Ka Wai Ola - Office of Hawaiian Affairs, Volume 26, Number 2, 1 February 2009 — 'Legend of Kaululā'au' to debut on O'ahu [ARTICLE+ILLUSTRATION]

'Legend of Kaululā'au' to debut on O'ahu

Honolulu run to help fund performances in Europe By ī. Ilihia Giūnsan Publicatiūns Editur As Kaululā'au's signal fire burned atop Lāna'ihale to signify his victory over the ghosts that onee inhabited Lāna'i, so too did the frre inside of Native Hawaiian playwright Keali'iwahine Hokoana inspire her to share the story of this kolohe who eanie to rule Lāna'i and Maui. The Legend of Kaululā'au is part of the larger story of 'Ele'io, the quick-footed messenger of West Maui ali'i Kāka'alaneo. And, in following the Hawaiian storytelling tradition, the story begins with those who eame before our hero, Kaululā'au. A detour from 'Ele'io's usual 'awafetching route brought father Kāka'alaneo and mother Kelekeleiōkaula together, sparing 'Ele'io's life, and bringing Kaululā'au into the world. For Kaululā'au's many kolohe antics in his younger days, his father banished him to Lāna'i, whieh was at the time inhabited solely by ghosts. His trickster instincts that had led him into trouble on Maui served him well on Lāna'i, ensuring his survival and . . . well, you'll have to go see the show for the rest. "Kaululā'au is a significant historical figure, but his story is also significant as he grows from a cocky

youngster who thinks only of himself to a person who realizes his value as it relates to the Hawaiian people," said playwright Hokoana, who brings her play to Honolulu for the first time after a year of perfonnances on Maui. "It caused me to examine my own role as a Native Hawaiian and my purpose to the people." The Legend ofKaululā 'au defies standard Western categories of stage productions. Not quite play, not quite monologue, the show modernizes the traditional Hawaiian oral storytelling fonn with a single thespian as kākā'ōlelo (storyteller) and as all of the characters. Think of sitting at tūtū kāne's feet to hear a story, but on stage. Hokoana had already penned plays such as Koi, Like the Fish and Ai! You Stay Hāpai! But with Kaululā'au, she wrote the play to give the Hawaiian storytelling tradition a breath of new life. "Even though space and time is irrelevant in native storytelling, the events must lead up to a final physical, emotional and spiritual confrontation," Hokoana said. "I modernized the fonn to make it easier for the storyteller to remember the important parts of the show and the order of the events." The sole perfonner in the production is experienced Maui actor Moses Goods III. "Moses has a voice that lulls you into the story and makes feel like you're his confidant," Hokoana said. "He also has the acting skill to transfonn seamlessly into nine different characters. And as a Native Hawaiian, he also has taken on the kuleana of perpetuating native mo'olelo." These first O'ahu perfonnances are fundraisers for the show to perform in Europe, including in August at the Edinburgh Festival Fringe in Scotland, the largest arts festival in the world. In the 2008 Fringe, ahnost 250 venues played host to more than 30,000 perfonnances spanning music, comedy, theater and dance.

rerrormance dates on Maui are expected to be announced soon. If you are on O'ahu, catch the tale of the trickster Kaululā'au while you ean. You'll be in for a treat. E3

The Legend of Kaululō'au The Arts at Marks Garage ' 1 1 59 Nu'uanu Ave., Honolulu 7:30 p.m. Fridays and Saturdays, Feb. 20, 21 and 27, 28 4 p.m. Sundays, Feb. 22 and Mar. 1 Tickets at the Hawai'i Theatre box office are $20 in advance, $1 5 students/ seniors, and $5 more at the door. I 528-0506 or hawaiitheatre.com For more information, eall the PA'I Foundation at 808-375-0847

Actor Moses Goods III plays Kaulul ā'au, among others, in īhe Legend of Kaululā'au. Photo: courtesy Keali'iwahine Hokoana