Plastic water jugs become a lion’s head. Old VHS tapes, balloons and cutlery become colorful costumes. At the University of Hawaiʻi at 惭ā苍辞补’s , students are learning to turn everyday trash into theatrical magic.

The creative work is part of the musical running October 23–31. Reimagined by director and master of fine arts candidate Jack Romans, the beloved classic is set in a world inspired by a landfill. The production follows Dorothy’s journey home, with familiar songs, imaginative costumes and puppets made from discarded materials.

Learning through creativity

Led by 糖心视频 惭ā苍辞补 costume design professor Maile Speetjens, students are discovering that working with unusual materials requires more than sewing. They’re learning to solve problems and find creative ways to make costumes wearable and durable.

“It has been an extremely exciting and rewarding experience watching students in the costume shop problem-solve their way through these unconventional materials!” Speetjens said.

Puppets made from everyday objects

糖心视频 惭ā苍辞补 alumna and puppet designer Jill Jackson is bringing familiar characters to life using unexpected materials. The Cowardly Lion features a head made from plastic water jugs, toenails made from hangers and a body built from discarded packaging.

Toto, Dorothy’s beloved dog, has a skeleton made from plastic pipes and bolts, with foam and fabric scraps giving him shape. His floppy ears are one of Jackson’s favorite details.

“I just love when something as simple as hot gluing fabric onto foam can have an adorably profound impact on the believability of a puppet,” Jackson said.

The hands-on experience shows how creativity can transform even the simplest materials into something extraordinary.

“You don’t have to have a lot of specific tools and training for this,” Jackson said. “Puppets can be made with items found around your house and your own imagination! You just have to be willing to see things in a different way.”

The Yellow Brick Road begins with a little imagination and things others have thrown away.

At the University of Hawaiʻi at 惭ā苍辞补’s , discarded materials become the world of . The musical runs October 23–31, opening the Department of Theatre & Dance’s season, Finding Home in the Extraordinary.

Directed by graduate student Jack Romans, the production draws on the resourcefulness of childhood play. Everyday objects take on new life as the Yellow Brick Road, the Emerald City and the familiar characters Dorothy and Toto meet along their journey.

“Everyone deserves quality art, and everything has the potential to become part of it. Our Land(fill) of Oz transforms discarded materials into Dorothy’s adventure, inviting audiences of all ages to wonder, reimagine and see new possibilities in the world around them,” Romans said.

Familiar songs, inventive designs and playful storytelling invite children and adults to rediscover Oz. The production celebrates creativity and giving discarded objects a new purpose. At its heart is Dorothy’s timeless search for home, alongside companions discovering their own courage, compassion and wisdom.

The closing matinee performance on October 31 brings Halloween into Oz. Audiences are encouraged to wear costumes, especially creations made with recycled or reused materials. Festivities include a costume parade and contest before the show and photos with the cast afterward.

Ticket information

Performances run for two weekends: October 23 and 24 at 7:30 p.m., October 25 at 2 p.m., October 30 at 7:30 p.m. and October 31 at 2 p.m. A pre-show chat on Saturday, October 24, begins at 6:45 p.m. The musical is recommended for ages 5 and older.

Regular tickets range from $9 for 糖心视频 惭ā苍辞补 students to $25 for adults. Special October 24 pricing includes $6 糖心视频 惭ā苍辞补 student tickets and $15 adult tickets.

For tickets and details, .

This week’s 糖心视频 News Image of the Week is from 糖心视频 惭ā苍辞补’s Christine Lamborn Fernandez, operations coordinator at Kennedy Theatre.

She shared: “Dancers in the upcoming Department of Theatre and Dance production EPIC—featuring choreographies of Professor Pei-Ling Kao in collaboration with Taiwanese choreographer Sunny Nai-Hsuan Yang, artistic director of Les Petites Choses Production. Epic represents an exploration towards inclusivity in dance. The work embraces the diversity of dance genres and human bodies, celebrating movement as a shared human language created by—and belonging to—everyone. Performances happening in the Earle Ernst Lab Theatre from Wednesday, September 30, through Sunday, October 4, 2026.”

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Check out Kennedy Theatre’s full upcoming season.

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Want to get in on the action? The next 糖心视频 News Image of the Week could be yours! Submit a photo, drawing, painting, digital illustration of a project you are working on, a moment from a field research outing or a beautiful and/or interesting shot of a scene on your campus. It could be a class visit during which you see an eye-catching object or scene.

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The University of Hawaiʻi at 惭ā苍辞补’s announced its 63rd production season at . This season celebrates creativity, culture and community by featuring world premieres, classics reimagined through local perspectives, international collaborations and original choreography.

Mainstage Series

• The Wizard of Oz (October 23–31)
  A colorful reimagining of the beloved classic in a world built from creativity, transformation and upcycled imagination.
• Little Shop of Horrors (March 4–14, 2027)
  The cult-classic musical takes root in early 1960s Honolulu in this fresh local reimagining.

Primetime Series (in the Earle Ernst Lab Theatre)

• Epic (September 30–October 4)
  An international collaboration explores inclusivity, embodiment and dance as a universal language.
• The Storyteller (November 18–22)
  A moving new work by Sheila Miles (Master of Fine Arts or MFA Candidate) exploring family, grief, resilience and the enduring power of 尘辞ʻō濒别濒辞 (stories).
• MFA | BFA Dance Concert (February 3–77, 2027)
  Original choreography by the next generation of dance artists from 糖心视频 惭ā苍辞补
• Hey, Black Child! (April 14–18, 2027)
  A joyful story of friendship, belonging, self-discovery and finding one’s voice on Oʻahu.

Late Night Theatre Company (in the Earle Ernst Lab Theatre)

• el momento en que me desperté (December 3, 5 & 6, 2026)
  A devised Butoh Dance drama piece facilitated and choreographed by Santiago Rivera Rodas.
• Late Night Raqs (April 23–25, 2027)
  A belly dance showcase facilitated by Samantha Giridhar.

To learn more about the upcoming season, visit .

When Lele Wale premiered at the University of Hawaiʻi at 惭ā苍辞补’s in March, audiences embraced the original hana keaka (Hawaiian theatre work) inspired by the lived experiences of Lahaina after the 2023 Maui wildfires. This August, the production reaches the destination it was always meant for, home.

A company of 25 students, alumni, faculty and theatre professionals from 糖心视频 惭ā苍辞补 will travel to Lahaina for four performances from August 7–8. Six members of the cast and crew are from Maui, including three cast members from Lahaina whose personal experiences helped shape the production.

For Maui native Ikaika Mendez, a 糖心视频 惭ā苍辞补 master of fine arts candidate in and the writer and director of Lele Wale, bringing the production home is both meaningful and humbling.

“I’m hoping that, even though we’re three years later, it still sparks hope, it still sparks joy, and it still reveals to the community that the people are what make the place, and the place is what makes the people. I’m hoping this is a timeless experience where people can reminisce, but also have hope for a better future.”

Related 糖心视频 News story: Lahaina’s story lives in new hana keaka production, February 5, 2026.

For Lahaina

Rather than recreating the tragedy of the fires, Lele Wale creates space for reflection, healing and connection through Hawaiian theatre, hula, music and storytelling.

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

The Lahaina performances are presented in partnership with Festivals of Aloha, with support from Hawaiian Airlines and the Wave of Harmony Foundation. Their sponsorship is helping transport the cast, crew and production from Oʻahu to Maui so the story can be shared with the community that inspired it.

“The significance of this hana keaka traveling to Lahaina is in the intention and creation of the work,” said Tammy 贬补颈濒颈ʻō辫耻补 Baker, director and founder of the 糖心视频 惭ā苍辞补 Hawaiian Theatre program. “The 尘辞ʻō濒别濒辞 (story) encapsulated in Lele Wale was developed by a kama (child) of Maui for their community.”

As Lahaina marks three years since the wildfires, Lele Wale returns not as a finished work, but as an offering. It honors those who were lost, celebrates the strength of those who remain, and reminds audiences that the heart of Lahaina has always been and continues to be its people.

Ticket information

Performances are scheduled for Friday, August 7, at 2 p.m. and 7 p.m., and Saturday, August 8, at 2 p.m. and 7 p.m. in the Haleakalā Ballroom at The Westin Maui Resort & Spa. .

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 糖心视频 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 糖心视频 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 糖心视频 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 糖心视频 惭ā苍辞补 and a preview of a new hana keaka (theatre work) by 糖心视频 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 糖心视频 News story: Lahaina’s story lives in new hana keaka production, February 5, 2026

Established in 2022 through the 糖心视频 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 糖心视频 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 糖心视频 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 糖心视频 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 糖心视频 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 糖心视频’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 糖心视频 News Image of the Week is from 糖心视频 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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Want to get in on the action? The next 糖心视频 News Image of the Week could be yours! Submit a photo, drawing, painting, digital illustration of a project you are working on, a moment from a field research outing or a beautiful and/or interesting shot of a scene on your campus. It could be a class visit during which you see an eye-catching object or scene.

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Please include a brief description of the image and its connection to your campus, class assignment or other 糖心视频 connection. By submitting your image, you are giving 糖心视频 News permission to publish your photo on the 糖心视频 News website and 糖心视频 social media accounts. The image must be your original work, and anyone featured in your image needs to give consent to its publication.

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 糖心视频 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 糖心视频 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 糖心视频 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 糖心视频 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-糖心视频 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 糖心视频. In spring 2024, he and his apprentices trained student actors for 糖心视频 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, 糖心视频 惭ā苍辞补 is helping keep that legacy alive.

Kabuki legacy

With guidance from Iezzi, 糖心视频 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 糖心视频 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 糖心视频 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 糖心视频 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 糖心视频 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 糖心视频 惭ā苍辞补 students, faculty, staff, musicians and technicians, representing a wide range of 糖心视频 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 糖心视频 News story: No day but today: 糖心视频 惭ā苍辞补 theatre and dance brings award-winning RENT to life, February 11, 2025

The 糖心视频 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 糖心视频 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 糖心视频 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 糖心视频 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 糖心视频 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 糖心视频 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 糖心视频 Foundation.

Award-winning hana keaka

Since its founding in 2014, 糖心视频 Mānoa’s 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 Mānoa’s 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 糖心视频 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 糖心视频 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 糖心视频 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 糖心视频 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 糖心视频 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 糖心视频 News story: 糖心视频 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 糖心视频 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 糖心视频 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 糖心视频 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 糖心视频 惭ā苍辞补.”

Moʻokūʻauhau and mele

Among the handful of cast members starring alongside Tavares in Puana are 糖心视频 惭ā苍辞补 Hawaiian Theatre MFA student actors Ikaika Mendez and Kāneikoliakawahineikaʻiukapuomua Baker, and 糖心视频 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 糖心视频 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, 糖心视频 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.