InterACT presents the Mainland Premiere of Emmalehua

Interactive Asian Contemporary Theatre (InterACT), Sacramento’s award-winning Asian-American theatre company, proudly presents the mainland premiere of Emmalehua. Set in Hawai’i in 1951 as Hawai’i prepares to become the 49th state, this play tells the story of a young Hawaiian woman struggling with her cultural heritage as she tries to embrace the American dream. Emmalehua is a poignant and thought-provoking look at a conflict still faced by Americans of all ethnicities.

Emmalehua (played by Ashlyn Kei) was raised by her father, Kaheka (Lawrence J. Lew), to love and respect the Hawaiian culture. She learned the traditional forms of hula from her grandmother (Suzanne Brooks), a woman with great mana (spiritual powers). As a child, Emmalehua was chosen by Laka, the goddess of the hula, becoming kapu, a sacred child who holds nature in her hands.

Her half-sister, Maelyn (Stephanie Tong), also loves to dance but she performs the hapa-haole style of entertainment hula. Emma’s husband, Alika (Brandon Rubin), who owns an engineering firm, fervently embraces the American lifestyle. His new employee, Adrian Clearwater (Meng Wei), is a Cheyenne from the mainland.

Follow Emmalehua through her relationships with Kaheka, Alika, Maelyn and Adrian as she winds her way through her inner conflict between her cherished Native Hawaiian heritage and the more popular American way of life.

Rounding out the cast are Andrea Blalock, Jarret Correa, Lori Cornellier, Sarah Gautschi, Louis Lee, Byron Louie, and Hola Motuapuaka.

This show features live music, Hawaiian chants, traditional and hapa-haole hula.

Playwright Victoria Nalani Kneubuhl was born in Honolulu of Samoan, Hawaiian and Caucasian descent. She has been actively involved in producing many community programs which reflect the unique history and lifestyle of her island home. In 1994, she was honored with the Hawai’i Award for Literature, the highest literay award in the State of Hawai’i, and in 2001, she was named one of the Extraordinary Women of Hawai’i by the Foundation for Hawaii Women’s History and the Native Hawaiian Library of ALU LIKE, Inc. As a playwright, she has had twelve plays produced, several of which have toured Great Britain, the U.S., the Pacific and Asia. She has also written documentary scripts for Hawai’i Public Television and is currently working with Director/Producer Catherine Tatge and International Cultural Programming on Dances of Life, a documentary featuring Pacific Island dances. Emmalehua is not the only play she has written that opens this week in California: The Story of Susanna opens at the University of California, Berkeley Department of Theater, Dance and Performance Studies for a three-day run beginning on October 23, 2003. Ms. Kneubuhl will be in Sacramento for the November 1 performance of Emmalehua. She is available for interview via phone by request. InterACT will host an after-show reception for Ms. Kneubuhl on November 1st. The public is invited to the reception.

Emmalehua is directed by Dennis Yep, who has woven the mana (spirit), mele (song) and hula (dance) of Hawai’i into this play. Some of his recent works include the world premiere of The Canoe (with music by George Winston), and the Rodgers and Hammerstein classic, The King and I, produced in conjunction with Garbeau’s Dinner Theatre.

Choreographer Amy Shima-Cornellier, kumu (Artistic Director) of Hapa Haole Hula Dancers, also serves as cultural consultant.

Emmalehua opens Saturday, October 25, 2003, at 8:00 pm, and will play for five weeks at Broadway Playhouse, 4010 El Camino Avenue in Sacramento. Performances will take place on Fridays and Saturdays at 8:00 pm, and Sundays at 3:00 pm. There will be no performance on Friday, October 31st. Ticket prices are $14.00 for general admission, $12.00 for youth (aged twelve and under) and $12.00 for seniors (aged 62 and over). Special pricing can be arranged for groups of ten or more. For ticket reservations and other information, call InterACT at (916) 452-6174.

Interactive Asian Contemporary Theatre (InterACT) is committed to bringing a diversity of cross-cultural plays exploring issues, themes and stories about Asians and Pacific Islanders as well as works by Asian and Pacific Islander playwrights, to the greater Sacramento area, providing an avenue for experienced and aspiring actors and theatre technicians of all ethnicities and ages to develop and hone their skills. For more information, visit our website at www.interact-theatre.com or call (916) 452-6174.

Questions? Email gwangung@u.washington.edu