Ka Wai Ola - Office of Hawaiian Affairs, Volume 25, Number 12, 1 December 2008 — Island rose [ARTICLE+ILLUSTRATION]

Island rose

Princess Ka'iulani is the subject of a play to debut in '09 By Lisa Asatū Public lnfūrmatiūn Specialist Maui writer and actress Iennifer Fahrni has devoted six years of her life to learning the facts about Princess Ka'iulani for a new play she's cowriting, and sometinies it seems like she's just getting started. "The script is written, but as I learn new things, knowing me I'll be doing line changes on opening night," says Fahrni, who is writing the play Ka'iulani - The Island Rose with Carol HarvieYamaguchi, whieh is planned for a 2009 debut on Maui. "I'm always looking for more truth and the whole goal is to

really bring Ka'iulani to life and her true spirit up on the stage," she says of her effort to "give the Hawaiians back their heroine." "There's no need to Hollywood-ize this story," adds Fahrni, a native of Vancouver, British Columbia. "The tmth is very compelling and I haven't had a need to change anything." Ever since a friend introduced her to Ka'iulani through a book, Fahrni has been on a quest to let others know that the 19th century part-Ha-waiian, part-Scottish royal who was being groomed to inherit the throne from Queen Lili'uokalani was more than just a beautiful princess who died young, at 24. "I think when people think of Ka'iulani they think she had a tragic life," says Fahrni, who has retraced the princess' steps from Waiklkl, where she lived at 'Āinahau, to "a little plaee" outside the Irish capital of Dublin. "But in fact her life was full of wonderful things as well. Her personality was very vibrant and she was beautiful and sought after by many men.

She was brilliant. She spoke four languages. She was highly educated and spoke clearly and to the point when it mattered." By speaking to the press in London and New York City, she says, a 17-year-old Ka'iulani changed history, at least for a time, by helping to convince President Cleveland to reject annexation of the Hawaiian Islands after the kingdom had been illegally overthrown. "It was not an easy fight," Fahrni says. "There were a lot of things standing in the way, and that's what people will find out in the show. It took a lot of courage to do what she did. She was going against all the Ameiiean people - she was going against what had been printed in all the newspapers." So impressed was Cleveland, Fahrni says, that he invited the young princess to the White House. Since April, Fahrni and others members of The Ka'iulani Project, like Kathy Collins, Wilmont Kahaialii and Hamish Burgess have perfonned at readings of the play, whieh when completed, will

feature music, hula and a small amount of Hawaiian language (kept at a minimum in order to be accessible to audiences worldwide - that's Fahrni's vision). And putting historical accuracy before ego, Fahrni says she welcomes input from anyone who ean shed light on Ka'iulani, even if they may have reservations about Fahrni's malihini roots. "Give the criticism now before it hits the stage. I've been an actor all my life, and as an actor you learn how to take criticism well," she says with a laugh.

Fahrni is seeking actors of all ages to portray members of the royal family, including Ka'iulani, King Kalākaua, Princess Ruth Ke'elikōlani and about 20 other main roles, including nonroyals. Presence and personality are crueial, she says, so even those without acting training would be eonsidered. She's also looking to cast Hawaiians in Hawaiian roles. For information, visit thekaiulani project.com or mauiceltic.com. Resumes andphotos may be emailed to islandroseplay@aol.com. ^

NĀ HANANA - EVENTS

| Left: Princess Ka'iulani. - Photo: Courtesy ofBishopMuseum. Right: | Jennifer Fahrni is I co-writing ū factbosed ploy on | Princess Ko'iuloni and is seeking actors of ūll ages for vorious roles. - Photo: Blaine | Fergerstrom