Kumu Kahua 2022-23 Seas Its 52nd
Kumu Kahua 2022 23 Season
Kumu Kahua Theatre proudly announces its new season, with the schedule of plays planned for 2022-2023 reflecting some of the theatre’s most popular presentations over the years. Programming for the 52nd season has been especially curated with gratitude for the community at its core, recognizing that Kumu Kahua’s loyal audiences have enabled the nonprofit to remain a vibrant hub for theatre, both online and in-person, throughout the challenges of the pandemic and for over fifty years.
Throughout the run of the 52nd season, Kumu Kahua Theatre will further honor the memory of its founder, Dennis Carroll, by offering up 10 free tickets each weekend and for every show announced in its new season billing. The gesture is in keeping with a tenet of Carroll’s, a distinguished playwright, and professor emeritus of the Department of Theatre and Dance at the University of Hawai‘i, who passed in November 2021, leaving an indelible legacy within the theatre community.
“It’s particularly fitting that as we look ahead with excitement to the new, that we’re also celebrating old friends,” said Kumu Kahua Theatre Managing Director, Donna Blanchard.
“Community has always been at the heart of the theatre, and we are humbled by the enthusiasm of our audiences and the passion of our advocates in helping us to sustain our mission.”
Setting the stage for an experience that uniquely celebrates a sense of place, Kumu Kahua Theatre’s tradition of showcasing plays for and about Hawaiʻi, from some of Hawaii’s most celebrated playwrights, will be on full display in the new season lineup. The nonprofit recently made a safe, successful return to in-person performances, and the upcoming 52nd Season will feature the following presentations in-person and on Kumu Kahua’s iconic stage in downtown Honolulu:
Aloha Las Vegas
by Edward Sakamoto
August 25- September 25, 2022
Wally Fukuda is a retired widower living a quiet life in Lilha until his friend Harry visits from Las Vegas with a wild proposal: sell his home and retire to Vegas, where he can live for a fraction of the cost. Wally warms to the idea, but family dynamics complicate his decision. His neighbor Gracie and their sweet but awkward acquaintance, Alvin, keep the laughs coming as Wally works through his decision on whether to stay – or go…
Lucky Come Hawaii
by Jon Shirota
November 3 – December 4, 2022
Adapted from Jon Shirota’s best-selling 1965 novel, this comedy is set in 1941 when a precarious balance exists between American GIs, local Japanese, and West Maui Okinawans. When Pearl Harbor is bombed and martial law is imposed, the old world and the new clash, turning everything topsy-turvy; until love and acceptance set the world aright.
Gone Feeshing
by Lee A. Tonouchi
January 19 – February 19, 2023
Inspired by the true-life heroism of his father’s friend, Da Pidgin Guerrilla Lee Tonouchi has created a work of Magical Realism and audience interaction exploring love, communication, and forgiveness. When two brothers go fishing, the ocean takes them on a metaphysical journey allowing them to reconcile as the older brother comes to terms with his relationship to their father and his tragic death.
Wild Meat and the Bully Burgers
Adapted for the stage by Keith Kashiwada and John H.Y. Wat from Lois-Ann Yamanaka’s ground-breaking novel.
March 23 – April 23, 2023
Growing up in 1970s Hilo, Lovey Nariyoshi endures middle-school with the help of her best friend, Jerry, and forges a sense of identity shaped by white American pop culture and media that makes her ashamed of her upbringing. This satire examines the beautiful and brutal realities of growing up local in Hawaiʻi. Adapted for the stage by Keith Kashiwada and John H.Y. Wat from Lois Ann Yamanaka’s ground-breaking novel.
Folks You Meet at Longs
by Lee Cataluna
May 25 – June 25, 2023
From a lip gloss smacking hickey-necked teenager to a creepy uncle, a pickled-mango-craving hāpai mom and everything in between, Lee Catalina’s raucous collection of monologues highlights the wide and wild range of characters that frequent the aisles of Hawaiʻi’s favorite drug store. This hit play premiered at Kumu Kahua in 2003 before becoming an award-winning book.
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