Palikū Theatre and Hawaiʻi Conservatory of Performing Arts at Windward Community College present iHula written by Ryan “Oki” Okinaka and directed by Taurie Kinoshita, playing over two weekends, February 10–19, 2023.
Hula, mele and aloha are interwoven into this story about cultural perpetuation and legacy, as four very different women try to overcome their fears, pride and insecurities to discover the true meaning of the hula.
“This is a play about creating ʻohana, beyond biological relations and the great honor and sometimes burden of perpetuating culture,” said Kinoshita. “Oki’s play is an unforgettable and moving experience. If you love hula, you cannot miss this play honoring its power.”
Show dates and times:
- Friday, February 10, 7:30 p.m.
- Saturday, February 11, 7:30 p.m.
- Sunday, February 12, 3 p.m.
- Friday, February 17, 7:30 p.m.
- Saturday, February 18, 7:30 p.m.
- Sunday, February 19, 3 p.m.
Ticket information:
- $25 General
- $20 Senior, UH faculty/staff and active military (with ID, up to two tickets)
- $10 Youth and college students with ID
(Suitable for all ages; running time approximately 90 minutes.)
For tickets and more information, visit palikutheatre.com or call 808-235-7315.
This is the second professional production presented by the newly formed Hawaiʻi Conservatory of Performing Arts. The first was Oriental Faddah and Son by Lee A. Tonouchi in spring 2022.
- Related: Hawaiʻi Conservatory of Performing Arts launches at Windward CC, September 29, 2022
Playwright Okinaka is a recipient of the Hawaiʻi Conservatory of Performing Arts Emerging Island Artist program and a lecturer at Windward CC. He recently wrote Who You Again? which premiered at Kumu Kahua Theatre in 2022. iHula first premiered at Kumu Kahua Theatre in 2016 and was recognized for excellence in writing by the Hawaiʻi State Theatre Council. The show was presented online at Palikū in 2021 when the theatre was temporarily closed due to COVID-19.
The cast features Reece Flores, Aren Iverson, Alysia Kepaa and Kevin Molina (all recently featured in Demigods Anonymous at Palikū Theatre), Thomalin Sirivattha (from the 2021 version of iHula), Kaipo Dudoit (most recently seen in Who You Again? at Kumu Kahua Theatre), and Leleaʻe Kahalepuna-Wong who was in the original cast of iHula at Kumu Kahua Theatre and now plays the role of the kumu hula.
To learn more about the Hawaiʻi Conservatory of Performing Arts and theatre classes offered at Windward CC, visit conservatory.windward.hawaii.edu or contact Associate Professor Nicolas Logue at (808) 236-9138 or logue@hawaii.edu.
