Kumu Kahua Theatre to Present MY BOY HE PLAYS BALL

Tammy Haili??pua Baker, the pioneering author of L??ieikawai and Kamapua?a, returns to Kumu Kahua after more than 15 years with a funny, deeply-rooted story of fathers, sons, and modern Hawaiian identity.

Boy Kahalewai is living the dream: a Division I football scholarship at a mainland college, a chance to play pro and a loving family back home. But as he struggles with intense pressure from his father and awakens to his Hawaiian roots, Boy starts to wonder whose dream he?s been living all along.

The cast contains Kumu Kahua Theatre veteran, Will Ha?o, who has appeared in K?mau A?e, Flowers of Hawai'i, the underneath, and last season's Ka'iulani. He?s joined for this production by experienced newcomers to KKT, Anette Aga, Kenny Kusaka, LeGrand Lawrence and Taylor Purvis.

The show is directed by John Wat, who recently appeared in the lead role in Koi, Like the Fish. He co-adapted and directed A Ricepaper Airplane, Comfort Woman, and Wild Meat and the Bully Burgers, and directed productions of The Life of the Land, David Carradine Not Chinese, Oranges Are Lucky, Fighting Fire, Fanny and Belle, and Ola Na Iwi. Most recently for KKT, he directed Pele M?,

Tammy Haili??pua Baker is an award-winning playwright whose plays have been produced locally and internationally. Her most recent Hawaiian language play, L??ieikawai - the inaugural Hawaiian theatre production at Kennedy Theatre - played to sold-out audiences this past February. Baker teaches playwriting, Hawaiian, Pacific, and indigenous theatre in the Department of Theatre and Dance at the University of Hawai?i at M?noa (UHM). Her work centers on the development of an indigenous Hawaiian theatre aesthetic and form, Hawaiian language revitalization, and the empowerment of cultural identity through stage performance. Baker is also the artistic director of Ka H?lau Hanakeaka, a Hawaiian medium theatre troupe. My Boy, He Play Ball is her third play to be produced by Kumu Kahua Theatre.

Set design for this show is by James Davenport of Victoria University of Wellington, Aotearoa/New Zealand. James has worked professionally as an actor, scenic designer, and mask maker in theatre, film and television internationally over the last 20 years. His scenographic practice includes designing for the recent Outdoor Shakespeare Festival in Brisbane, Australia and multiple productions at theaters in Hawai?i. He has toured to Edinburgh, China, LA, and Washington, DC. James was the Assistant Director and an actor in the feature film The Land Has Eyes by Vilsoni Hereniko, shot on the island of Rotuma. His field of research is in developing sustainable/regenerative scenographic design and teaching methodologies. He received a Po?okela award for his set design of My Name Is Gary Cooper last season for KKT.

Tickets for performances can be purchased with a credit card by calling 536-4441, or by visiting the box office at 46 Merchant Street (corner of Bethel and Merchant Streets, downtown) between 11am and 3pm Monday through Friday. Tickets can also be purchased at KumuKahua.org.

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