Powerful Drama Kamau ‘Ae Opens At
Kumu Kahua Theatre May 31
Personal story of Hawaiian Sovereignty Movement with a new audience.
WHAT: K?mau A`e, by Alani Apio
WHERE: Kumu Kahua Theatre, 46 Merchant St.
WHEN: May 31-July 1 (see full schedule below)
How much: $5-$20
INFO: 536-4441, www.kumukahua.org; box office open Monday-Friday, 11 a.m.-3 p.m.
SPECIAL EVENT: Friday, June 8 performance will be followed by a Talk Story session with playwright Alani Apio.
Honolulu, HI— The Hawaiian sovereignty movement, with its complexities and controversies, takes the stage in Alani Apio’s powerful drama K?mau A‘e.
First produced in 1997, K?mau A‘e—meaning “to carry forward”—is the second installment of Apio’s in-progress trilogy focused on the Mahekona family set against a backdrop of an island and culture in transition. Kumu Kahua restages the work to share its message with a new generation of audiences.
This new production marks a natural line of the “carrying on” of commitment to the work of Alani Apio. The show’s director, Wil T.K. Kahele, co-directed with Harry Wong III the revival of Apio’s K?mau —the first play in the trilogy—at Kumu Kahua in 2007 and on tour to the Pacific Arts Festival in Samoa in 2008. And actor Charles K?pahu Timtim, who appeared in K?mau in 1994 and the premiere of K?mau A‘e in 1997, takes the role of the central character, Michael Kawaipono Mahekona. Taking on a new role, he is again poised to make an indelible impression on audiences in this evolving story.
At the center of the production is Michael Kawaipono Mahekona. Fresh out of prison, Michael joins a group of activists on a mission to reclaim Hawaiian land. As the group splinters over whether to stand firm or compromise on its principles, Michael must decide how to stay true to what he believes.
“The cast is solid and powerful,” says Apio. “I’m excited for them and for our audiences. Fifteen years have passed since the show premiered in 1997. So much has changed here and yet, with respect to the Hawaiian sovereignty movement, not much has changed since then. It’ll be interesting to see our collective take on it now.”
This play contains strong language.
Show dates:
Thursday, Friday and Saturday at 8 p.m.:
May 31; June 1, 2, 7, 8, 9, 14, 15, 16, 21, 22, 23, 28, 29, 30, 2012
Sundays at 2 p.m.: June 3, 10, 17, 24; July 1, 2012
The playwright:
ALANI APIO grew up in Pu‘uloa, or ‘Ewa Beach, in a family of fishermen. He graduated from Kamehameha Schools and the University of Hawai‘i–M?noa (UHM), with a degree in Drama and Theatre. He’s a founding and current board member of Kanu Hawaii (kanuhawaii.org) and works as a community consultant for utility companies and developers on sustainability projects and projects that have potential Native Hawaiian burial issues.
The director:
WIL T. K. KAHELE is well known for his work in local theater and film and has acted, directed, and stage managed many productions for KKT. He co-directed with Harry Wong III the revival of Apio’s K?mau at KKT in 2007, and on tour to the Pacific Arts Festival in Samoa in 2008 and directed Maui the Demigod in 2010.
