Good morning Los Angeles! Were here and getting ready to rock with the L.A. premiere of my play Legend Of Koolau at 7:30 p.m. this Saturday (Oct. 11) featuring brilliant actor Moronai Kanekoa and director Monte Scott Perez. Id like to thank Kamaka Brown and the Sandwich Island Network for the interview Saturday. Heres a recent theatrical review: A theatrical review about Legend Of Ko’olau by Wil Caron who attended the Honolulu premiere: https://inhmag/ko%CA%BBolau-continues-tour/ News Media Release - Oct. 5, 2014 LOS ANGELES – A national touring play about a legendary love will have its Los Angeles premiere at 7:30 p.m. on Oct. 11 (Saturday) at the David Henry Hwang Theatre, near the Geffen Contemporary Museum. Tickets may be purchased at legendofkoolau The play is written by Gary T. Kubota, who is also an award-winning Hawaii journalist. Kubotas writings have been featured in interviews with Maxine Hong Kingston in anthology Conversations With Maxine Hong Kingston and with National Poet Laureate W.S. Merwin on Merwins website. “The Legend Of Ko’olau,” selected as a Creation Fund Project by the National Performance Network of New Orleans (NPNweb.org), is about a legendary cowboy and his love of family in Hawaii in 1893 – period of turmoil marked the overthrow of the Hawaiian Kingdom. The National Performance Network has support from major foundations, including the National Endowment for the Arts, Ford Foundation, Doris Duke Charitable Trust, and the Andrew Mellow Foundation. This historic drama is told from the point of view of the cowboy himself, Kaluaiko’olau, and includes a blend of history, culture and humor, along with native insights about living off the land and ocean. “People have laughed and cried during performances,” Kubota said. Kubota began researching the story about Kaluaiko’olau more than 30 years ago as a film project, fascinated by accounts he had read by novelist Jack London. He had translations done from Hawaiian to English and spent months going over archival documents. “The historical story is quite different than London’s tale but no less fascinating,“ Kubota said. “Here was a man caught between the western and native worlds, struggling for survival and his dignity at a time when his Polynesian race was facing decimation by foreign diseases.” The project languished for decades until a friend suggested he try again. Kubota’s renewed efforts took an unexpected turn -- a play was born. Archival photographs along with the sounds of the period are integrated into this one-person play. Los Angeles actor Moronai Kanekoa has been selected for the role. “The audience loved Kanekoa’s acting at the Honolulu premiere at the Hawaii Theatre,” Kubota said. Kubota said he conducted a search for an actor far and wide for months, trying to find a person who could carry the role, receiving suggestions from friends in the film and theatre industry and theatrical agents and sending queries to colleges with drama departments along the west coast. “I received an email from Moronai who had just graduated with a Masters in drama from the University of Southern California, asking if he might audition for the part,” Kubota recalled. “It turned out he had grown up on Maui, about seven miles from where I live.” The play has been touring theatres on various islands and had its Honolulu premiere at the Hawaii Theatre in May. (Photographs of Moronai Kanekoa, courtesy of Alfred Darling. State of Hawaii archival photograph of Kaluaikoolau, his wife Piilani, his son Kaleimanu. The woman sitting is believed to be his mother Kukui. Ballad of Koolau written, composed, and produced by Gary T. Kubota for promotion purposes.) (30) Quotes about the play: “A…form of skydiving.” – Keo Woolford, director/writer of the award-winning film The Haumana and play Three Year Swim Club” “A gripping love story!” Alan Murakami, past president Japanese American Citizens League Hawaii. “Awesome… This should be a film.”- John Wehrheim, filmmaker of “Bhutan” and “Taylor Camp.” “It was magnificent.” – Victoria Alvarez, Sheraton Resort concierge. “It was wonderful. This was under-advertised.”- Anna Miklas, New York. “I thought the play was incredibly moving…I appreciated the history and also…a show that was detailed and well acted.” – Athena Fliakos, New York City, New York. “Wow.” – Kenneth LaBau, Aurora, Colorado. “Superb production.” – Carl Wend, White Plains, New York. “Very moving production! Thank you.” – Nancy Connolly Blum, Eugene, Oregon. “The play was amazing. It was deeply moving and educational on many levels.” – Christy Brown, San Francisco, California “Well, it made me cry from a couple to three times.” - Michael Barretto, touring entertainer and collaborator with Taj Mahal. “A must-see!” - Kumu hula Hokulani Holt Padilla, cultural programs director of Maui Arts & Cultural Center. “To share this with my daughter was priceless.” – Anuenue Mose, hula director, Antioch, California. “Excellent performance… I was enthralled.” – Aletha Kaohi, Waimea Town historian and retired librarian. “Bravo!” - Sarah Ruppenthal, University of Hawaii - Maui English instructor. “I loved every moment.” - Stephanie Bauman, Kauai resident. “Flawlessly executed…Thank you for bringing this story to life.” - Kepa Kruse, singer and song writer. Thank you! That was awesome and accurate, – Bryce Kawenamalama Boeder, a descendant of the sister of Kaluaiko’olau. “You’ve created a play of amazing beauty and power…” Claire Shimabukuro, Honolulu. Feature Story in Hawaiian Airlines’s Hana Hou magazine:hanahou/pages/Magazine.asp?Action=DrawArticle&ArticleID=1310&MagazineID Audience Responses: https://youtube/watch?v=SQxFd_k9Ed0 Julias recording of Ballad Of Ko’olau: https://youtube/watch?v=bmgA122JRv_A
Posted on: Sun, 05 Oct 2014 16:39:01 +0000
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