OUR PRODUCTIONS ARE SPONSORED IN PART BY THE FOLLOWING:

Kumu Kahua productions are supported in part by The Kim Coco Fund for Justice of the Iwamoto Family Foundation, the NME Fund of the Hawaiʻi Community Foundation, the Island Insurance Foundation, The State Foundation on Culture and the Arts, through appropriations from the Legislature of the State of Hawaiʻi, The AAPI Community Fund, The Richard Aadland Fund, The Hawaiʻi Tourism Authority, The Honolulu Star-Advertiser, The John R. Halligan Charitable Fund, Spectrum/Charter Communications, ABC Stores, the Gloria Kosasa Gainsley Fund, Hawaiʻi Public Radio, H. Hawaii Media, Simply Storage, Vacations Hawaiʻi, Zippyís Restaurants, Highway Inn, Generations Magazine, CVS/Longs Drugs, HMSA, Hawaiian Electric, MonkeyPod, and other foundations, businesses, and loyal patrons.

Sean-Joseph Choo,
PLAYWRIGHT

ABOUT THE PLAYWRIGHT

Sean-Joseph Choo is a queer multi-ethnic + multi-hyphenate artist from Honolulu. His work as a playwright, composer, and actor have been featured both in the Hawaiian islands and the island known as Turtle Island. Sean is invested in imagining how religion, queerness, and culture intersect and conflict, and he is dedicated to the stories and people of Hawaiʻi.

Sean is a member of the Dramatists Guild, LMDA, TYA/USA, ASCAP, CAATA, the Hawaii State Theatre Council, and founder of Kamamo House.

PLAYWRIGHT'S NOTES

If I were asked to summarize my play in a conversation, you would inevitably hear me ramble on about seven themes, all at once, in an only somewhat coherent fashion. You might be better off looking up the synopses that have been created to sum up this play on the internet. I think I get lost in attempting to sum up my stories because there is so much that is important to me that Iimbue in my tales. Another reason I got lost or confused when discussing my play is the numerous stories hidden and folded into the narrative that are close to home: some of the family names you will hear as you watch this play are names from my ‘ohana; there’s a story about bananas you will hear that is pretty much lifted from an interview the Department of Hawaiian Homelands conducted with one of my relatives; you will see a love story flashback scene that is a story I got permission to use from a DJ I met at a fashion party in Waikīkī a decade ago (it’s her tūtū’s story). 

How do I maintain the integrity of these stories as I weave them into my fiction?

How do I ensure that what I create is not just entertaining and engaging, but also honoring? With all of these stories, combined and crafted into this play, I ask: how do we depart well? How do we say aloha when we’re not ready? How do we part ways with our ‘eha, be it from the loss of a loved one, or any other type of loss? This pondering on the quality of our farewells pops up in many of my stories, and for the next couple hours, I invite you to ask the same thing: what does saying aloha, saying goodbye, mean to you, and perhaps, what are some things you need for say aloha to right now?

Here in 2024, as we become increasingly connected as a global village, our lives becoming more hectic and informed by increasingly various channels of accessing any kine data, I have found more and more a desire to reconnect with my kūpuna, the way they lived, and the rhythms of life that gave them contentment. I wonder about the balance of these rhythms from the past and the rhythms of today, and the interplay between the two. Enduring the past four years of turmoil and tumultuous rhythms that shook our globe, the violent ups and downs that plagued AAPI and BIPOC bodies, I have learned and thought much on the long struggle towards liberation in Turtle Island and every island and land for every oppressed people, from Pasifika to Palestine.

Thinking about all this, I feel so strongly the urgent need to mourn, and mourn well. I lost many loved ones in high school, and while going thru those difficult years has left its mark on my soul, I have learned to continue walking. The journey has not always been easy, and I have had to rely on others on the path, but I kept walking. I hope to carry a light for those who need it when they face difficulties on their own path, and I hope this story is a reminder and an encouragement to look for your own lights, tools, and people who can kōkua you with your farewells. Whether you worship with incense, by going church on Sundays (or other days), by pule-ing at a special place, or maybe just by going to bon dance a few times a year, I hope as you watch, as you engage with my story, as you engage with your fellow audience members, that you are reminded that our goodbyes are in many ways simply a variation on “a hui hou.” At least, that is what I believe.

Mālama pono, folx!

JASON KANDA,
DIRECTOR & Set Designer

ABOUT THE DIRECTOR

JASON KANDA is a 25-year veteran of Honolulu's theatre scene with directing credits at KKT, HSF and AMG. Past KKT directing credits include The Ventriloquist by Mark Tjarks, Da Kine Space by Lee Tonouchi, Folks You Meet in Longs by Lee Cataluna (2011) and #haoleboyfriend by Tony Pisculli and Stephanie Keiko Kong.

DIRECTOR'S NOTES

My first time attending a play at Kumu Kahua was at the age of twenty-four. That summer, out of a vague but nagging sense that I had lost touch with my roots, I had enrolled in a 100 level Japanese language class at UH, as an unclassified graduate student. Before class one day, my sensei  asked me how I had come to seek out basic instruction at this late stage of my academic journey. I eagerly explained that my grandfather (an immigrant who spoke English haltingly at best) made a practice of sending his original haiku poems to Japan, where more often than not, they were published in a literary magazine. I said that someday I hoped to read them. My sensei shook his head. "I don't think you can," he told me bluntly. He went on to explain that this would be the case even if I were to complete the full course of Japanese language study offered by the university. He confessed that he himself would struggle to read haiku with any more than a surface-level understanding. Chastened, I thanked him, and my sensei went on his way. If I could go back to that moment, then perhaps I would ask this question. How does a person grieve for the loss of something they never had to begin with? 

Kahana Ho (Beretania) most recently has been seen in It’s a Wonderful Life (MVT). Previous credits include Henry IV, Part 1 (HSF), Men on Boats (KOA), Stonewall Stories (First Unitarian), Hawai‘i Island History Theatre (HMH), Yesterday’s News (HMH) and Lovey Lee, Other: a Micro Story, Watcher of Waipuna, and The Conversion of Ka‘ahumanu (KKT). 

Cori Matsuoka (Connie) was last seen at KKT in Lee Cataluna’s Folks You Meet in Longs.  Recent credits include Hawai‘i Nō Ka ‘Oi: A Sakamoto Celebration at (UHM). She was also seen in Romeo and Juliet and Both Your Houses (HSF), Dance Dance Dance (UHM) and understudy in Lucky Come Hawai‘i (KKT).

Darryl Soriano (Wallace) was last seen in Haoleland at KKT. Recent credits include Folks You Meet at Longs (KKT). Her previous acting credits include Chinee, Japanee, All Mix Up (UHM), The Watcher of Waipuna (KKT), and 38 Minutes (KKT).

Sanae Tokumura (Gramma) is originally from Kaua‘i. She was last seen in One Uddah Mid’summah adapted by Jackie Pualani Johnson (HSF). Other theatre credits include sound and light board for Folks You Meet in Longs by Lee Cataluna.

Andy Valencia (Lisa) is a local actress who has worked with multiple theatre companies on O‘ahu. Recent credits include Lovey Lee (KKT), Henry IV part 1 (HSF), All’s Well That Ends Well (HSF), She Kills Monsters (LCC), Twelfth Night (HSF), and Much Ado About Nothing (HPU).

Paul Yau (Jude) was last seen at KKT in Da Beer Can Hat. Paul has performed at The Hawai‘i Theatre, HSF, LT, and TAG. He has over 15 years of stage combat experience and is the recipient of three Po‘okela performance awards. Film and television background credits include Godzilla, and Magnum P.I. As TAG's Technical Director, he designed and co-designed sets for The Road to Mecca and Sweat.

Julia Frazier (Assistant Director/Stage Manager/Projection Design) has been involved in theatre since age 8. She acted in numerous productions, including A Midsummer Night’s Dream, The Merchant of Venice, How to Succeed in Business Without Even Trying, and Fefu and her Friends, before discovering her passion for directing. Julia graduated from Oglethorpe University in Atlanta, with a BA in Theatre and a minor in Shakespearean Studies. 

Brian Lee Sackett (Set and Lighting Design) has been involved in Hawaiʻi theatre for 20-plus years. He has worked in every facet of theatre, other than playwriting, which he is quick to admit is beyond his skill set.

Kahana ho (Sound Design)  has created sound designs for many community theatres in Hawai‘i. Sound credits include, Haoleland (KKT), Henry IV, Part 1 (HSF) and Nā Mele o Nā Lani Eha (HMH). Lighting design credits include Rolling the R's (KOA), Da Beer Cat Hat (KKT), The Tempest (HSF), Macbeth (HSF), and Much Ado About Nothing (HSF). She is a multiple Po‘okela award winner and has worked in various productions as an actor, set builder, dresser, light and sound designer and operator, stage manager, technical director, and assistant director.

Kula Pang (Costume Design) is a new costumer to KKT and is excited to work with this theatre and all the people involved with this show. He has worked on shows at DHT and also with Iona, and has previously costumed One Uddah Mid’Summah for HSF and Mynx And Savage for TAG. He is also currently working on shows in the costume shop for DHT. Special thanks to the people at the DHT for helping costume this show and their advice for constructing these dragon pieces. Viel Spaß bei der Show! Na ja, es gibt einen Drachen, wie kann man ihn nicht genießen.

Dann Seki (Properties Design) has been a stage and screen actor since 1989. His most recent stage appearance was in Building Permit (TAG). In this new adventure working with props, he is channeling his father, who was a jack of all trades and a master of figuring out how things work. Thanks Dad! He is a member of SAG-AFTRA and is on the Board of KKT. A graduate of ‘Aiea High School, Dann has degrees in Audiology and Health Services Administration from the University of Hawai‘i. He was on the air at KUMU-FM for 15 years.

THEATRE ABBREVIATIONS

Army Community Theatre: ACT
The ARTS at Marks Garage: AMG
All the World's a Stage: ATWAS
Central Theatre Arts Academy: CTAA
Diamond Head Theatre: DHT
EVOLVE Theatre Company: ETC
Hawaiian Mission Houses: HMH
Hawai‘i Opera Theatre: HOT
Hawai‘i Pacific University: HPU
Hawai‘i Shakespeare Festival: HSF
Honolulu Theatre for Youth: HTY
Iona Contemporary Dance Theatre: IONA
Kaimukī High School: KHS
Kumu Kahua Theatre: KKT
KOA Theater: KOA
Kīlauea Military Camp Theater: KMC
Kīpuka Theatre: KT
Leeward Theatre: LCC
Mid-Pacific Institute: MPI
Mānoa Valley Theatre: MVT
‘Ohana Arts: OA
Open Home Performance Network: OHPN
‘Ōhi‘a Productions: OP
On the Spot: OTS
Performing Arts Center of Kapolei: PACK
PlayBuilders of Hawai‘i: PBH
Palikū Theatre: PTW
The Actors’ Group: TAG
University of Hawai‘i Mānoa: UHM
Windward Community College (Palikū): WCC

KUMU KAHUA THEATRE
2023-2024

Managing Director: Donna Blanchard
Artistic Director: Harry Wong III
Office Manager: Sara Ward
Box Office Associates: Alyson Wong, Kathy Dombrigues, Max Pennington & Victoria Amara

BOARD OF DIRECTORS

President: Marcus Oshiro
Vice President: Dann Seki
Recording Secretary: Jason Kanda
Elizabeth Errico
Mark Kalahele
Karen Kaulana
Brook Lee
Annie Macapagal
Kathy Dombrigues Max 
Tony Pisculli
John H. Y. Wat
Victoria Wei