The Maiden Benten and the Bandits of the White Waves at UHM Kennedy Theatre

(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

This popular kabuki play, commonly known as Benten Koz, 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 Hawaii, and marks the 100th anniversary of English-language kabuki productions at the University of Hawaii as well as Kennedy Theatres 60th birthday. Benten Koz, 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 “Hawaii kabuki” thrives for the next 100 years.