The University of Hawaiʻi at 惭ā苍辞补’s Department of and will debut from April 17–26, a large-scale Balinese shadow puppetry performance that blends tradition with innovation. The show features towering shadow figures, live actors and dancers, and a full gamelan orchestra, an Indonesian ensemble known for its layered, rhythmic sound.

At the center is a love story that has traveled across centuries. The Panji tales, rooted in 13th-century Java and later embraced in Bali, follow a prince and princess separated again and again by misfortune and disguise. Their journey unfolds through “electric shadows,” a modern Balinese style that uses giant screens, dramatic lighting and performers moving both in front of and behind the stage.

“Everything you see on the screen is created live, in the moment,” said co-director Kirstin Pauka, a professor in theatre and dance. “This type of theatre is as complex as shooting a movie, and we do it all in one take.”

The production is co-directed by Balinese master artist I Madé Moja, who returns to Kennedy Theatre after staging two earlier works. The team leans fully into handmade design. No digital projections. No computer effects. Instead, simple materials are transformed into moving shadows, music and motion.

“The level of teamwork required goes far beyond most theatre productions,” Pauka said.

That collaboration stretches across campus and community. The cast includes 东精影业 惭ā苍辞补 students, local performers, and keiki learning the art form. The live music is led by master musician I Madé Widana.

Ticket information

. Performances are scheduled for Friday and Saturday evenings, with a Sunday matinee on April 26. Pre-show talks will be held before select performances.

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Voices, movement and moments of reflection filled at the University of Hawaiʻi at 惭ā苍辞补 in early February as , a biennial conference brought together scholars, artists and community members for two days of exchange. Hosted by the (ANNO), the conference explored how Indigenous performance sustains knowledge, language and relationships across generations.

The second biennial conference featured panels, workshops and special events that emphasized learning through practice.

Participants took part in everything from hula workshops led by 东精影业 惭ā苍辞补 instructor and Kumu Hula Tracie Kaʻōnohilani Farias Lopes to kapa making, puppet making, carving and a movement-based session by Sami L.A. Akuna that invited reflection on storytelling and the body.

“We hope that the conference delegates engaged in the many offerings of the two-day event and see the importance of Indigenous performance as a site of knowledge production, cultural preservation, and collective imagination,” said Tammy Hailiʻōpua Baker, who co-founded ANNO and is a director of 东精影业 惭ā苍辞补’s award-winning .

One panel, Aloha ʻĀina Embodied: The Praxis of ʻAha, was conducted entirely in ʻōlelo Hawaiʻi. The session featured several kumu, including Kaliko Baker, an associate professor at ; Kaipu Keala, an assistant professor at , Kaulu Luuwai, an attorney with at William S. Richardson School of Law, and Snowbird Bento, kumu hula of Ka Pā Hula O Ka Lei Lehua.

Panelists discussed how is expressed through performance and community practice, reflecting on the ways language and movement inform artistic and community-based work.

Celebration and story

The conference concluded with a hoʻolauleʻa, a celebration that combined conversation and creative sharing. Events included a film screening of , directed by Lisette Flanary, professor at 东精影业 惭ā苍辞补 and a preview of a new hana keaka (theatre work) by 东精影业 惭ā苍辞补 Hawaiian theatre graduate student Ikaika Mendez. The production, Lele Wale, reflects on community rebuilding after the Lahaina wildfires, honoring those who were lost, those who survived, and those continuing the work of rebuilding on Maui. Performances run March 4–8 at the Earle Ernst Lab Theatre at Kennedy Theatre.

• Related 东精影业 News story: Lahaina’s story lives in new hana keaka production, February 5, 2026

Established in 2022 through the 东精影业 惭ā苍辞补 Provost’s Strategic Investment Initiative, ANNO advances Hawaiian and Indigenous performance through scholarship, curriculum and outreach, supporting ongoing research and creative practice at 东精影业 惭ā苍辞补.

The University of Hawaiʻi at 惭ā苍辞补 will debut , a new hana keaka (Hawaiian theatre work) that takes audiences on a journey of community rebuilding in the wake of the Lahaina wildfires. The production honors those who were lost, those who survived, and those who still carry the weight of rebuilding on Maui. Performances run March 4–8 in the Earle Ernst Lab Theatre at Kennedy Theatre.

Created by 东精影业 惭ā苍辞补 master of fine arts (MFA) candidate Ikaika Mendez, Lele Wale does not seek to recreate the tragic wildfires. Instead, the work moves through memory, music and movement to create space to remember, grieve and reflect on what comes next for both people and place. For Mendez, a Maui native, Lahaina holds deep personal meaning.

“Although I am from Kanaio, Lahaina became the place where I learned what it meant to be a performer in service to people and place…working at the Feast at Lele Lūʻau at just 15 years old,” said Mendez. “I learned discipline, responsibility and the power of storytelling through music and movement. That experience deeply influenced my path, leading me to pursue education in music, ʻōlelo Hawaiʻi (Hawaiian language), and ultimately my MFA in hana keaka.”

Voices of place

Lele is the traditional place name for Lahaina. In ʻōlelo Hawaiʻi, lele wale evokes prayer and speaks to motion, as well as the act of releasing. The hana keaka is performed in a combination of ʻōlelo Hawaiʻi, Hawaiʻi Creole English (Pidgin) and English intertwined with live music, hula and imagery.

“There are experiences, emotions and understandings that cannot be fully expressed in English, so we speak them, sing them and chant them in ʻōlelo Hawaiʻi,” said Mendez. “At the same time, Pidgin and English reflect the lived reality of Lahaina today: the sounds of home, work, family and community.”

Ticket information

Performances are Wednesday through Saturday at 7:30 p.m., with a Sunday matinee at 2 p.m.

A free post-show Q&A with the director and cast will follow the Friday, March 6th performance for ticket holders.

Content advisories: Covers themes connected to wildfire, loss of life, strong language, haze effects and flashing lights. Questions about tickets or accessibility can be directed to ktbox@hawaii.edu or (808) 956-7655.

A new production is shining a light on the lives and journeys of Filipinos in Hawaiʻi. “,” directed by J. Lorenzo Perillo, blends movement, music and history into a fast-moving tribute to identity and community. Performances run through November 23, on the Mainstage at the University of Hawaiʻi at 惭ā苍辞补.

Perillo serves as co-director of the (CPS) and is also an associate professor in the Department of . He created the show in honor of CPS’s 50th anniversary.

“‘Dancing in the Diaspora’ delves into the interconnected lives of Filipinos maneuvering the waters of belonging and exclusion in Hawaiʻi and beyond,” said Perillo.

Stories through dance

The performance moves between hip-hop, street dance, contemporary, Filipino Indigenous styles and ʻori Tahiti (Tahitian dance). Live kulintang (traditional Filipino gong instrument) and Tahitian music set the tone. The dances explore home, identity and the journey of carrying culture across oceans.

for the in-person production at Kennedy Theatre. The production features international and local collaborators such as Mary Chris (Mycs) Villoso, Von Ace Asilo, Angela Sebastian, Ron and Lydia Querian (House of Gongs), Manarii and Nalini Gauthier (Tahiti Mana), Irisgil Viacrusis, Michelle Bisbee, Tyler Kanemori and Evan McCarty.

One of the most meaningful collaborative elements grew out of Villoso’s artist residency at 东精影业 惭ā苍辞补 earlier this year, which included workshops with local high schools such as Maryknoll, Farrington and Waipahu. Building on that work, the production features Farrington High School students who have been rehearsing since September with their teacher Michelle Levine Aquino, a recent 东精影业 惭ā苍辞补 graduate, to perform a piece rooted in Philippine games and street dance. Aquino also contributes an Ilokano chant that helps open the show.

“If you dig beneath the deep layers of colonization, you find the ways the people of the Pacific are connected through language, food, stories and beliefs,” said Nalini Gauthier. “Dance has been a steady vessel carrying me through this journey of rediscovery and empowerment.”

The production also features a heartfelt dance film showcasing 东精影业’s custodial staff.

Perillo expressed that the staging is deeply connected to Hawaiʻi’s social and cultural landscape.

“Filipinos make up one-fourth of Hawaiʻi’s population, yet there is a clear lack of Filipino representation in education. Representation matters. It’s critical in strengthening students’ self-worth, identities and success.”

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This week’s 东精影业 News Image of the Week is from 东精影业 惭ā苍辞补’s Christine Lamborn Fernandez, operations coordinator for Kennedy Theatre.

Fernandez shared: “Olivia Akina as MOTHER and Klaus Bluhen as BENJAMIN from the upcoming performance at Kennedy Theatre of The Yellow Boat—Opens September 24!”

The Yellow Boat, a Theatre for Young Audiences production directed by MFA candidate Emmanuel Mante, shares the true story of Benjamin, a boy born with hemophilia whose boundless creativity helps him navigate illness, loss, and ultimately, an HIV diagnosis.

Learn more about the production.

Performances are Wednesday through Saturday at 7:30 p.m., with a Sunday matinee at 2 p.m.

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This September, the University of Hawaiʻi at 惭ā苍辞补’s and invite audiences into a world where imagination becomes survival. , a Theatre for Young Audiences production directed by MFA candidate Emmanuel Mante, shares the true story of Benjamin, a boy born with hemophilia whose boundless creativity helps him navigate illness, loss, and ultimately, an HIV diagnosis.

“This isn’t just a children’s show—it’s a heartfelt experience for all ages,” said Mante. “It celebrates how the human spirit turns pain into art and illness into beauty. It’s imaginative uplifting, and transformative.”

The production runs September 24–28, at the Earle Ernst Lab Theatre.

While Benjamin’s life is shaped by hospital visits, isolation, and loss, his imagination offers him freedom. He turns to drawing, coloring, and storytelling to express what words cannot. In one poignant scene, he colors with his doctor as the only way to explain his pain.

Imaginative staging

The production’s artistic team help transform the story for the stage. Set designer and theatre major Juliana Damrow uses reconfigurable pieces and everyday objects to reflect how children reshape their world through play. Lighting designer Kelli Finnegan adds expressive colors and projections that mirror Benjamin’s sketches, including the symbolic yellow boat he draws.

The production also weaves in cultural elements. Costumes by Amber Baker feature handwoven Filipino textiles. Choreographers Nani Marcos and Gwen Arbaugh layer movement into the story, while music director Paul Gabriel Cosme provides live accompaniment.

“Each costume is a celebration of Filipino artistry and heritage,” Mante said. “Hawaiʻi’s multicultural environment makes this kind of storytelling feel especially resonant.”

Although filled with joy and imagination, The Yellow Boat also faces difficult truths of illness, isolation and loss. Benjamin’s story ends with his passing, portrayed by the cast with care and sensitivity. Families are encouraged to reflect on these themes and join the post-show discussion on Friday, September 26, with the director and cast.

Ticket information

Performances are Wednesday through Saturday at 7:30 p.m., with a Sunday matinee at 2 p.m.

Content Advisories: Covers health issues and suffering, such as hemophilia and HIV.

After completing an intensive kabuki workshop at the University of Hawaiʻi at 惭ā苍辞补 this summer, students stepped into the spotlight on Monday, August 18 at the Earle Ernst Laboratory Theatre. Their performance brought to life the movement, music and artistry passed down to them by a world-renowned, eighth-generation kabuki master.

This August, Ichikawa Monnosuke VIII led a kabuki masterclass at 东精影业 惭ā苍辞补, offering rare, hands-on training in this vibrant classical Japanese art form.

“This opportunity to train in kabuki with a professional is truly unique,” said 东精影业 惭ā苍辞补 theatre professor Julie Iezzi. “Nowhere else in the world, not even in Japan, can those outside of the tradition train under a kabuki actor.”

Spirit of kabuki

The two-week workshop, offered Mondays through Fridays through 东精影业 惭ā苍辞补’s and , was filled with students, alumni and community members, and focuses on kabuki movement and vocal training.

“In thinking about the future, I feel that this is a really good opportunity to help spread knowledge about kabuki to more and more people around the world,” Monnosuke said through a translator.

Among the students who studied under Monnosuke is Karese Kaw-uh, who earned an MFA in at 东精影业 惭ā苍辞补 and starred in the university’s kabuki production in 2024.

“What I love about kabuki is that you have to hear the rhythm and the sound. And so the pieces that we’re working on really deal with music and movement. So we have to listen to cues and say the words in a rhythmic pattern,” Kaw-东精影业 said.

For 19-year-old Zumi Guillermo-Togawa, a student at Kapiʻolani Community College, the best part was exploring the different ways kabuki characters can move and express themselves.

“My most favorite part is learning about the different characteristics and personality for just the walks, not even just the voices, the walks, the mie and how it differs depending on the character and character type,” said Guillermo-Togawa.

Eighth-generation master

Monnosuke, whose family’s kabuki lineage dates back to 1713, is no stranger to 东精影业. In spring 2024, he and his apprentices trained student actors for 东精影业 惭ā苍辞补’s English-language kabuki production, The Maiden Benten and the Bandits of the White Waves. That production not only sold out performances but also received a first-ever invitation to perform in Japan, where it was enthusiastically received.

Kabuki has deep roots in Hawaiʻi. In fact, the university staged the first known English-language kabuki production in the islands 100 years ago. Today, 东精影业 惭ā苍辞补 is helping keep that legacy alive.

Kabuki legacy

With guidance from Iezzi, 东精影业 惭ā苍辞补’s Department of Theatre and Dance is breathing new life into English-language kabuki, an art form that flourished on the Kennedy Theatre stage under the leadership of late 东精影业 惭ā苍辞补 Professor James R. Brandon and master kabuki actor Nakamura Matagorō II, with vital support from community artists Onoe Kikunobu (dance), Yamada Chie (music) and Joji Wago (wigs and makeup).

Monnosuke and his wife, Yukika, first met Iezzi in 2016, already aware of the university’s rich kabuki traditions and eager to support its continuation.

“They were wondering about future plans for kabuki, and actually came at the perfect time, since I, too, was searching for artists interested in helping to rebuild the complex infrastructure of knowledge necessary to continue doing kabuki productions,” Iezzi said.

Hamilton: Honoring kabuki

This fall, will open a new exhibit in the Asia Reading Room honoring kabuki. Crafted by Japan’s Shōchiku Company and gifted to 东精影业 in 1939, the intricate kabuki theatre model has been in storage for nearly 90 years in different places. In partnership with the theatre and dance department, a new exhibit case will allow the model to be permanently displayed, alongside other performing and exploring kabuki at 东精影业 惭ā苍辞补 exhibits.

The University of Hawaiʻi at 惭ā苍辞补’s is taking its celebrated production of RENT to Kauaʻi. Following a sold-out run at Kennedy Theatre earlier this year, the Pulitzer Prize-winning rock musical will be performed at , August 8–10.

Directed by Joshua “Baba” Tavares, an assistant professor of acting at 东精影业 惭ā苍辞补 and former cast member in the 20th Anniversary National Tour of RENT, the production was praised for its raw emotional power, dynamic staging and local resonance.

“We are so excited to take our show to Kauaʻi and connect with our Kauaʻi ʻohana in this way,” said Tavares.

The touring team includes more than 40 cast and crew members, including 东精影业 惭ā苍辞补 students, faculty, staff, musicians and technicians, representing a wide range of 东精影业 惭ā苍辞补 programs, including theatre and dance, psychology, music, law, cinematic arts, Hawaiian language and more.

As part of the visit, the team will offer a free acting workshop to share and engage Kauaʻi’s community of storytellers and artists. The workshop will take place on Saturday, August 9—more information to come.

Related 东精影业 News story: No day but today: 东精影业 惭ā苍辞补 theatre and dance brings award-winning RENT to life, February 11, 2025

The 东精影业 惭ā苍辞补 production earned critical acclaim in March, with BroadwayWorld calling it “a soaring and heartfelt production” blending “aloha, heartbreak, queer joy…and unbridled energy of young people united for justice and love.”

Tavares emphasized the show’s continued relevance. “Even though the show is set in a specific time, its challenges feel just as relevant today, especially here in Hawaiʻi. Homelessness, gentrification, mental health struggles and finding a way forward after a devastating disease—are we talking about the ’80s and ’90s, or are we talking about today?”

He added, “RENT isn’t just about struggle—it’s about hope, tolerance, human rights and above all, aloha. It’s about love.”

The Kauaʻi performances mark the production’s first appearance outside of O?ahu, offering new audiences a chance to experience one of the most impactful works in modern musical theatre, through a uniquely ʻohana lens.

Performances will take place at the newly reopened Kauaʻi CC Performing Arts Center, which reopened in April 2024 after closing due to the pandemic and has major upgrades to its lighting, sound and backstage systems. The venue is once again a key cultural hub under new manager Gregory von Hausch.

Loosely inspired by Puccini’s La Bohème, RENT follows a group of struggling young artists in 1990s New York City navigating love, loss, identity, and survival during the height of the HIV/AIDS crisis. Since its 1996 Broadway debut, Jonathan Larson’s groundbreaking musical has become a global cultural phenomenon.

Performance and ticket information

Performance dates: August 8–10, 2025
Time: 7–9 p.m., Friday and Saturday; 1:30–3:30 p.m. Sunday
Location: Kauaʻi CC Performing Arts Center
Tickets: Prices range from $15–$60. .

For general inquiries, email .edu or call (808) 245-8352.

Support and sponsorship opportunities

This partnership between 东精影业 惭ā苍辞补 and Kauaʻi CC aims to build a lasting bridge through the performing arts. Financial support is welcome to offset travel and production costs. To support the tour or inquire about sponsorships, contact Joshua Tavares at tavares8@hawaii.edu.

alumnus Brutus La Benz has long been a familiar face on Hawaiʻi television screens appearing in commercials for everything from Texaco and 7-Eleven to Kona Brewing Company and the Hawaiʻi Quit Tobacco campaign. But his big break came this spring, when he debuted as Lilo’s kumu hula (hula teacher) in Disney’s live-action Lilo & Stitch, a box office hit that soared past the $1 billion mark this July.

Before landing a role in the major Disney film, La Benz’s earliest acting stage was his family’s living room in Kailua. As a kid, he and his brother would spend hours performing scenes from hit flicks Wayne’s World and Tommy Boy after summer fun.

“A lot of times we would just kind of memorize lines and reenact them. And I always thought that was fun,” he said.

That early love for performance stuck. The Olomana native can still recite skits from the late, beloved Hawaiʻi comedian Rap Replinger—classic jokes he proudly calls “scripture.”

La Benz, a Punahou School graduate, earned degrees in (Hawaiian language) and from the 东精影业 惭ā苍辞补 . It was in those ʻō濒别濒辞 classes he says a passion for acting truly began to grow.

“In order to help us learn the sentence structures and the new vocabulary, some of them would ask us to do a lot of mini skits, just so that we could memorize the lines and patterns,” La Benz added. “Once I figured out we can make these funny skits and still learn, that was really cool.”

That energy led him to the stage in 2004, when he starred in Kamapuaʻa, a Hawaiian-language stage production directed by Tammy Hailiʻōpua Baker, founder of 东精影业 惭ā苍辞补’s . It’s there he learned how to tell stories through action, not just words.

“Because many didn’t understand Hawaiian language, the words needed to come across in the way we acted. And so that was challenging, but also I think that’s what made us all really, really fun and decent actors,” La Benz said.

Seeking permission

In 2023, when Disney offered him the “kumu hula” role, La Benz actually hesitated. A trained ʻōlapa hula (hula dancer) under Kumu Hula Snowbird Bento, he wasn’t sure if taking the role of a kumu hula on screen was appropriate.

“My initial reaction was I better call my kumu first to make sure that it’s okay to portray a kumu,” La Benz said.

With her blessing, he stepped into it.

“He Mele No Lilo” (A song for the lost)

Filming for the lively scene took place at the Kokokahi YMCA in Kailua, and La Benz, who has a 9-year-old daughter, said it felt natural.

“It was just like having a bunch of my daughters there. They were super goofy. I felt more like I was being a parent and modeling after how I see my kumu interact with her students at those ages,” he said.

In addition to his role as Lilo’s kumu hula, La Benz also served as the body double for the alien character Jumba, performing the character’s physical movements on set.

His daughter, Kealaleihōkū lit up at the film’s Hawaiʻi premiere.

“She was just staring into the screen, but when I came on she said, ‘Oooh! Daddy!!’”

Guiding life moments

Outside of acting, La Benz pours his heart into work as a kahu (officiant). He’s spent more than a decade overseeing weddings, blessings and farewells.

“Honored to be a part of different celebrations…making people feel safe and comfortable enough to celebrate or grieve in a way that they need to,” said La Benz.

He expressed deep gratitude for the opportunity to serve as a kahu and looks forward to taking on new acting roles but says above all, being a dad is the role he cherishes most.

—By Moanikeʻala Nabarro

The University of Hawaiʻi at Mānoa program is celebrating its 10th anniversary with a major milestone. Its latest Hawaiian language production, Puana, was invited to perform this June at the , an international Indigenously led performing arts festival in Aotearoa (New Zealand). The festival is a premier showcase of Māori, Pacific and Indigenous performing arts.

“Kia Mau is a call to hold steadfast. In a way, it’s like our [Hawaiian] word hoʻomau, to perpetuate, and in this circumstance it’s about perpetuating our storytelling,” said Tammy Hailiʻōpua Baker, director and founder of the 东精影业 Mānoa Hawaiian Theatre program.

“Having Puana invited to this festival, elevates the work that we’re doing here, and it also puts us on an international stage speaking to the quality of the work that we’re creating, as well.”

Bringing Hawaiian moʻolelo to the world

Puana, which debuted at in September 2024, explores the deep spiritual connections between Kānaka Maoli (Native Hawaiians) and their kūpuna (ancestors) through the power of song. The production is performed primarily in ʻōlelo Hawaiʻi (Hawaiian language).

Two of the lead actors, Kaʻiukapu Baker and Ikaika Mendez, will travel with the production to perform. Mendez, who is from Maui, earned an undergraduate degree in and at 东精影业 Mānoa and is now pursuing a graduate degree in Hawaiian theatre. He sees this opportunity as a way to share Native Hawaiian traditions with a global audience.

Related story: Hawaiian theatre returns: Premiere of Puana explores music, ancestral ties, August 2024

“A lot of times, our moʻolelo (stories) are seen as childhood tales, little songs. ‘Oh, that’s the hula,’” Mendez said. “But when you dig deep into moʻolelo and hana keaka (Hawaiian theatre), it’s really education at its highest form.”

For Kaʻiukapu Baker, performing at Kia Mau is more than just an opportunity—it’s an honor.

“I’m definitely bringing a little bit of nerves but I’m mostly bringing excitement with me to Aotearoa because I love being in their ʻāina (land) and to see the similarities of their land and their language to ours…it is a privilege,” she said.

Help bring Hawaiian theatre to Aotearoa

Taking a production overseas is no small feat. The twenty-member cast and crew need community support to raise $70,000 to cover travel expenses.

Donations can be made to the through the 东精影业 Foundation.

Award-winning hana keaka

Since its founding in 2014, 东精影业 惭ā苍辞补’蝉 Hawaiian Theatre program has produced eight original hana keaka, all performed mainly in ʻōlelo Hawaiʻi. The program is dedicated to revitalizing the Hawaiian language and strengthening cultural identity through theatre.

Its work has earned both local and national recognition. In 2022, Baker was honored with the Kennedy Center Medallion of Excellence, a top award in theatre education, for her leadership in Indigenous arts.

The University of Hawaiʻi at 惭ā苍辞补’蝉 and is proud to present Jonathan Larson’s extraordinary rock musical RENT, live on stage from February 28 to March 9, 2025.

Directed by Joshua “Baba” Tavares, this heartfelt musical, inspired by Puccini’s La Bohème, RENT reimagines the classic opera’s themes of love and sacrifice through the lens of struggling young artists in the Lower East Side of Manhattan during the height of the HIV/AIDS epidemic.

Since RENT’s broadway debut in 1996, RENT has touched the lives of millions around the globe, becoming a cultural phenomenon with its timeless themes of love, resilience, hope, community and identity. It earned the Pulitzer Prize for Drama and multiple Tony Awards, including Best Musical, Best Original Score, and Best Book of a Musical. Its iconic songs, including “Seasons of Love,” continue to resonate with audiences worldwide, cementing the show’s legacy as a transformative work of musical theatre.

Tavares, a recent MFA graduate from 东精影业 Mānoa and the newest assistant professor of acting in the Department of Theatre and Dance, brings a deep personal connection to the show, having played the role of Angel in the 20th Anniversary National Tour of RENT (2019–20).

“It’s about love, relationships, healing, passion, and figuring out who we are—things that never stop being relevant or important,” said Tavares. “It’s uplifting, heartbreaking, and hopeful. It’s also a great show for students to learn and grow from.”

Ticket information

Tickets are available online, with prices ranging from $5 to $25. Pre-show chats will be held at 6:45 p.m. before the Saturday performances on March 1 and 8, offering insights from the directors and designers.

For more information and to purchase tickets, visit the . For ticketing inquiries, email ktbox@hawaii.edu or call 808-956-7655.

A vibrant array of dance styles—including Tongan, Afro-Cuban, contemporary, and hip-hop—will take center stage as graduating Master of Fine Arts (MFA) and Bachelor of Fine Arts (BFA) students showcase their original choreography.

The University of Hawaiʻi at 惭ā苍辞补’s and present , running from January 29 to February 2, at the Earle Ernst Lab Theatre.

Directed by 东精影业 惭ā苍辞补 dance instructor Sami L.A. Akuna, this dynamic showcase highlights the creative journeys of its choreographers, reflecting their diverse perspectives and cultural influences.

Showcase spotlight

Hannah Archer’s “Painted People,” infused with tap and jazz elements examines self-identity and the passage of time. Archer invites audiences to find reflections of themselves in her work.

“I want the audience to see a bit of themselves in my piece and feel entertained and inspired by the entire show,” Archer said.

Nani Marcos’ “-apo” delves into ancestral respect and cultural identity, drawing on her Filipino-American heritage. Through storytelling, movement and sound, Marcos explores the significance of batok (traditional Filipino tattoos) as a medium for passing down traditions.

“This piece is about reconnecting with my culture and respecting our ancestors,” Marcos explains.

Stephen Isileli Kolokihakaufisi’s “Ritual” celebrates traditional Tongan dance with hip-hop and West African influences as a means of preserving cultural knowledge and community connection.

The concert also features Isabella Andrade’s “Mi Viejos,” Camille Dias’ “Limelight,” “Beige: An Afro Ballet” by Jonathan Clarke Sypert, “The Rite of the Heel” by Anneliese Wirsching, and Anu Shaw’s “Take One Take.”

Ticket information

Tickets are available for $8–$18. Performances will run Wednesday through Saturday at 7:30 p.m. and Sunday at 2:00 p.m., with a post-show Q&A on January 31. More on tickets at the or contact the box office at ktbox@hawaii.edu or (808) 956-7655.

This November, the University of Hawaiʻi at 惭ā苍辞补’s Kennedy Theatre will come alive with , a dynamic dance concert featuring a blend of hula, ballet, martial arts, yoga and contemporary movement. Presented by the 东精影业 惭ā苍辞补 the showcase explores themes of resilience, transformation, and the power of expression through dance, November 20–24.

Co-directed by 东精影业 惭ā苍辞补 associate professors Pei-Ling Kao and Kara Jhalak Miller, the concert presents new works and some reimagined pieces originally debuted in the department’s virtual Sphere concert in 2021.

“Each beautifully crafted choreography, paired with stunning visual design, contributes to an overarching narrative that reflects the complexities of human experience and the power of movement as a means of expression,” said Miller.

More on performances

Kai Wawā Ka Moku
Choreographed by 东精影业 惭ā苍辞补 alumna and Kumu Hula Vicky Holt Takamine, the piece combines live hula and video projections inspired by an ancient chant that celebrates the birth of new islands.

Hale Aliʻi o Waimaka
Artistic director of Tau Dance Theatre Peter Rockford Espiritu presents a poignant ballet set against the backdrop of ʻIolani Palace, reflecting on trauma and Hawaiian resilience.

笔谤ā苍̣补
Presented by Miller explores the connection between yoga philosophy and contemporary dance.

境 Jing
Kao invites audiences to experience the balance between motion and stillness through Tai Chi and martial arts.

Other works in the show include Chop, which blends martial arts and urban dance and Pasok, a tribute to frontline workers that integrates hip-hop to celebrate community strength.

Performances will run at the Earle Ernst Lab Theatre November 2024. Tickets are available for $8–$18.

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After nearly a decade of training, living and performing in New York City and on major stages across North America, Joshua “Baba” Tavares returned home—not just to Hawaiʻi, but to his cultural roots. This fall, the Hōnaunau native will lead the cast of Puana, the latest hana keaka (theatre production) emerging out of the at the University of Hawaiʻi at 惭ā苍辞补. The play, performed primarily in ʻōlelo Hawaiʻi (Hawaiian language), delves into the spiritual connections between Kānaka Maoli (Native Hawaiians) and their kūpuna (ancestors).

• Related 东精影业 News story: 东精影业 Hilo grad lands iconic Broadway musical role, December 31, 2019

Tavares returned to Hawaiʻi after nearly nine years of performing in New York to pursue his MFA in and hana keaka at 东精影业 惭ā苍辞补. He graduated in spring 2024 and quickly made his mark in the Hawaiian theatre program, having already performed in five Hawaiian language productions, one of which was his original play Glitter in the Paʻakai that he wrote, directed and composed original songs for.

In Puana, he plays Kawohionālani, a musician in a contemporary Hawaiian band who uncovers deep connections to his kūpuna through music and genealogy.

“I feel very haʻaheo, I feel very proud to be part of this ?ohana, part of this movement of telling stories through our language and through our ʻike Hawaiʻi (Hawaiian knowledge),” said Tavares who also earned a BA in at 东精影业 Hilo in 2012. “I think it’s monumental in ways that will continue to expand throughout different generations. For future keiki to be able to celebrate and be like, ‘Eh, we can tell our stories and they’re beautiful, they belong on stage and they belong on screens!’”

ʻŌlelo legacy

Tavares’ connection to ʻōlelo Hawaiʻi runs deep. Growing up within the Hawaiian language immersion program on Hawaiʻi Island, he and his siblings speak their native tongue fluently. His return to the islands has allowed him to further immerse himself in his heritage, both as an actor and now as an assistant professor of acting in the 东精影业 惭ā苍辞补 , where he teaches acting for tv, film as well as audition techniques and musical theatre preparation.

“It is surreal to be a faculty member, to be honest,” Tavares said. “I love acting, I love teaching, I love telling stories—so this position feels like divine timing. Very grateful for the opportunity to do what I love. My hope is to be able to allow local and Kanaka Maoli actors and storytellers to be able to receive world class training here at 东精影业 惭ā苍辞补.”

Moʻokūʻauhau and mele

Among the handful of cast members starring alongside Tavares in Puana are 东精影业 惭ā苍辞补 Hawaiian Theatre MFA student actors Ikaika Mendez and Kāneikoliakawahineikaʻiukapuomua Baker, and 东精影业 惭ā苍辞补 alumnus Kaʻula Krug, all contributing to a production that marries storytelling with the traditional Hawaiian art of moʻokūʻauhau (family lineage).

The production is a collaboration between Hawaiian Theatre and , a project of the 东精影业 Mānoa , and brings together an impressive creative team, such as Kumu Tammy Hailiʻōpua Baker, founder of the Hawaiian Theatre program who wrote and directed the play, 东精影业 惭ā苍辞补 Hawaiian language professor and composer Kumu Hula R. Keawe Lopes, Jr., Kumu Hula Tracie Kaʻōnohilani Lopes, Nā Hōkū Hanohano award-winning musician Zachary Alakaʻi Lum, Moʻolono and playwright Kaipulaumakaniolono Baker, and Māori composer and recording artist Tawaroa Kawana.

Ticket Information

Puana will debut at Kennedy Theatre with performances September 27–28 and October 4–6. Tickets range from $5 to $25 and will be available at the Kennedy Theatre Box Office starting September 23, from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m., Monday through Friday, and one hour before each performance. Educators interested in field trips can contact ktbox@hawaii.edu.

This fall, the University of Hawaiʻi at Mānoa and will premiere , a hana keaka (Hawaiian Theatre) production that delves into the spiritual connections between Kānaka Maoli (Native Hawaiians) and their kūpuna (ancestors) through the power of song. Performed primarily in ʻōlelo Hawaiʻi (Hawaiian language), the play also commemorates the 10th anniversary of 东精影业 惭ā苍辞补’蝉 .

Puana tells the story of a group of contemporary musicians who uncover their genealogical connections through moʻokūʻauhau (family history) and poetic compositions. The innovative production is a collaboration between Hawaiian theatre and , a project of the 东精影业 Mānoa .

“This connection that we have with those that have come before, the connection that we have with our ancestors, we believe that they’re always with us, we stand on their shoulders, and they continue to guide us as we move forward in our journeys,” said Kumu Tammy Hailiʻōpua Baker, founder of the Hawaiian Theatre program who wrote and directed the play.

“Puana provides an opportunity for [Kānaka Maoli] to celebrate our musical legacy, to reflect on the accomplishments and skill of haku mele (music composition), and to build upon that legacy today.”

Guided by kūpuna

The story follows a group of friends who are in a band as they discover that their creative journey is deeply rooted in their collective identity and ancestral legacy. As they explore their artistic paths, they come to realize the significance of their kūpuna and the enduring influence of their ancestors.

The hana keaka brings together an impressive creative team, such as 东精影业 Mānoa Hawaiian language professor, composer Kumu Hula R. Keawe Lopes, Jr., Kumu Hula Tracie Kaʻōnohilani Lopes, Nā Hōkū Hanohano award-winning musician Zachary Alakaʻi Lum, Moʻolono and playwright Kaipulaumakaniolono Baker, and Māori composer and recording artist Tawaroa Kawana.

Helping bring this hana keaka to life are Chris Patrinos (scenic designer), Noelani Montas (lighting and projection designer) and Kaʻiukapu Baker and Maile Speetjens (costume designers).

“I’m excited about the magic that’s going to happen. When all the various aspects of a production come together, it’s so magical,” said Baker. “We have amazing people on this project, and it’s going to be amazing.”

Ticket information

for performances September 27–28 and October 4–6. Purchases can also be made at Kennedy Theatre Box Office starting September 23, from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m., Monday through Friday, and one hour prior to each performance. Educators interested in organizing field trips can reach out to ktbox@hawaii.edu for more details.

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To commemorate the centennial milestone of English-language Kabuki productions at the University of Hawaiʻi at 惭ā苍辞补, master musicians from Japan are mentoring students for the premiere of this April at .

Enriching the performance will be a live music ensemble, spotlighting authentic Japanese singing and instruments such as the three-string shamisen, taiko drums and traditional flutes.

On stage, student actors will bring to life the Japanese theatre art form known for its ornately decorated costumes and eye-catching makeup.

A skilled ensemble of 13 musicians comprising UH 惭ā苍辞补 and , faculty and community members, will provide music emanating from the geza, an offstage musician’s box.

Master mentoring

This spring, the invited esteemed Kabuki percussionist Kashiwa Senjirō to train 东精影业 惭ā苍辞补 students on campus. During an intensive three-week residency, Kashiwa taught student musicians a variety of kabuki-specific patterns that are integral to creating the atmospheric backdrop of the production. The live ensemble will also provide a range of sound effects, from the tinkling of butterflies to the thunderous crash of waves.

Among the melodic soundscape, audiences will hear 东精影业 惭ā苍辞补 musician Morgan Chan’s thunderous taiko drumming. The graduate music student is humbled to be mentored by master artists.

“It’s been an amazing opportunity, and I’m very grateful that I guess, the stars have aligned, so they say,” said Chan. “It really adds to the atmosphere to have live music because as opposed to an audio track that gets played over, the musicians have the opportunity to respond to what’s happening on stage.”

• Related 东精影业 News story: 100 years of Hawaiʻi Kabuki in English: Masters from Japan train 东精影业 actors, December 10, 2023

东精影业 惭ā苍辞补 has brought in other respected musicians to mentor students in the ensemble; master shamisen artist Kineya Sakiyo (Bryson Teruo Goda, shakuhachi (bamboo flute) performer Christopher Yohmei Blasdel and Kenny Endo, a taiko master.

Arlo Chiaki Rowe, a at 东精影业 惭ā苍辞补, will lend their vocal talents to the ensemble. Rowe, who is of Japanese descent has been working for months to grasp their melodic contribution, seeing it as a meaningful connection to their cultural background.

“Being able to sing in Japanese, it gives me so many opportunities to really feel like, yeah this is my culture, this is what I want to do,” Rowe said.

Ticket information

The upcoming 东精影业 惭ā苍辞补 production, also commonly known as Benten Kozō, depicts five distinctive thieves with a mastery of masquerade and captures schemes and back stories that lead to shocking revelations, surprising reunions and startling twists. The 40-member cast will perform the play in English.

for the production set to open April 19, 20, 26 and 27 at 7:30 p.m. and April 28 at 2 p.m.

This play, which also marks Kennedy Theatre’s 60th anniversary season, pays homage to the longstanding tradition of Kabuki in Hawaiʻi, the very first on-campus production at 东精影业 惭ā苍辞补 debuted in November 1924.

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English language version

E mālama ʻia ana kahi ʻaha kūkā kamahaʻo pili i nā hana noʻeau, nā loina hōʻikeʻike, a me ka hana keaka e like me ka mea i ʻike ʻia ma ke kaiāulu Kanaka Maoli a me nā kaiāulu ʻōiwi nō hoʻi. Mālama ʻia hoʻi ma ke Kulanui o Hawaiʻi ma Mānoa i ka lā 14 a me ka 15 o Malaki. Na ka ʻŌiwi: Research Institute of Indigenous Performance (ANNO) i hoʻokumu i ua paha kūkā nei i ala e hoʻomohala aʻe ai i ka hoʻomaopopo ʻia ʻana o ka lehulehu i ka nui a me ka laulā o nā hanana i pili i ia kumuhana ʻo Indigenous Performance Studies o ke kupu ʻana maila. Aia hoʻi ʻo ANNO i ka malu o ka mahele o 东精影业 Mānoa.

I ka hahai ʻana i ka manaʻo o Noiʻi Nowelo, ka ʻimi ʻana hoʻi i ʻike kūhohonu, e hoʻākoakoa ʻia mai ana kēia ʻaha kūkā i ka poʻe akeakamai o 东精影业 Mānoa a me ka Pakipika mai loko mai o nā mahele ʻike a me nā hana noʻeau he nui wale. Ma ia mau lā he ʻelua, e mālama ʻia he mau hōʻikeʻike, haʻiʻōlelo, pānela, hālāwai hoʻonaʻauao, ʻaha mele, a he hana keakanō hoʻi, i pūnana e hua aʻe ai nā manaʻo kelakela a me nā pilina e kaʻa ana ā puni ka honua.

“An inaugural conference on Hawaiian and Indigenous performance is the centerpiece in establishing our research institute, which serves our mission to uplift and document Hawaiian and Indigenous performing arts,” said Tammy Hailiʻōpua Baker, director and founder of the campus’ inaugural Hawaiian Theatre program. “The theme of the conference is also the title of ANNO’s forthcoming publication, Noiʻi Nowelo – A Survey of Hawaiian and Indigenous Performance, that features thirty contributors from Ko Hawaiʻi Pae ʻĀina (Hawaiʻi) and Oceania.”

He huina o nā mahele ʻike like ʻole

ʻO kahi pahuhopu nui o Noiʻi Nowelo ʻo ka hoʻonui ʻana i ke kūkākūkā pū ʻana a me ka hana pū ʻana o nā ʻano mahele ʻike like ʻole, e laʻa hoʻi ʻo American studies, Cinematic arts, Curriculum studies, English, Kamakakūokalani Center for Hawaiian Studies, Kawaihuelani Center for Hawaiian Language, Theatre and Dance, and Women, Gender, a me Sexuality Studies.

E kāinoa mai

No Noiʻi Nowelo, kono ʻia nā mea hana noʻeau ʻōiwi, nā polopeka hoʻokumu o ANNO, a me nā mea kipa i kāinoa mai ma mua o ka ʻaha kūkā. Paipai ʻia ka ʻeleu ma ke kāinoa ʻana mai.

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—By Kuehu Myers

1st Indigenous performing arts conference hosted at 东精影业 惭ā苍辞补

An innovative conference dedicated to celebrating the artistic expression of Native Hawaiian and Indigenous communities will debut at the University of Hawaiʻi at Mānoa this spring. Spearheaded by the pioneering Indigenous performance research institute (ANNO), the conference March 14–15, seeks to broaden understanding and enrich contributions to the emerging field of Indigenous performance studies. ANNO is housed under the 东精影业 Mānoa .

In ʻōlelo Hawaiʻi (Hawaiian language) Noiʻi Nowelo can be understood as a deep and investigative delving, as a researcher may seek deep knowledge. The conference will bring together 东精影业 experts from diverse academic and performance backgrounds, and artist-scholars from around the Pacific. The two-day event within and surrounding at 东精影业 Mānoa will feature speakers, panels, workshops and performances, providing groundbreaking insights and opportunities for global connections and relationships.

“An inaugural conference on Hawaiian and Indigenous performance is the centerpiece in establishing our research institute, which serves our mission to uplift and document Hawaiian and Indigenous performing arts,” said Tammy Hailiʻōpua Baker, director and founder of the campus’ inaugural Hawaiian Theatre program. “The theme of the conference is also the title of ANNO’s forthcoming publication, Noiʻi Nowelo – A Survey of Hawaiian and Indigenous Performance, that features thirty contributors from Ko Hawaiʻi Pae ʻĀina (Hawaiʻi) and Oceania.”

Multidisciplinary fusion

Noiʻi Nowelo aims to cultivate dynamic conversations and collaborations from across various academic disciplines including American studies, Cinematic arts, Curriculum studies, English, Kamakakūokalani Center for Hawaiian Studies, Kawaihuelani Center for Hawaiian Language, Theatre and Dance, and Women, Gender, and Sexuality Studies.

Secure a spot

The Noiʻi Nowelo conference is open to invited participants, member faculty and registered guests. Timely registration is advised for those interested in attending.

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Hula and mele (song) intertwine throughout the world premiere of a hana keaka () at the University of Hawaiʻi at Mānoa to reveal the polarizing facets of a Hawaiian ʻohana (family) grappling with loss, identity and healing. Written and directed by 东精影业 Mānoa graduate student Joshua “Baba” Kamoaniʻala Tavares, a dual concentration acting and Hawaiian MFA candidate, debuts at ’s Earle Ernst Lab Theatre February 7—11.

“This story is a personal love letter towards finding healing and peace and a peek into the beautiful complexities of ʻohana,” said Tavares who is preparing to graduate this spring.

Glitter in the Paʻakai centers on the poignant return of Kaʻōnohi to his roots in Hōnaunau, Kona, as he attends his nephew’s first birthday lūʻau (Hawaiian feast). Tavares, who also hails from Hōnaunau, hopes for audiences to explore several questions while watching the production such as, “What expectations do we place on our family? What happens when they don’t meet them? How do we heal from trauma? If we lose our connection to our culture and family, what is left of our identity? What does it mean to be courageous?”

The Hawaiʻi Island native is a familiar face on Kennedy Theatre’s mainstage having starred in past productions such as award-winning comedy, Hoʻoilina, a Hawaiian hana keaka where Tavares played one of the main roles.

• Related 东精影业 News story: Comedic play to debut in Hawaiian, Pidgin and ʻōlelo māhū, March 31, 2022

“My kūpuna (elders) have guided me to this moment, truly,” as he reflects on his time in the theatre and dance MFA program at 东精影业 Mānoa. “I thought I wanted/needed to be back in New York but this program was the perfect blend of what I needed as a Kanaka Maoli (Native Hawaiian) artist.”

Ticket information

Glitter in the Paʻakai will be performed February 7–10 at 7:30 p.m. with a matinee on February 11 at 2 p.m. A free post-show chat with Tavares and the cast will follow the Friday, February 9 performance. range $8–$18. The play will be performed mainly in ʻōlelo Hawaiʻi (Hawaiian language) with some English and Hawaiian Creole English.

Some themes might be better suited for older aged students and up as the play explores themes of homophobia, alcoholism, strong language and domestic abuse.

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