The Maiden Benten and the Bandits of the White Waves – MAINSTAGE SEASON
(Benten Musume Meo no Shiranami)
Kabuki – Celebrating 100 years of Kabuki in English at UHM!
Written by Kawatake Mokuami
Translator, Adaptor, and Project Director: Julie A. Iezzi
Artistic Advisor: Ichikawa Monnosuke VIII
April 19-20 & 26-28, 2024 – FRI/SAT 7:30pm & SUN 2:00pm
Pre-Show Chats: 6:45pm before Saturday 4/20 & 4:27 performances
A popular kabuki play, The Maiden Benten and the Bandits of the White Waves, commonly known as Benten Kozō, features five distinctive thieves with a mastery of masquerade, and a command of language from the gutter to the poetically sublime. Together with a full array of colorful kabuki characters, their schemes and back stories lead to shocking revelations, surprising reunions, startling twists and ultimately result in the realization that one cannot escape karma—though in meeting it, one need not abandon spectacle or beauty.
This production celebrates the long tradition of kabuki in Hawaiʻi, and marks the 100th anniversary of English-language kabuki productions at the University of Hawaiʻi as well as Kennedy Theatreʻs 60th birthday. Benten Kozō, presented in the 1963-64 inaugural season, is also a magnificent showcase for the hanamichi, an acting pathway through the audience which fosters an intimacy between actors and audience members. To this day, Kennedy Theatre remains the only theatre in the United States designed with a hanamichi. As in the previous 100 years, we are fortunate and grateful to bring community artists, guest artists from Japan, and UHM faculty, staff and students together to collaborate and ensure that regional “Hawaiʻi kabuki” thrives for the next 100 years.
ICHIBAN DAIKO:
One hour before each kabuki performance, a large taiko will play ICHIBAN DAIKO (lit. “first drum”) from the Upper Lanai of Kennedy Theatre. You can gather on the Lower Lanai or around the Kennedy Theatre grounds to listen. Traditionally in Japan, the drum rang out early in the morning from the drum tower of a kabuki theatre to let audiences know there would be a performance that day. At Kennedy Theatre, we maintain this tradition, sounding the drum one hour before showtime to inform everyone to begin gathering at the theatre for the kabuki performance.
ICHIBAN DAIKO Performance Times and Percussionists:
April 19 at 6:30 pm – Morgan Chan
April 20 at 6:30 pm – Kirstin Pauka
April 21 at 1:00 pm – David Crellin (private kabuki show)
April 26 at 6:30 pm – Jun Yi Chow
April 27 at 6:30 pm – Paul Cosme
April 28 at 1:00 pm – Kenny Endo
Acknowledgements
UHF Norma Bird Nichols PhD Asian Theatre Fund
UHF James R. Brandon Memorial Fund
UHF Japanese Theatre Fund
UH Mānoaʻs Chancellorʻs Office
Honpa Hongwanji Mission of Hawaiʻi
CLICK HERE TO PURCHASE TICKETS ONLINE (link will go to etickethawaii.com)
MAINSTAGE SEASON – TICKET PRICES
Regularly Priced Tickets:
$8 UHM Student with current valid UHM ID
$15 Non-UHM Student/Youth
$22 UH Faculty/Staff, Military, Senior
$25 Regular (Adult)
“Throwback Saturday” SAT APR 20, 2024 – prices are from the good ol’ days:
$5 UHM Student
$10 Other Discount Groups
$15 Regular (Adult)
RESOURCES
UH News Article – 100 years of Hawaiʻi Kabuki in English
Spectrum News Article – UH Manoa theatrical students train with master kabuki artists
The Sankei Shimbun – “Kabuki” in English Rehearsals
UH News Article – Kabuki music masters guide UH students
YouTube – Kabuki music masters guide UH Students
Guest Artists | Celebrating Kabuki in Hawaiʻi
Press Release
Publicity Photos
Brand New Shoot-Through Photos
UH News – Images of the Week: Kabuki
KHON2 – This is the experience you’ve been looking for
Japan Forward – Kabuki Comes to Hawaiʻi
HPR – UH performances celebrate 100 years of English-language Kabuki theater in Hawaiʻi
Dept. of Theatre + Dance
1770 East-West Rd Honolulu HI 96822
Main Office: (808) 956-7677
Box Office: (808) 956-7655
