NOTHING MICRO ABOUT MICRONESIA Comes to Honolulu Theatre for Youth This Month

Honolulu Theatre for Youth has announced tthe world premiere of a new play titled, Nothing Micro about Micronesia created by Leilani Chan and Ova Saopeng of TeAda Productions. The show is an expansion of TeAda’s touring show Masters of the Currents that HTY premiered in the Fall of 2017. Nothing Micro about Micronesia is created with support from Cultural Navigator Innocenta Sound-Kikku and is is based on stories collected through workshops and interviews over the last two years in Honolulu, Hilo, Marshall Islands, Pohnpei, Chuuk, Guam, Saipan and Los Angeles. Like Masters of the Currents, this new work combines community-based story collection and social justice practices with devised ensemble techniques to create a theatrical performance built with the involvement of the Micronesian community.

Audiences will enjoy the original songs, movement, and thought-provoking scenarios that take place in this coming-of-age story about three youths who meet at a high school in Hawaiʻi and are magically transported on an adventure across islands of Micronesia. The characters must navigate between life in Hawaiʻi and the traditions of their ancestors while facing the rising tides of their uncertain futures.

“This project came about as a result of Masters of Currents’ successful international tours and community engagement activities. As a result, community leaders requested that TeAda Productions develop this new work that focuses on the continued discrimination and resilience of Micronesians,” shared show creators, Leilani Chan and Ova Saopeng.

Nothing Micro about Micronesia is written and directed by Leilani Chan and Ova Saopeng with support from Cultural Navigator Innocenta Sound Kikku and members of the Micronesian community. The show features original songs by Stephanie “Soultree” Camba, music by Derek Cannon and Daniel Bambaata Marley with dramaturgy by Kiki Rivera. The cast includes Kealaulapo’iuonalani Failfili, Tristan K Henry, Kathalina S. Martin, Ova Saopeng, and Kekoa Akoni Shope.

Nothing Micro about Micronesia will open to audiences on Friday, March 22 at 7:00pm at Tenney Theatre followed by performances on March 30th at 4:00pm and April 7th at 2:00pm. Tickets may be purchased online at www.htyweb.org or by calling 808-839-9885 ext 720. HTY Members receive tickets for shows as part of their membership.

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