Ka Wai Ola - Office of Hawaiian Affairs, Volume 11, Number 5, 1 Mei 1994 — New play, "Kāmau," teaches young Hawaiians to persevere [ARTICLE]

New play, "Kāmau," teaches young Hawaiians to persevere

' ■ ■ ■ : ■ . . ■ . . . ; As its final offering of its 1994-95 season and for its annual summer interisland lour, Kumu Kahua will present the world premiere of a new play by Alani Apio, "Kāmau," whieh in Hawaiian means "to persevere." The lead character of "Kāmau," is Alika Kealoha, a tour guide who learns that for his excellent work he will be promoted to a management job when his company opens its latest resort — - to be built on the land of his family home. This crisis forces Alika to question his whole life, and devastates his two cousins, less advantaged than he, who want to continue their traditional life of fishing from the beach on the property. According to its author, the play explores the way Hawaiians eope, both successfully and unsuccessfully, with living in a homeland that has become off-limits and foreign to them, and the difficulty of maintaining a Hawaiian identity. "Kāmau" is the second performed work of play wright Alani Apio, a graduate of Kamehameha Schools and University of Hawai'i-Mānoa. Apio says, "Kāmau deals with some very heavy issues for the Hawaiian community that have not been adequately dealt with before in theater. The play examines why suicide, violence, and the slow destruction of individuals through alcoholism and depression have been the unfortunate answers to many of our people's problems." Apio notes that as the title suggests, the play provides reasons and ways for Hawaiians to deal with that pain and "to approach living in today's world with dignity, purpose and identity." The director will be Harry Wong III and the cast will include Charles Timtim, Brian Wake, Edward Dion Costa, Cheryl Bartlett Wagenseller, Henry James Conaty, Nyla L. Fujii, Ginger Gohier, Neal Milner, Kathv Weleh and Lisa Omoto. I

Performance schedule: O'ahu — Kumu Kahua theater in the old Kamehameha IV Post Office building (downtown Honolulu, corner Merchant and Bethel streets) at 8 p.m. on May 20, 21, 27, 28 and on July 1 and 2; 6:30 p.m. performances Sundays on May 22, 29 and July 3. "Kāmau" will play for two performances at the Wai'anae High School cafetorium, 85-251 Farrington Hwy. on Friday June 10 and Saturday June 1 1 at 7 p.m. Special flat rate ticket price is $5. Maui — Location to be announced in loeal media, June 3, 7 p.m.; June 4, 2 p.m. Call 875-2460 for tickets Hilo — UH-Hilo's "black box" theater, 7:30 p.m., June 18; and 2 p.m. and 7:30 p.m., June 19; 2 p.m., June 20. Call 933-3350 for tickets. Kona — Aloha Theater Performing Arts Center, 8 p.m. July 8, 9. Call 322-9924 for tickets. Kaua'i — Island School main hall, 3-1875 Kaumuali'i Hwy., Llhu'e, 7:30 p.m., June 23, 24. Call 245-3408 for tickets. Ticket price is $8 for adults, $6 for students and seniors or groups of 10 or more reserving in advance. "Kāmau" is sponsored by Jeff Crabtree, Esq. and by the Office of Hawaiian Affairs, with additional support from the State Foundation on Culture and the Arts through appropriations from the state Legislature. 2