.
“Maverick is performing right along some incredible talent, and he’s holding his own,” Adamson said. “I’m hoping he takes a lot away from performing with these seasoned actors.”
He said he has indeed been enjoying working with the more experienced cast members, and he hopes that will be an asset when he attends school at Montclair State University in New Jersey.
“The school only accepts 3.5 percent of their theater applicants a year, so I feel really lucky to have been accepted,” Hiu said. “There’s a train on the campus that goes right into New York City.”
Hiu plans to take that 20-minute train ride to auditions as much as possible. For the summer, however, he’s done with acting. He had plans to hit a few auditions but decided instead to relax and spend some time with friends and family.
“It’s been nonstop since I started school this year,” Hiu said. “It’s chaotic right now, to say the least. I go straight from school to ‘Bright Side’ rehearsals to ‘Heathers’ performances some days.”
Performances of “Bright Side” are scheduled for 8 p.m. May 19-22 and 26-29 and June 2-5 and for 2 p.m. May 22, 29 and June 5 at the Art Square Theatre. Tickets are $16 and $20. Visit www.cockroachtheatre.com.
To reach East Valley View reporter F. Andrew Taylor, email ataylor@viewnews.com or call 702-380-4532.
