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, Zippy’s Restaurants, Highway Inn, Generations Magazine, CVS/Longs Drugs, HMSA, Hawaiian Electric, MonkeyPod, and other foundations, businesses, and loyal patrons.

lee cataluna,
PLAYWRIGHT

ABOUT THE PLAYWRIGHT

Lee Cataluna’s recent work includes commissions from Arena Stage, La Jolla Playhouse, Honolulu Theatre for Youth, and San Francisco Playhouse. Her play Heart Strings premiered off-Broadway at Atlantic Theater in 2022 and will be produced in Chicago this spring. Her plays have been developed at Oregon Shakespeare Festival, Native Voices at the Autry, Chautauqua Institute, Northwestern University and Ojai Playwrights Conference. Her first of many plays for Kumu Kahua Theatre premiered in 1998. She has an MFA in Creative Writing from UC Riverside. She is of Native Hawaiian descent, was born on Maui, and now lives in Honolulu. www.leecataluna.com

PLAYWRIGHT'S NOTES

This play was commissioned by Kumu Kahua for the theaterʻs anniversary 50th season, 2020-21.

When Covid forced many theatrical productions to turn to online performances, I didn’t think

this play would work on that medium, so I wrote a different one for Zoom. My initial idea was to have a 3-person cast, with the actors playing Kimo's mom and dad also playing every other character in the story - my way of showing off the amazing chops of Hawai‘i actors. I think this expanded casting of the play serves that purpose in a less frantic way. Mahalo to Taurie Kinoshita and Hawai‘i Conservatory of Performing Arts for helping me develop the script. Mahalo to Jason Kanda and Harry Wong for insight and helpful discussions. Much has improved since the ‘80s about what kinds of roles Native Hawaiian and Pacific Islanders get to play and who gets to tell Hawai‘i stories, but the battle continues.

jason kanda,
DIRECTOR

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), #haoleboyfriend by Tony Pisculli and Stephanie Keiko Kong, and Beretania Snapshots by Sean-Joseph Takeo Kahāokalani Choo.

DIRECTOR'S NOTES

Did folks do more waiting back in the 1980s? I think about the small things we all waited for, like the time it took for the rotary dial to make its way back after the first digit… then again… again… again… again… again, and one more time… unless you were dialing long-distance.

We were waiting for larger things too. Things that took longer than rewinding cassettes (or spooling the tape back inside with one pencil cuz the fricken ting wen bus’ loose). Longer than saving files to floppy disks and then printing on dot matrix printers. Longer than The Bus! On Sundays! What was it you were waiting for, say 10, 20, 40 years ago? Are you waiting still? Or did you stop? Or, when it happened, either by luck, or else by sheer force of will, when you said enough with waiting and you did it, made it, brought it into the world, (big time kudos to you by the way!) …was it worth the wait?

Angeline Roselani Han (Carrie) is a multi-generational Oahu Korean actor and artist who has performed in extra work in indie films and TV as well as several student short films and local theater, such as Chinee Japanee All Mix Up (UHM) and One Uddah Mid’summah (HSF). As Han Aegyung, she writes fiction and poetry, currently making a foray in screenwriting and playwriting. Kimo the Waiter is her first show at Kumu Kahua. With a first degree black belt in taekwondo as well as years of Korean dance lessons at Halla Huhm studio, Angeline is dedicated to immersing and sharing the Korean diasporic experience through traditional Korean culture. 

Brandon Hagio (Ensemble) was last seen at KKT in Lee Cataluna’s Folks You Meet in Longs. His other credits include Wild Meat and the Bully Burgers,Gone Feeshing,Lucky Come Hawai‘i (KKT), The Taming of the Shrew (HSF), Blue (KKT), Oriental Faddah and Son (WCC), Hawai'i Nō Ka ‘Oi: A Sakamoto Celebration (UHM), The Underneath (WCC) as well as The Untitled TMT Project and Aloha Attire (KKT) He received Po‘okela Awards for Lead Actor in Da Beer Can Hat and Oriental Faddah and Son. Brandon has also assistant directed Cymbeline (HSF), Rolling the R’s (KOA), Hedda Gabler (HSF), and Wild Birds (KKT). Currently, Brandon is a Lecturer of Theatre for the Hawai‘i Conservatory of Performing Arts at Windward Community College.

Iris Wilhelm-Norseth (Ensemble) was last seen at KKT in Who Killed Gilbert Bottello?. Other theatre credits include One Uddah Mid’summah (HSF), Tony n’ Tina’s Wedding (MVT), The Princess and the Iso Peanut (MVT), and Sweeney Todd (Chaminade University). Her TV credits include Doogie Kameāloha and Hawaii Five-O. Iris is a member of the improv team Think Fast. 

Kaipo Dudoit (Kimo) was last seen at KKT in Lovey Lee by Moses Goods. Previous theatre credits include Titus Andronicus (HSF), Glitter in the Pa‘akai (UHM) and Kaisara (UHM).

Television and film credits include Magnum P.I. and My Partner.

Kevin J. Molina (Ensemble) was last seen at KKT in Mendokusai. He holds an AA with a concentration in theatre from Windward Community College. His performing credits include Aloha Attire (WCC), Kahahawai/Massie (WCC), Alika in Wonderland (WCC), Walter/Woyzeck (WCC), Demigods Anonymous (WCC) and iHula (WCC). 

Michael “Donut” Donato (Bernard) is from ‘Aiea. He was most recently seen in Kāmau A‘e at KKT. Some of his credits include Mynx & Savage (TAG), Eddie Wen Go (UHM), and I'm Not Sick (KOA). Donut is a member of Think Fast Improv.

Reyn Afaga (Dad) (he/they), originally from Waipahu, is an actor and theatrical artist based in Honolulu. He was last seen on Kumu Kahua’s stage playing Rolange in Moses Good’s Lovey Lee. Previous Kumu credits include various roles in Lee Cataluna’s Folks You Meet in Longs and assistant director duties for The Kāmau Trilogy (KKT). Other acting credits include Much Ado About Nothing (HSF), Rolling the R’s (KOA), and The Winter's Tale (HSF), and as a director, Cymbeline (HSF). 

Sharon Garcia Doyle (Mom) is a local theater artist having served both on and offstage in many capacities including management, design, and performance. She has designed costumes at MVT, HTY, and KKT. She has performed at HTY, HSF, Kennedy Theater, KKT, MVT, and PBH. Sharon has trained as a Lao Dan 老旦 in Jingju 京剧 with Elizabeth Wichmann-Walczak and China National Actors of the First Rank Master Lu Genzhang and Master Zhang Ling. Additionally, she has trained with David Smukler, Judith Koltai, and Gary Logan at the Canada National Voice Intensive. She has served on several productions as voice, accent, and acting coach and holds an MFA in Theater from the University of Hawai‘i at Mānoa.

Shayla-Ann Santos (Leilani) was last seen in Cymbeline (HSF). Previous credits include The Stain (WCC), Machinal (WCC), Romeo and Juliet (HSF) and Walters (WCC). She’s received training at WCC, The Second City, iO Theater, and Dueling Arts International. While being a certified stage combatant, she has assisted in fight choreography in HSF’s Romeo and Juliet and Both Your Houses. Shayla also gained experience as a camera operator for Joy and Death, a local film.

Julia Gilman (she/her/any) (Assistant Director) is a theatre generalist from the westside of O‘ahu. In local theatre, Julia previously worked with now-defunct playwriting collective Cabaret Tiki and improvisational group Loose Screws. She recently served as the production assistant/light operator/asst stage mgr for Lovey Lee at KKT. She holds a BA in Theatre from The University of Hawai‘i at Mānoa and an MA from Columbia College Chicago.

Stu Hirayama (Sound Design) has several designs to his credit for KKT, including Pakalolo Sweet, Shoyu on Rice, and Joker. As an actor, Stu has worked for many theatres, including in One Uddah Mid’Summah (HST), Lucky Come Hawai‘i (KKT), Wait Until Dark (MVT), and Picasso at the Lapin Agile (TAG).

Iris Kim (Costume Design) started sewing when she was 5 years old and began designing and constructing costumes when her oldest child got involved in theater In 2009. She has worked on productions at MVT, DHT, HSF, KKT, WCC and was the Assistant Costume Shop Manager at Kennedy Theatre at UHM. She is the costume designer at HTY.

Dann Seki (Properties Design) has been a stage and screen actor since 1989. His most recent stage appearance was in Building Permit (TAG). His previous prop design credits include Beretania Snapshots (KKT). 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
2024-2025

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
Karen Kaulana
Brook Lee
Annie Macapagal
Tony Pisculli
John H. Y. Wat
Victoria Wei