Lee A. Tonouchi’s Oriental Faddah and Son at Windward CC’s Palikū Theatre

VIDEO NEWS RELEASE

Noah Nakachi and Victoria Kinard in Oriental Faddah and Son, March 13–22

Brandon Hagio and Dylan Leming in Oriental Faddah and Son

Austin Yoshida and Brandon Hagio in Oriental Faddah and Son

VIDEO AND SOUND (details below): https://bit.ly/2TiKMZG

See an ensemble perform the theme from Kikaida and more in Oriental Faddah and Son, a semi-autobiographical chronicle by Lee A.Tonouchi (also known as “Da Pidgin Guerilla”) about the relationship between a father and his son that delves into the nuances of a local Hawai’i Okinawan family. The latest presentation at Windward Community College’s Palikū Theatre runs March 13–22.

Staging the poems from Tonouchi’s award-winning poetry book Significant Moments in da Life of Oriental Faddah and Son (Bess Press), the play investigates what it means to be Okinawan in Hawai‘i, highlighting the values of the Uchinānchu (Okinawan immigrants and their descendants in Hawaiʻi), and reflecting on paternal relationships.

Play director Taurie Kinoshita said, “One of the themes is the difference between mainland Asian Americans and Orientals in Hawai‘i. I find it profoundly beautiful that in Hawai‘i we are lucky enough to have a sense of humor about ethnicity. When we laugh at things together, instead of censoring ourselves, it is empowering. Mainland Asian Americans do not have the luxury of speaking openly about race; here, we can have peaceful conversations without fear.”

Show Dates/Times:

March 13–14 and 20–21, 7:30 p.m.

March 15, 21– 22, 3 p.m.

Ticket information:

$10 Students (Youth and college students with ID), Seniors (62+), Military (with ID), UH Faculty/Staff

$15 Adults; Group rates available

Purchase tickets online at palikutheatre.com or call (808) 235-7315. For more information email paliku@hawaii.edu.

Tonouchi is the playwright of Uchina Aloha, Da Kine Space, and Gone Feeshing, which have all been presented by Kumu Kahua Theatre. Kinoshita most recently directed Stories of Kūpuna at Palikū Theatre, Macbeth for Hawai‘i Shakespeare Festival, and Way of a God at Kumu Kahua Theatre.                                

The cast includes Brandon Hagio, Po‘okela Award recipient for Da Beer Can Hat (Kumu Kahua Theatre), Meenakshi Kutty featured in Once (Manoa Valley Theatre), Manuel A. Moreno, recently in Way of a God (Kumu Kahua Theatre), and Austin Yoshida, seen in Allegiance (Manoa Valley Theatre).                                

To learn more about Theatre 260 and other theatre classes offered at Windward CC, contact Assistant Professor Nicolas Logue at (808) 236-9138, logue@hawaii.edu or go online to windward.hawaii.edu/theatre.

VIDEO: (1 minute 24 seconds)

SOUND:

0:00-0:22 (22 seconds)

Student in black: “Yoooosh.”

Student in yellow: “...‘fo demonstrate his virility. ‘Cause I know my oriental faddah, he not one man of many words, of much emotion. He probably may do a grunt!”

Student in black: “Hasshah.”

Student in yellow: “Just one, ‘fo send da message, he done. True! All pau; time ‘fo go shleep now.”

0:23-1:13 (49 seconds)

Cast (*Kikaida Theme Song* Romanized lyrics):

“Denryū hibana ga karada wo hashiru

Jirō Chenji Kikaidā

Dāku Robotto mukaeute

Jinzō Ningen Kikaidā 

Chenji (x2)

Gō Go Gō Gō

Go Gō Gō”

Student in brown cardigan: “Dear Kikaida, you my favorite Japanese superhero. I watch your TV show all the time. I see you when you come Pearlridge, but idunno if you saw me, ‘cause had plenny kids there, and you was kinda busy fighting the monsters of the dark.”

1:14-1:24 (10 seconds)

Student in black shirt and brown patterned shorts: “‘Cause girls won’t like oriental guys.”

Student in black shirt and black pants: “Get too many das why!”

Student in navy shirt: “Chinese—”

Student in black shirt and black pants: “Japanese—”

Student in black shirt and brown patterned shorts: “Vietnamese—”

Student in striped green shirt: “Korean—”

Student in navy shirt: “Filipino—”

Student in “Bulls” tank top: “Laotian—”

All: “Okinawan!”

**Photos by Janine Myers

For more information, visit: http://palikutheatre.com