UH ʻŌlelo Hawaiʻi play makes historic debut Off-Broadway
University of Hawaiʻi at Mānoa
Cast and crew brave frigid NYC temperatures in the 30s
LINK TO VIDEO AND SOUND: https://bit.ly/2QRJtOY
WHAT: The University of Hawai`i at Mānoa Hawaiian language production, `Au`a `Ia: Holding On brought down the house as the featured opening act at an Off-Broadway festival.
WHO: UH Mānoa students and faculty- 35 cast members, four kumu, four production technicians
WHEN: Cast performed for the festival’s opening on Tuesday, January 7. The next show is set for Thursday, January 9. The production will perform through Friday, January 10.
WHERE: Lower East Side’s 4th Street Theater Community, New York City, New York
OTHER FACTS:
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This is the first time in UH’s history that a production has been selected to perform Off-Broadway and for four performances.
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Organizers of the inaugural indigenous theatre festival, Reflections of Native Voices Native Theater Festival, invited the UH Mānoa theatre `Ōlelo Hawai`i (Hawaiian language) play to participate in its 12-day event.
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The festival features plays written and performed by representatives from a number of indigenous cultures, including members from the Sioux and Navajo tribes.
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`Au`a `Ia: Holding On, written and directed by UH Mānoa Prof. Hailiʻōpua, debuted at Kennedy Theatre in September 2019 and is performed predominantly in Hawaiian.
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The play captures pivotal moments in Hawaiʻi’s history from the perspective of four haumāna (students).
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Generous donations helped cover the $100,000 price tag for the cast and crew’s airfare, cargo transport and accommodations, including 20 round-trip tickets and discounted fares for the cast and crew, courtesy Hawaiian Airlines.
VIDEO:
BROLL (2 minutes, 15 seconds) :
2 clips: students arriving at JFK
2 clips: Cast & Crew in NY cold
7 clips: Cast Travelling Through NYC
2 clips: Exterior of Off-Broadway theatre, New York Theater Workshop
2 clips: Culture exchange with Native Americans at festival (NATS)
2 clips: Culture exchange with Native Hawaiians (NATS)
3 clips: Production performing in preview show
3 clips: Audience
SOUND:
Dylan Chase Lee - UH Mānoa student, Cast Member (12 seconds)
“It felt good to connect with other people, other cultures because this is a festival for native voices. People from all over, all walks of life, all walks of cultures.”